Ch 2/3 outcome 1 Flashcards
Function of the Central Nervous System (CNS)?
Transmits and receives messages to and from the PNS
Function of the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)?
Carries messages to and from the Central Nervous System
Three main functions of the nervous system?
~Receive information
~Process information
~Coordinate a response to information
What is the brain vs heart debate and who was involved?
~Theory of whether the brain or the heart was involved in emotion, thinking and mental processes.
~The Egyptians but can also be dated back to Greek philosophers Empidocles(Heart) and Alcmaeon(Brain).
What is the mind-body problem and who is involved?
~A theory of whether the mind is part of the body or the body is part of the mind.
~Renè Descartes believed that the mind and body were separate(dualism) but came into contact through the pineal gland.
What is the mind brain problem?
The relationship between brain activity and conscious experience.
What is phrenology and who was involved?
~Phrenology is a pseudoscience that was popular in the 19th century which noted that recessions and depressions on the skull’s surface determined personality.
~Franz Gall first discovered that different areas of the brain were used for different functions (localisation).
~Johann Spurzheim renamed the study ‘Phrenology’.
What is brain ablation and what did it discover?
~Destroying certain parts of the brain to record which functions were affected.
~First evidence of neuroplasticity.
~Mass action & Equipotentiality
What is Electric Stimulation of the Brain (ESB) and what did it discover?
~Electrically stimulating the brain to trigger movement in the body.
~This lead to epilepsy treatments.
What does CT stand for and what is its use?
~ Computerised Tomography
~Structure of brain: cross section
~Abnormalities
What does PET stand for and what is it’s use?
~ Positron Emission tomography
~ Function of brain areas including the level of activity in colour.
What does MRI stand for and what is it used for?
~Magnetic Resonance Imaging
~Structure of brain, changes in brain anatomy.
~High detail, can identify small changes.
What does fMRI stand for and what is it used for?
~Functional magnetic resonance imaging
~Observing brain activity and brain oxygen levels.
What is the function of the Autonomic Nervous System?
~Connects CNS to internal organs and glands.
~Controls internal bodily functions without conscious thoughts
Eg. Sweating, blinking, breathing
What is the function of the Somatic Nervous System?
~Carries sensory information to the CNS from sensory receptors. Eg. Skin(feel)
~Carries motor information from the CNS to skeletal muscles.
~Voluntary Movements
What is the role of the sympathetic nervous system?
~Prepares body for action when under threat.
What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system?
~Calms the body down after threat has passed.
~Returns body to normal state of function.
What is a neuron?
An individual nerve cell which makes up the nervous system
What are the 4 roles of the neuron?
~Enables nervous system function
~ Carry information around body (action potential
~Interprets messages
~Enables response
What are the 3 types of neurons and their roles?
- Sensory Neurons- receive and carry sensory info from internal and external environments and monitor inner bodily changes.
- Motor Neurons- carry messages from CNS to skeletal muscles, organs and glands to enable movement and control function of internal organs.
- Interneurons- link sensory & motor Neurons to enable simple reflexes . Also converts sensory info to store in memory.
What is the role of the Soma?
To combine information received from the dendrites and send it to the axon.
What is the role of the dendrites?
Receives information from the other Neurons and sends it to the soma
What is the role of the axon?
To transmit info away from the soma to other Neurons or cells
What is the role of the myelin?
To insulate the axon from any activity of nearby axons.
What is the role of the axon terminals?
Stimulates the release of neurotransmitter
What are the roles of the terminal buttons?
Releases neurotransmitter
Describe glial cells and analyse their function.
Smaller than Neurons and can readily multiply and divide.
~To provide: insulation, nutrients and support for neurons to function.
~ To help repair Neurons and clean up
Describe the appearance of Astrocytes and analyse function
~ Large and star shaped
~Provide structural support by holding neuron in place.
~Keeps Neurons healthy
~Protects brain
Describe appearance of Microglia and its function
Extremely small
~Protects Neurons from intruders
~Kills and eliminates foreign matter
~Cleans up
What is the role of Oligodendroglia and where is it found?
Central Nervous System
~Forms and maintains myelin sheath
~Absorbs chemicals from Neurons to contribute to nutrition and function
What is the role of Schwann cells and where are they found?
Peripheral nervous system
~Forms and maintains myelin sheath to insulate Neurons
What are the roles of the left hemisphere of the brain?
~Controls the right side of the body
~Analysis
~Thinking logically
~Maths & science
What are the roles of the right hemisphere of the brain?
~controls left side of the body ~Spatial perception ~Creativity ~Recognises emotions ~Art & Music
Name the 3 structures of the Hindbrain and its function
~Controls motor functions and vital automatic responses
- Cerebellum
- Medulla
- Pons
What is the function of the cerebellum?
~ Coordinates fine muscle movements
~Posture and balance
~Learning & Memory associated with movement
What is the function of the Medulla?
~Connects the spinal cord and the brain
~Controls automatic vital bodily functions eg. Heart rate
~Touch, pressure and vibration
What is the function of the Pons?
~Sleep, dreaming & waking
~Helps control breathing
~Relays messages between the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex and medulla and midbrain.
What is the main function of the midbrain and its structures?
Connects upper and lower brain and is involved with movement, processing auditory, visual & tactile information. Also involved with some voluntary movements.
- Substantia Nigra
- Reticular Formation
What is the role of the reticular formation?
~Analyses incoming info and helps prevent brain overload.
~ Maintains consciousness
~Alerts higher brain centres of the incoming info
~Regulates muscle tension
What is the role and 3 structures of the forebrain?
Regulates complex cognitive processes
- Hypothalamus
- Thalamus
- Cerebrum
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
~Releasing hormones
~Influences hunger, thirst & sleep
~Involved in emotional behaviours
What is the role of the Thalamus?
~Filters incoming info and sends it to appropriate brain area to be processed.
~Prioritises sensory info
~Damage results in visual, hearing impairment and the inability to feel.
What is the role of the cerebrum?
Responsible for almost every conscious thought, feeling and action.
Name the 4 lobes of the brain
- Frontal
- Parietal
- Occipital
- Temporal
Name 2 structures located in the frontal lobe and their function
- Primary motor cortex
~ initiates voluntary movements
~Controls skeletal muscles - Broca’s area
~Produces speech
~Coordinates muscles of mouth and tongue to form words
Name a structure of the Parietal lobe and its function
- Primary somatosensory cortex
~receives and process sense info from hands, skin etc
~more cortex devoted to a body part= more sensitive
Name a structure of the occipital lobe and its function
- Primary Visual Cortex
~receives and process visual info from eyes
Name the structures of the temporal lobe and their functions
- primary auditory cortex
~receives and processes sound info from ears - Wernicke’s area
~Comprehends speech
~Interprets sound
What are the 7 steps of research?
Remember: IHMCAIR
- Identify the topic
- Construct a hypotenuse
- Design the method
- Collect the data
- Analyse the data
- Interpret and evaluate results
- Report and publish the data.
What is the population?
The entire group that you are interested in studying
What is the sample?
A small selection of the population participating in the experiment
What is the independent variable?
The factor that can be changed or manipulated by the researcher
What is the dependent variable?
The factor that measures the difference between the two groups. Shows the effects of the IV
What is the extraneous variable?
Anything other than the independent variable that can have an impact on the DV.
What is the confounding variable?
Anything other than the IV that has impacted the DV which is found after the experiment has been conducted
What is the experimental group?
The group exposed to the independent variable
What is the control group?
The group that is not exposed to the IV and is used to compare results against
Psychology
The scientific study of human thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
What are participants’ rights in being part of an experiment?
- Protection and security or participants’ information.
- Confidentiality
- Voluntary participation
- Withdrawal rights
- Informed consent procedures
- Use of deception
- Debriefing
