Biopsychology Key words

Question 1

Nervous system

Answer 1

Consists of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

Question 2

Central nervous system

Answer 2

Consists of the brain and the spinal cord and is the origin of all complex
commands and decisions. It passes messages to and from the brain and
connects nerves to the peripheral nervous system.

Question 3

Brain

Answer 3

The centre of all conscious awareness. The cerebral cortex is highly developed in humans and is what distinguishes peoples higher mental functions from those
of animals. It is divided into two hemispheres.

Question 4

Spinal cord

Answer 4

An extension of the brain. It is responsible for reflex actions such as pulling a hand away from a hot plate.

Question 5

Peripheral nervous system

Answer 5

Sends information to the central nervous system from the outside world and transmits messages from the central nervous system to muscles and glands in the body. It does this via millions of neurons (nerve cells) and is divided into the autonomic nervous system and somatic nervous system.

Question 6

Somatic nervous system

Answer 6

Transmits information from receptor cells in the sense organs to the central nervous system. It also receives information from the central nervous system that directs muscles to contract. It controls muscle movement and receives information from sensory receptors.

Question 7

Autonomic nervous system

Answer 7

Transmits information to and from internal bodily organs. It is ‘autonomic’ as the system operates involuntarily. It has two main divisions: the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. It governs vital functions of the body such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal and stress responses.

Question 8

Parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 8

A division of the autonomic nervous system which controls the relaxed state (rest and digest), conserving resources and promoting digestion and metabolism. The parasympathetic branch works in opposition to the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system.

Question 9

Sympathetic nervous system

Answer 9

A division of the autonomic nervous system which activates internal organs for vigorous activities and emergencies, such as the fight or flight response. It consists of nerves that control, for example, increased heart rate and breathing, and decreased digestive activity. The sympathetic branch works in opposition to the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous

Question 10

Neurons

Answer 10

The basic building blocks of the nervous system. Neurons are nerve cells that process and transmit messages through electrical and chemical signals.

Question 11

Sensory neuron

Answer 11

These carry messages from the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous
system. They have long dendrites and short axons.

Question 12

Relay neuron

Answer 12

These connect the sensory neurons to the motor or other relay neurons. They have short dendrites and short axons.

Question 13

Motor neuron

Answer 13

These connect the central nervous system to effectors such as muscles and glands. They have short dendrites and long axons.

Question 14

Cell body

Answer 14

This is known as the factory of the neuron. It contains the nucleus and produces all of the necessary proteins that a neuron requires to function.

Question 15

Nucleus

Answer 15

This contains the genetic material within the neuron.

Question 16

Dendrites

Answer 16

These branch-like features protrude from the cell body. They carry nerve impulses from neighbouring neurons towards the cell body.

Question 17

Axon

Answer 17

This carries the electrical impulse from the cell body, down the length of the neuron. It is covered in a myelin sheath.

Question 18

Myelin sheath

Answer 18

This a fatty layer, which surrounds and protects the axon. It helps to speed up the electrical transmission of the impulse.

Question 19

Nodes of ranvier

Answer 19

These are the gaps in the myelin sheath. Their purpose is to speed up the transmission of the impulse by forcing it to ‘jump’ across the gaps along the axon.

Question 20

Terminal buttons

Answer 20

They are located at the end of the axon. They communicate with the next neuron that is on the other side of the synaptic cleft.

Question 21

Synaptic transmission

Answer 21

The process by which neighbouring neurons communicate with each other by sending chemical messages across the synaptic cleft that separates them.

Question 22

Neurotransmitters

Answer 22

Brain chemicals released from synaptic vesicles that relay signals across the synapse from one neuron to another. Neurotransmitters can be broadly
divided into those that perform an inhibitory or an excitatory function.

Question 23

Excitation

Answer 23

When a neurotransmitter, such as adrenaline, increases the positive charge of the postsynaptic neuron. This increases the likelihood that the neuron will fire and pass on the electrical impulse.

Question 24

Inhibition

Answer 24

When a neurotransmitter, such as serotonin, makes the charge of the postsynaptic neuron more negative. This decreases the likelihood that the
neuron will fire and pass on the electrical signal.

Question 25

Synapse

Answer 25

The junction between two neurons. This includes the presynaptic neuron, the synaptic cleft, and the postsynaptic receptor site.

Question 26

Synaptic cleft

Answer 26

The space between the pre-synaptic and post-synaptic neuron.

Question 27

Synaptic vesicles

Answer 27

Small sacs on the end of a pre-synaptic neuron that contain neurotransmitters that will be released into a synapse.

Question 28

Pre synaptic neuron

Answer 28

The transmitting neuron, before the synaptic cleft.

Question 29

Post synaptic receptor site

Answer 29

A receptor on the post-synaptic neuron. A neurotransmitter locks into a specific receptor on the post-synaptic neuron and this triggers an electrical impulse in the post-synaptic neuron.

Question 30

Endocrine system

Answer 30

One of the body’s major information systems that instructs glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream. These hormones are carried towards target organs in the body.

Question 31

Gland

Answer 31

An organ in the body that makes hormones.

Question 32

Hormone

Answer 32

Chemical substances that circulate in the bloodstream and only impact target organs. They are produced in large quantities but disappear quickly. Their effects are very powerful.

Question 33

Fight or flight response

Answer 33

The way an animal responds when stressed. The body becomes physiologically aroused in readiness to fight an aggressive or, in some cases, flee.

Question 34

Adrenaline

Answer 34

A hormone produced by the adrenal glands which is part of the human body’s immediate stress response system. Adrenaline has a strong effect on the cells of the cardiovascular system stimulating heart rate, contracting blood vessels and dilating air passages.

Question 35

Functional magnetic
resonance imaging
(fMRI)

Answer 35

A method used to measure brain activity while a person is performing a task. It detects radio waves from changing magnetic fields. This enables researchers to detect which regions of the brain are rich in oxygen and therefore active.

Question 36

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 36

A record of tiny electrical impulses produced by the brain’s activity. By
measuring characteristic wave patterns, the EEG can help diagnose certain conditions of the brain.

Question 37

Event related potentials (ERPs)

Answer 37

The electrophysiological response of the brain to a specific sensory,
cognitive, or motor event can be isolated through statistical analysis of
EEG.

Question 38

Post Mortem examinations

Answer 38

The brain is analysed after death to determine whether certain observed
behaviours during the person’s lifetime can be linked to structural
abnormalities in the brain.

Question 39

Temporal resolution

Answer 39

The accuracy of the scanner in relation to time i.e., how quickly the
scanner can detect changes in brain activity.

Question 40

Spatial resolution

Answer 40

The smallest feature (or measurement) that a scanner can detect.

Question 41

Localisation of function

Answer 41

The theory that different areas of the brain are responsible for specific
behaviours, processes, or activities.

Question 42

Somatosensory area

Answer 42

An area of the parietal lobe that processes sensory information such as touch.

Question 43

Motor area

Answer 43

A region of the frontal lobe involved in regulating movement.

Question 44

Visual area

Answer 44

A part of the occipital lobe that receives and processes visual information.

Question 45

Auditory area

Answer 45

A part of the temporal lobe concerned with the analysis of speech-based information.

Question 46

Broca’s area

Answer 46

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

Question 47

Wernicke’s area

Answer 47

An area of the temporal lobe, in the left hemisphere, responsible for language comprehension.

Question 48

Contralateral

Answer 48

The opposite side of the body to the brain hemisphere that controls it.

Question 49

Hemispheric lateralisation

Answer 49

The idea that the two hemispheres of the brain are functionally different. Some mental processes in the brain are mainly specialised to the left or right hemisphere.

Question 50

Plasticity

Answer 50

The brain’s tendency to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning. This generally involves the growth of new connections.

Question 51

Functional recovery

Answer 51

A form of plasticity, following damage through trauma, where the brain is able to redistribute or transfer functions usually performed by a damaged area(s) to other, undamaged area(s).

Question 52

Synaptic pruning

Answer 52

A process where rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened.

Question 53

Recruitment of homologous areas

Answer 53

Where areas on the opposite side the brain can perform specific tasks.

Question 54

Axonal sprouting

Answer 54

The growth of new nerve endings which connect with undamaged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathways.

Question 55

Blood vessel reformation

Answer 55

Blood vessels are changed and strengthened so that the brain can function in the damaged areas.

Question 56

Corpus callousm

Answer 56

A broad band of fibres that joins the two hemispheres of the brain, this allows communication to occur.

Question 57

Split brain research

Answer 57

A series of studies which began in the 1960s involving epileptic patients who had experienced a surgical separation of the brain hemispheres. This allowed researchers to investigate the extent to which brain function is lateralised.

Question 58

Biological rhythms

Answer 58

Distinct patterns of changes in body activity that conform to cyclical time periods. Biological rhythms are influenced by internal body clocks, endogenous pacemakers, as well as external changes to the environment, exogenous zeitgebers.

Question 59

Circadian rhythms

Answer 59

Biological rhythms subject to a 24-hour cycle, which regulate a number of body processes such as the sleep/wake cycle and changes in core body temperature.

Question 60

Endogenous pacemakers

Answer 60

Internal body clocks that regulate many biological rhythms such as the influence of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) on the sleep/wake cycle.

Question 61

Exogenous zeitgebers

Answer 61

External cues that may impact or entrain biological rhythms, such as the influence of
light on the sleep/wake cycle.

Question 62

Entrainment

Answer 62

The synchronisation of the body to the environment.

Question 63

Infradian rhythm

Answer 63

A type of biological rhythm with a frequency of less than one cycle in 24-hours, such as menstruation and Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Question 64

Ultradian rhythm

Answer 64

A type of biological rhythm with a frequency of more than one cycle in 24 hours, such as the stages of sleep.