Neuropsychology- Neurones and Damage

Question 1

What is the role of the CNS?

Answer 1

It is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. It helps the brain and body communicate by passing messages

Question 2

How does the CNS work?

Answer 2

Sensory nerves in the body send messages to the brain via the spinal cord. The brain then processes this info and sends messages back to the body via spinal cord

Question 3

Neurotransmitters are chemicals released from neurones. Give 2 examples

Answer 3

Adrenaline (increases heart rate and blood flow) and serotonin (contributes to wellbeing and happiness)

Question 4

What is the process in which messages are passed from one neurone to another?

Answer 4

Synaptic transmission

Question 5

What is agnosia?

Answer 5

A problem in which the brain processes sensory information, so it can’t make sense of it

Question 6

What is visual agnosia, how is it caused and what are the symptoms?

Answer 6

1) A disorder in which a person can see perfectly well, but info sent from the eyes cannot be understood, so they can’t identify the things they see
2) Can be caused by damage the to parietal lobe as it’s a disorder of perception
3) Symptoms include not recognising colours, objects or familiar places

Question 7

What is prosopagnosia and how is it caused?

Answer 7

Face blindness (unable to recognise faces even though they can be seen). Caused by damage to the fusiform face area

Question 8

What is the pre-frontal cortex and what happens if it is damaged?

Answer 8

It controls are impulses and emotions, so if it is damaged, it could considerably change someone’s personality

Question 9

What does the peripheral nervous system do? (PNS)

Answer 9

It’s a system of nerves that connect the CNS to the skin, muscles and organs in our bodies