Neuropsychology Flashcards

1
Q

What is the role of the Autonomic Nervous System? (3)

A
  1. It coordinates functions such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion
  2. It’s divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic division
  3. We have no control over it
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2
Q

What is the CNS made up of?

A
  1. Brain

2. Spinal cord

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3
Q

What is the role of the Peripheral Nervous System?

A
  • Receives and sends messages to the CNS

- Divided into ANS and SNS

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4
Q

What is the role of the Somatic Nervous System?

A
  1. It controls movement

2. We have control over this system (other than reflexes)

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5
Q

How does the fight/flight response work?

A
  1. Brain detects threat
  2. Adrenaline released (ANS changes from parasympathetic to sympathetic)
  3. Fight of flight response (Physiological changes occur)
  4. Threat passes (sympathetic changes back to parasympathetic)
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6
Q

Sympathetic nervous system:

A

When the body is in a state of physiological arousal, preparing for fight/flight

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7
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system:

A

The body is in a state of rest. There is no threat.

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8
Q

What does the James-Lange theory argue?

A

Physiological changes occur FIRST, which then causes emotion.

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9
Q

Describe the James-Lange theory:

A
  1. Event
  2. Arousal
  3. Interpretation
  4. Emotion
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10
Q

Evaluate the James-Lange theory of emotion: (3)

A

+ Real-life examples

  • Cannon-Bard theory: We experience some emotions (e.g. embarrassment) at the same time as physiological arousal and not one after the other.
  • We need arousal plus social cues to correctly label the emotion we are feeling. Therefore the James–Lange theory does not explain how a person ‘decides’ what emotion they are experiencing
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11
Q

Name the different structures of a neuron: (7)

A
  1. Soma: carries nucleus
  2. Axon: carries message through neuron
  3. Nucleus: contains DNA
  4. Dendrites: carry electrical signals to nearby neurons
  5. Myelin sheath: protects axon and speeds up electrical signal
  6. Node of Ranvier: speeds up electrical signal
  7. Terminal buttons: communicates to nearby neurons
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12
Q

What is the role of sensory neurons?

A

Carries messages from receptors to CNS

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13
Q

What is the role of relay neurons?

A

Carries messages from sensory neurons to motor neurons

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14
Q

What is the role of motor neurons?

A

Carries messages from CNS to effectors (muscles/glands)

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15
Q

Describe synaptic transmission

A
  • Electrical signal reaches the end of the presynaptic neuron
  • Vesicles open and release chemicals into the synapse
  • Chemicals are released from the synaptic knobs
  • Chemicals are picked up at the receptor sites of the postsynaptic neuron
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16
Q

What is the frontal lobe’s function?

A
  1. Thinking and planning

2. Contains the motor area and Broca’s area

17
Q

What does the parietal lobe contain?

A

The somatosensory area

18
Q

What does the temporal lobe contain?

A
  • Auditory area

- Wernicke’s area

19
Q

Describe the motor area

A
  • Frontal lobe

- Controls movement

20
Q

Describe the somatosensory area

A
  • Parietal lobe
  • Responsible for touch
  • Damage would mean you feel less pain and temperature
21
Q

Describe the visual area

A
  • Occipital lobe
  • Eye sends information to the visual area
  • Damage would lead to blindness
22
Q

Describe the auditory area

A
  • Temporal lobe

- Processes things we hear

23
Q

Describe Broca’s area

A
  • Frontal lobe

- Produces speech

24
Q

Describe Wernicke’s area

A
  • Temporal lobe

- Understanding speech

25
Q

What was Penfield’s aim?

A

To describe the responses patients gave when parts of their brain were electrically stimulated

26
Q

Describe Penfield’s method:

A
  • Epileptic patients lay on an operating table whilst conscious.
  • Penfield stimulated different areas of the brain and recorded patients’ responses.
  • This also treated their epilepsy. - Over 30 years, Penfield did this more than 1,000 times
27
Q

Describe Penfield’s findings:

A
  • Visual area: patients could see colours, shadows and different objects
  • Somatosensory: tingling sensation
  • Temporal lobe: patients described things they had experienced in the past
  • The interpretive cortex is responsible for our memories.
28
Q

Evaluate Penfield’s study of the interpretive cortex:

A

+ Has benefitted neuroscience. Penfield was able to pinpoint exact brain locations for certain processes

  • Unrepresentative sample: only epileptic patients
  • Inconsistent results: study was repeated and only 7% of patients reported the same experiences
29
Q

Describe a CT scan

A
  • Brain is examined by taking a large number of X-rays
  • Doughnut-shaped scanner
  • Creates a very detailed image of the brain
30
Q

Describe the strengths and weaknesses of a CT scan:

A

+ Useful for revealing abnormal structures such as tumors
+ High quality images
- Requires more radiation than normal X-rays
- Doesn’t show live activity

31
Q

Describe a PET scan

A

Measures activity in the brain by injecting a radioactive chemical

32
Q

Describe the strengths and weaknesses of using PET scans

A

+ Shows activity in the brain
+ Shows localisation of function
- Extremely expentive
- Limit to the number of PET scans you can have because of the radiation

33
Q

Describe an fMRI

A

Requires no radioactive substance. Measures oxygen levels - when the brain is active is uses more blood, so this is shown on the scan

34
Q

Describe the strengths and weakness of using an fMRI scan

A

+ Shows the brain in action
+ Safe because it doesnt use radiation
- Expensive
- 5-second delay in the brain activity