Biopsychology Spec Flashcards
The nervous system
The divisions of a nervous system: central (brain and spinal) and peripheral, somatic and autonomic (sympathetic and parasympathetic)
The endocrine system
The function of the endocrine system: glands (pituitary, pineal, thyroid, testes, ovaries, adrenal, pancreas) and hormones (fight or flight)
Neurons
The structure and function of sensory, relay and motor neurons (cell body, nucleus, dendrites,axon, mylen sheath, nodes of ranveir, terminal buttons)
Synaptic transmission
The process of synaptic transmission, including reference to neurotransmitters , excitation and inhibition (summation). (Synaptic cleft,vesicles and receptors)
Ways of studying the brain
Ways of studying the brain: scanning techniques, including functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); electroencephalogram (EEGs) and even related potentials (ERPs); post mortem examinations.
Localisation of function
Localisation of function in the brain and hemispheric lateralisation: lobes- frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal. Areas-motor, somatosensory, visual cortex, auditory cortex and language centres; Brocas and Wernickes areas
Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma
Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma (maguire taxis, Kuhn super Mario, meditation) (factors effecting functional recovery; age, perseverance, alcohol, education)
Split brain research into hemispheric lateralisation
Hemispheric lateralisation: split brain research (visual fields/hemispheres) (describe what you see, touch, composite words, recognising faces)
Circadian rythms
Biological rythms: circadian, infradian and the difference between these rythms. The effect of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers on the sleep wake cycle. (Siffre, aschoff, folkard)
The effect of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers on the sleep wake cycle
Biological rythms circadian, infradian and the difference between these rythms. The effect of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers on the sleep wake cycle. (SCN, decoursey, Ralph, Morgan) (Murphy, Shih-yu lee, steel) (social cues)
Infradian rythms
Biological rythms: circadian, infradian and ultradian and the differences between these rythms. (Weekly, monthly, annual)
Ultradian rythms
Biological rythms: circadian, infradian and ultradian and the differences between these rythms. (Sleep cycle, basic ret activity)
