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Psychology A level > Biopsychology > Flashcards

Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is in the central nervous system?

A

The brain and the spinal cord.

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2
Q

What does the CNS control?

A

It controls behaviour, muscles and bodily processes.

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3
Q

What branches are in the peripheral nervous system?

A

The somatic and autonomic branches.

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4
Q

What does the somatic branch do?

A

Responsible for conscious activities- sensory and motor neurons.

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5
Q

What does the autonomic branch do?

A

Responsible for unconscious activities- involuntary.

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6
Q

What does the peripheral nervous system do?

A

Its responsible for relaying messages to and from the CNS with the rest of the body.

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7
Q

What are the two branches of the autonomic nervous system?

A

Sympathetic and parasympathetic.

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8
Q

What is the sympathetic branch responsible for?

A

Reactions- fight or flight.

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9
Q

What is the parasympathetic branch responsible for?

A

Recovery- calming caretaker functions.

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10
Q

What is special about the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches?

A

They are antagonistic- they usefully work in opposition to eachother. They cannot work at the same time.

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11
Q

Some examples of sympathetic functions?

A

Slows digestion, inhibits saliva production, increases heart rate, stimulates urination.

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12
Q

Examples of parasympathetic functions?

A

Increases digestion, increases saliva production, decreases heart rate, inhibits urination.

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13
Q

What are some examples of neurotransmitters?

A

Adrenaline, noradrenaline, dopamine, seratonin, gaba, acetycholine

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14
Q

Whats adrenaline responsible for?

A

Fight or flight response.

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15
Q

What is noradrenaline responsible for?

A

Concentration.

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16
Q

Whats dopamine responsible for?

A

Pleasure.

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17
Q

Whats seratonin responsible for?

A

Mood.

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18
Q

What are the neurotransmitters levels in schizophrenia?

A

Dopamine high, seratonin low

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19
Q

What are the neurotransmitters levels in major depression?

A

Seratonin levels low

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20
Q

What are the neurotransmitters levels in parkinson’s disorder?

A

Dopamine levels low.

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21
Q

What is the function of the brain?

A

Provides conscious awareness and is involved in all psychological processes.

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22
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

A

Processes visual information.

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23
Q

What is the function of the temporal lobe?

A

Processes auditory information.

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24
Q

What is the function of the parietal lobe?

A

Integrates information from the different senses and plays an important role in spatial navigation.

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25
Q

What is the frontal lobe?

A

Associated with higher order functions such as planning and logic.

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26
Q

How do neurons transmit information around the body?

A

As electrical impulses.

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27
Q

What is a sensory neuron?

A

The nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses from receptors to CNS.

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28
Q

What is a relay neuron?

A

The nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses between sensory and motor neurons.

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29
Q

What are motor neurons?

A

The nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses from the CNS to effectors.

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30
Q

What is the order of transmission of information to and from the CNS?

A

Stimulus –> Receptors –> sensory–> relay–> motor–> effectors –> response

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31
Q

What do neurons consist of?

A

Dendrites (the branch like structures), nucleus, cell body and an axon.

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32
Q

What are reflexes?

A

Fast automatic responses to certain stimuli.

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33
Q

What is a synapse?

A

A junction/gap between neurons.

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34
Q

What is the process of synaptic transmission?

A

When the action potential reaches the end of the presynaptic neuron, it forces the vesicles that contain neurotransmitters to be released into the synaptic cleft where they diffuse across the gap to the postsynaptic membrane and bind to receptors. These neurotransmitters can be excitatory or inhibitory, and summation happens.

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35
Q

What happens in summation?

A

The excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmitters are added up and then it can trigger firing more or less.

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36
Q

What do excitatory neurotransmitters do?

A

Increase the likelihood that an excitatory signal will be sent to the postsynaptic cell, so the neuron is more likely to fire.

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37
Q

What do inhibitory neurotransmitters do?

A

Decrease the likelihood that an electrical impulse will be triggered in the postsynaptic neuron.

38
Q

What is the endocrine system?

A

A network of glands throughout the body that manufacture and secrete chemical messengers known as hormones.

39
Q

What are the endocrine glands?

A

Special group of cells within the endocrine system, whose function is to produce and secrete hormones.

40
Q

What are the major endocrine glands?

A

Pituitary gland, adrenal gland and the reproductive glands.

41
Q

How do hormones work?

A

They are released into the blood stream but have target areas that they reach.

42
Q

What does the pituitary gland do?

A

Produces hormones whose primary function is to influence the release of other hormones from the other glands.

43
Q

What hormones does the pituitary gland produce?

A

ACTH as a response to stress which stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol.
LH and FSH which are important hormones as they stimulate the reproductive system to produce eggs, sperm, progesterone, oestrogen etc.

44
Q

What does the adrenal gland do?

A

Produces hormones such as adrenaline, which is responsible for the fight or flight response.

45
Q

What do the ovaries do?

A

Part of the female reproductive system; responsible for the production of eggs, oestrogen and progesterone.

46
Q

What do the testes do?

A

Male reproductive glands that produce testosterone.

47
Q

What is a fight or flight response?

A

A sequence of activity within the body that is triggered when the body prepares itself for defending or attacking. This includes changes in the nervous system and the secretion of certain hormones.

48
Q

What is the role of the amygdala and the hypothalamus in the fight or flight response?

A

The amygdala is mobilised when a threat is detected; it sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus which communicates with the rest of the body through the sympathetic nervous system.

49
Q

What is acute stress?

A

Short term stress.

50
Q

What is the response to acute stress?

A

When the sympathetic nervous system is triggered, it prepares for fight or flight by sending a signal to the adrenal medulla (which releases adrenaline). Then the adrenaline moves round the body and causes the body to get ready for action (e.g. heart beats faster). Then the parasympathetic nervous system calms down the body.

51
Q

What is chronic stress?

A

Long term stress.

52
Q

What happens if the stress is still ongoing after the acute stress?

A

The second system kicks in; the hypothalamus activates a stress response system called HPA axis.

53
Q

What is in the HPA axis?

A

Hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal gland.

54
Q

What is the response to chronic stress?

A

The HPA axis. Hypothalamus releases hormone called CRH into the bloodstream. This reaches the pituitary gland and causes the release of ACTH which is transported in bloodstream and reaches the adrenal glands where various stress related hormones are released including cortisol (important for fight or flight). Feedback means that levels of hormones are managed.

55
Q

What is localisation of function?

A

Refers to the belief that specific areas of the brain are associated with specific cognitive processes.

56
Q

What are some evaluations for the fight or flight response?

A
  • When faced with a dangerous situation we are not limited to the fight or flight response; humans can engage in the initial freeze response where we are hyper vigilant and can decide the best response for the threat. Gray believed the first response is to avoid danger altogether.
  • Typically a male response to danger; females can adopt a ‘tend and befriend’ response. Research suggests women are more likely to protect their offspring and form alliances with other women rather than a fight or flight. Gender bias here.
  • Fight or flight was useful for survival mechanisms for life threatening situations e.g. predators but modern day life doesn’t really require this. If the stress response is regurlarly activated it can be negative for the body and physical damage in blood vessels etc. Too much cortisol produced is bad.
57
Q

What is the motor cortex?

A

Responsible for the generation of voluntary motor movements. There is one on either hemisphere of the brain, each one controls the muscles on the opposite sides of the body.

58
Q

What is the somatosensory cortex?

A

Processes input from sensory receptors in the body that are sensitive to touch. It produces sensations of touch, pressure, pain and temperature which are localised to specific body regions. Both hemispheres have one, as one side of the brain receives sensory information about the other side of the body.

59
Q

What is the visual centre?

A

Light enters the eye and strikes photoreceptors on the retina at the back of the eye. Nerve impulses then travel up the optic nerve to the thalamus and are then passed on to the visual cortex in the brain. Again, the hemispheres cortexes processes the other sides visual information.

60
Q

What is the auditory centre?

A

In the inner ear’s cochlea, sound waves are converted into nerve impulses which travel along the auditory nerve, to the brain stem which codes the sound, then to the auditory cortex.

61
Q

What is Broca’s area?

A

An area in the frontal lobe of the brain, in the left hemisphere, responsible for speech production.

62
Q

What is Wernicke’s area?

A

An area in the temporal lobe of the brain important in the understanding and processing of language.

63
Q

Evaluations for localisation of function?

A
  • Brain scans support it. Peterson et al showed activity in the Wernicke’s area when doing a listening task.
  • Support from case studies. Phineas Gage major brain damage; his whole personality changed into angry and quick tempered, showing the frontal lobe could be responsible for mood.
  • Limitation is contradictory research; Lashley believed complex cognitive functions like learning are not localised; involves whole of brain.
64
Q

What is hemispheric lateralisation?

A

The fact that some mental processes in the brain are mainly specialised to either the left or the right hemisphere.

65
Q

How are the two hemispheres connected?

A

By the corpus callosum (bundle of nerve fibres).

66
Q

What is the left hemisphere responsible for?

A

Broca and Wernicke’s area typically found here so responsible for language functions, logic, analysis and problem solving.

67
Q

What is the right hemisphere responsible for?

A

Things such as spatial awareness, emotions and face recognition.

68
Q

What is split brain research?

A

Research that studies individuals who have been subjected to the surgical separation of the two hemispheres as a result of a damaged corpus callosum.

69
Q

Why did doctors severe the corpus callosum?

A

In an attempt to prevent violent epileptic seizures.

70
Q

What did Sperry test?

A

The split brain patients to assess the abilities of separated brain hemispheres.

71
Q

What happened in split brain research by Sperry?

A

Participants sat in front of a screen and were told to stare at the middle point and lights flashed across their right and left visual fields but participants could only see flashing lights on the right side of the board.
The participants could see lights in both… to continue

72
Q

Evaluations of lateralisation and split brain research?

A
  • Shows hemispheric lateralisation. Left and right different functions. Recent research suggests that this may be too simplified and several tasks from one hemisphere can be done by the other
  • Sperry’s work started philosophical debates about consciousness and the communication between hemispheres in normal functioning.
  • HL increases neural processing capacity; by using only one hemisphere, the other can engage in a different function.
73
Q

What is brain plasticity?

A

Refers to the brain’s ability to modify its own structure and function as a result of experience.

74
Q

How does plasticity work?

A

Information takes a pathway through the brain from one neuron to another, via synapses. When were presented with new information, new neural pathways begin to form. The more the pathways are used, the stronger they become. If its not used, itll be destroyed.

75
Q

What can affect plasticity?

A

A new life experience (adapting to a changed environment), playing video games and meditation.

76
Q

Example of research support for plasticity?

A

Maguire et al london taxi driver study. MRI scan on control group and taxi drivers- grey matter/posterior hippocampi bigger in them. Supports idea.

77
Q

What is functional recovery?

A

The recovery of abilities and mental processes that have been compromised as a result of brain injury or disease.

78
Q

Stroke victims regain functioning?

A

When brain cells are damaged or destroyed, like in a stroke, the brain re wires itself over time so that some level of function remains, and some parts can take over the functions that were lost.

79
Q

Two ways the brain can change structurally/functionally?

A

Neuronal unmasking and stem cells.

80
Q

How does neuronal unmasking work?

A

In ‘dormant’ synapses in which the neural input is low, if damage to surrounding brain areas occurs, this input will increase. The synapses will reactivate and there will be a spread of activation.

81
Q

How does stem cells work in functional recovery?

A

Stem cells implanted into the brain can replace cells that are dying or dead.
Implant stem cells that secrete growth factors to help the injured cells.
Transplanted cells from a neural network, which links an injured brain site where new stem cells are made, with the damaged region of the brain.

82
Q

Some evaluations for functional recovery after trauma?

A
  • Animal studies. One control group and one group of rats that got stem cells to damaged areas. Scans of brains showed neural growth.
  • Age differences. When you are a child, your functional plasticity is best and your brain can develop quicker. Adults require greater practice.
83
Q

What are the three types of brain scanning techniques?

A

fMRI, electroencephalogram (EEG), event related potential (ERP).

84
Q

How do fMRI scans work?

A

fMRI scans work by measuring changes in blood flow while participants perform tasks, so we can learn about the brain regions involved in the performance of these tasks.

85
Q

How do EEG scans work?

A

A method of recording changes in the electrical activity of the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp.

86
Q

How do ERP scans work?

A

Takes raw EEG data and uses it to investigate cognitive processing of a specific event. It achieves this by taking multiple readings and averaging them in order to filter out all brain activity that is not related to the appearance of the stimulus.

87
Q

What is a post-mortem examination?

A

A way of examining the brains of people who have shown particular psychological abnormalities prior to their death in an attempt to establish the possible neurobiological cause for this behaviour.

88
Q

One strength of fRMI scans?

A

It is non invasive and doesn’t expose the brain to potentially harmful radiation.

89
Q

One weakness of fMRI scans?

A

fRMI measures changes in blood flow- this is not a direct measure of neural activity in the brain areas.

90
Q

One strength of EEG scans?

A

Useful in clinical diagnosis. E.g. recording abnormal neural activity associated with epilepsy; seizures are caused by disturbed brain activity, so EEG reading changes. This helps diagnose patients.

91
Q

One weakness of EEG scans?

A

They cannot detect activity in the deeper parts of the brain such as the hypothalamus or hippocampus. It would be too unethical and invasive to implant electrodes in that part of human brains.

92
Q

One strength of ERPs?

A

TBC

Psychology A level (11 decks)

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