Biopsychology

Question 1

The nervous system definition

Answer 1

A complex network of nerve cells (neurons) carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to different parts of the body, the nervous system therefore helps all the parts of the body to communicate with each other

Question 2

Peripheral nervous system

Answer 2

Carries sensory and motor information to and from the central nervous system.

Peripheral nervous system is subdivided into the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.

Question 3

What does the somatic nervous system control

Answer 3

Controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles

Question 4

What does the autonomic nervous system control

Answer 4

Controls involuntary activity of the internal body systems e.g. digestion

Question 5

Central nervous system

Answer 5

Consists of the brain and spinal-cord, it receives information from the senses and controls the body’s responses

Question 6

What is the autonomic nervous system (ANS)divided into

Answer 6

Sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest)

Question 7

Sympathetic nervous system function

Answer 7

Produces energy prepare in the body for rapid action (FIGHT OR FLIGHT)

• Increases heart rate
• Reduces stomach activity
• Glucose is released into bloodstream
• Pupils become dilated

Question 8

Parasympathetic nervous system function

Answer 8

(REST AND DIGEST) Involved in reducing arousal (reducing heart rate) conserving energy and digestion. It relaxes the body again once the threat is passed.

• Decreases heart rate
• Increases stomach activity
• Pupils become contracted (smaller)
• Returns the body to a state of normality
• Conserves energy

Question 9

Difference between the nervous system and the endocrine system

Answer 9

• Separate systems

* Work closely together to regulate the physiological processes of the human body

Question 10

Function of the endocrine system

Answer 10

• Produce and secrete a chemical system of communication (hormones) via the bloodstream
• To regulate body’s internal physiological processes (activity of cells and organs in the body)
• Each gland in the Endo crying system produces different hormones which travel to target cells

Question 11

Major glands of the endocrine system

Answer 11

Pituitary gland: some of the hormone secreted from here affect other glands and their release of hormones

Adrenal glands: help trigger the fight or flight response

Question 12

Two parts of the central nervous system

Answer 12

Spinal cord

brain

Question 13

Hormones

Answer 13

• Chemical substances released into the bloodstream
• Means to ‘excite’ or stimulate
• Act on target structures to alter their function or to release other hormones

Question 14

Two fight or flight responses

Answer 14

There are two responses:
To acute (sudden) stress e.g. personal attack, accident

To chronic stress (ongoing)E.g. unhappy workplace, living in isolation etc.

Question 15

What is the fight or flight response

Answer 15

Sequence of activity in the body triggered by stressor that helps us respond quickly to life-threatening situations that can be dealt with either ‘fighting’ or ‘running away’

• exposed to threat
• Amygdala mobilised
• sends distress signals to the hypothalamus
• triggers sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
• sends signal to adrenal medulla
• releases stress hormones (adrenaline and noradrenaline)
• when threat is over, the parasympathetic branch of the ANS is activated.

Question 16

Amygdala

Answer 16

• The first part of the brain to detect a threat
• Picks up sensory signals e.g. see, hear, smell
• Detection of threat may occur so rapidly it can be without conscious awareness (fear)
• There are connections from the Amygdala to the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to help prepare the body for the fight or flight response.

Question 17

Adrenal medulla

Answer 17

The inner part of the adrenal glands, it releases adrenaline and noradrenaline into the bloodstream.

Question 18

What are neurons

Answer 18

• Cells that make up the nervous system which conduct electrical impulses
• There are various kinds of neurons and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes with the same basic underlying structure.

Question 19

Types of neurones& functions

Answer 19

Motor neurones- carry motor commands from the central nervous system to skeletal muscles or glands

Sensory neurones- carry sensory information from the bodies sensory receptors e.g. receptors for vision, taste, touch, to the spinal cord and brain (central nervous system)

Relay neurones (interneurones)- relay neurons past messages to other neurons within the central nervous system and allow the sensory and motor neurons to communicate with each other

Question 20

Multipolar neurones

Answer 20

They have three or more processes extending out from the cell soma- an axon and a bunch of dendrites.

Question 21

Bipolar neurons

Answer 21

Have two processes (an axon and single dendrite) extending out from opposite sides of the cell body these are rare and only found in a few places e.g. the retina of your eye

Question 22

Unipolar neurones

Answer 22

Just have one process, and are mostly found in your sensory receptors.

Question 23

What are neurotransmitters

Answer 23

Chemical substances that transmit nerve impulses across a synapse

Question 24

What is synaptic transmission

Answer 24

A process by which a nerve impulse passes across the synaptic cleft from one neuron (presynaptic neuron) to another (pre-synaptic neuron)

Question 25

What happens after synaptic transmission

Answer 25

The neurotransmitter is then released back into the synaptic space. The neurotransmitter is then cleared from the synaptic cleft by the process of: * Diffusion- some of the neurotransmitter simply drifts away * Break-down- some of the neurotransmitter is broken down by enzymes * Re-uptake- some of it is taken back up into presynaptic neuron, repackaged and stored for later release.

Question 26

Excitatory neurotransmitter

Answer 26

Some neurotransmitters generally have excitatory effects on the postsynaptic neuron (i.e. making it more likely to fire) Eg. Noradrenaline Excitatory synaptic connections increase neural activation in the CNS

Question 27

Inhibitory neurotransmitter

Answer 27

Some neurotransmitters generally have inhibitory effects on the postsynaptic neuron (i.e. making it less likely to fire) Eg GABA Inhibitory synaptic connections decrease neural activation in the CNS. Eg. Have a calming effect on the mind and body, induce sleep etc.

Question 28

What is a synapse

Answer 28

A synapse includes: •the end of the axon of the presynaptic neuron •membrane of the dendrite or cell body of post synaptic neuron

Question 29

What is the nervous system

Answer 29

- Consists of nerve cells - Uses nerves to transmit information - Acts by transmitting nerve impulses -Acts rapidly direct control - Specific localise affects of neurotransmitters - Short lived effects

Question 30

What is the endocrine system

Answer 30

- Consists of ductless glands - Uses blood vessels to transmit information - Act by release of hormones - Acts slowly - Indirect control - Hormones spread around the body - Hormones remain in the blood for some time

Question 31

Studying the brain: post-mortem examinations

Answer 31

- Reveals underlying neurobiology of behaviour - French neurosurgeon (Boca) discovered language centre (left frontal hemisphere) links established between brain abnormality and psychiatric disorders e.g. schizophrenia, & enlarged frontal lobes & evidence of reduced number of glial cells in the frontal cortex of patients with depression (Cotter et al) - Also helped and identification of areas involved in memory e.g. case of HM: lesions of hippocampus linked to his inability to store new memories.

Question 32

Studying the brain: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Answer 32

Measures changes in brain activity while individual performs a task, changes in bloodflow measured in a particular area indicate increased activity in the area, brain responds to demand by delivering bloodflow (oxygen delivered in red blood cells) researchers are then able to produce a map showing which areas are involved in particular mental activity (e.g. individual alternates between task and rest) fMRI data can identify the brain area where there is a matching pattern of change.

Question 33

Localisation of function

Answer 33

Refers to the belief that specific areas of the brain are associated with specific functions

Question 34

Hemispheric lateralisation

Answer 34

- Refers to the fact that the two halves of the brain are not entirely alike. - also refers to the idea that some functions might be found in only one hemisphere rather than both i.e. lateralised to that hemisphere. - Each hemisphere has functional specialisations, some mental processes in the brain are mainly specialised to either the left or the right hemisphere e.g. the left hemisphere is dominant for language and speech the right hemispheres for visual motor tasks

Question 35

Wernicke’s area

Answer 35

- an area of the temporal lobe of the brain important in the comprehension of language - located in the posterior portion of the left temporal lobe - Damage to this area can result in creating made up words/ talking nonsense

Question 36

Broca’s area

Answer 36

-Located in the posterior portion of the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere -believed to be critical for speech production

Question 37

Language centres: Wernicke and Broca’s area

Answer 37

The sensory region located in Wernicke’s area is close to Regions of the brain responsible for auditory and visual input input from these regions is thought to be transferred to Veronicas area where it is recognised as language and associated meaning There is a neural loop that runs between Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. At one end of the loop lies Broca’s area, responsible for production of language and at the other lies Wernicke’s area, responsible for processing spoken language

Question 38

What is brain plasticity

Answer 38

It refers to the ability of the brain to change and adapt synapses, pathways and structures in the light of various experiences, including trauma i.e. brain damage e.g. learning and memory involves brain plasticity as memory involves changes to brain synapses and pathways, brain plasticity also involves the brains ability to adapt to damage caused by trauma, i.e. brain damage