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Psychology > Paper 2 Biopsychology > Flashcards

Paper 2 Biopsychology Flashcards

1
Q

What is the nervous system?

A

A system that collects, processes and responds to the environment and coordinates muscles and glands via neurotransmitters

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2
Q

Describe the nervous system?

A

It’s divided into the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central NS is divided into the spinal cord (relays messages to and from the brain/ connects nerves to the PNS)and the brain. The peripheral NS is divided into the autonomic NS (involuntary, automatic, adrenaline) and the somatic NS (voluntary muscle movement). The autonomic NS is then divided into the sympathetic NS (speeds up heart rate) and the parasympathetic NS (calms the system down).

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3
Q

List 6 features of a neuron?

A 
Dendrites 
Cell body 
Axon 
Axon terminal 
Myelin sheath 
Nucleus
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4
Q

Explain the pathway of the sympathetic and parasympathetic NS when a stressor has been identified?

A

NS identified a stressor from sensory receptors which activates the CNS where the brain sends a message to the spinal cord which activates the the PNS which activates the the autonomic NS to activates the sympathetic NS to increase heart rate/ inhibit release of adrenaline for a stress response. Once the stressors is removed the parasympathetic NS restores the body back to its normal physiological resting state.

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5
Q

Describe the direction of electrical current?

A

Sensory neuron to relay neuron to motor neuron

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6
Q

Features of a sensory neuron?

A

In the PNS.
In the eyes, skin, ears, tongue.
Carry nerve impulses from sensory receptors.
Looks like an octopus.

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7
Q

Features of a relay neuron?

A

In the CNS.
Allows sensory and motor neurons to communicate with each other.
Shorter.
No myelin sheath.

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8
Q

Features of motor neuron?

A

In the CNS.

Control muscle movement.

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9
Q

Describe synaptic transmission?

A

The electrical signal goes through the presynaptic neuron which stimulates the vesicle to release the neurotransmitter (chemical) so that it diffuses across the synaptic cleft. The neurotransmitter then binds with the receptor sites on the dendrite on the postsynaptic neuron which then allows the electrical signal to continue depending on the total sum of inhibitory or excitatory neurons.

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10
Q

Explain excitation?

A

Excitatory neurotransmitters eg.adrenaline increases the likelihood that the neuron will fire and continue to send a signal. It causes stimulation.

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11
Q

Explain inhibition?

A

Inhibitory neurotransmitters eg.serotonin calms the system down. It increase the negative charge of the postsynaptic neurons and blocks the signal continuing.

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12
Q

Explain what is meant by summation?

A

The total sum of the number of excite and inhibit neurons will determine if the postsynaptic neuron will continue the chemical impulse/ the action potential will continue

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13
Q

What’s the endocrine system?

A

Made up of a series of gland that release chemicals known as hormones into the bloodstream which influence behaviour in different ways.
Control centre is the hypothalamus which controls the pituitary gland (master gland) is which controls all other glands.

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14
Q

List 6 gland and their functions?

A

1) Pituitary gland: ACTH- stress response
2) Adrenal gland: a)adrenal medulla(inner part) adrenaline and noradrenaline- fight or flight
b) adrenal cortex(outer part) cortisol
3) Testes: testosterone- reproduction
4) Ovaries: oestrogen- reproduction
5) Thyroid: thyroxine- metabolism
6) Pineal: melatonin- sleep

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15
Q

Describe the fight or flight response?

A

Survival mechanism.
Situation is perceived as stressful.
Autonomic NS changes from its normal resting state (parasympathetic NS)to the physiologically aroused state (sympathetic NS).
Hypothalamus controls the pituitary gland to stimulate the release of adrenaline from the adrenal medulla.
Adrenaline causes physiological changes in the body ready for fight or flight.
When the stressor is removed the para. NS 8: activated, the body returns to its normal resting state as a result of biofeedback.

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16
Q

List bodily changes caused by adrenaline?

A 
Increased alertness 
Pupils dilate 
Increased respiratory rate 
Increased heart rate 
Raised blood pressure 
Increase blood flow to muscles
Reduced activity in digestive system to conserve energy
Other systems become suppressed eg.immune = more susceptible to illness
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17
Q

Evaluate the fight or flight response?

A

Fill in

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18
Q

What’s localisation?

A

Specific areas are responsible for certain functions.

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19
Q

List 4 brain areas and their functions?

A

1) occipital lobe- visual centre- processes visual info
2) temporal lobe- auditory centre- processes sound info
- wernickes area- speech comprehension
3) frontal lobe- motor cortex- controls muscle movement
- brocas area- speech production
4) parietal lobe- somatosensory cortex- processes sensory info

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20
Q

The right side of the brain processes the left side of the body (vice versa). Give an example of this?

A

Right visual field is processed in the left hemisphere.

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21
Q

Key study Phineas Gage?

A

Damage to frontal lobe.
Changed from calm, reserved person to a quick tempered, rude man.
Change in personality.
Frontal lobe responsible for mood regulation.

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22
Q

Where are the language centres (brocas and wernickes) found in the brain?

A

Left hemisphere

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23
Q

Explain how the brain works for language?

A

Person says “how are you?”.
Auditory cortex in temporal lobe picks this up.
This info is then comprehended in the wernickes area.
The Broca’s area then decides to reply with “I’m good how are you?”.
This activates the motor cortex in the frontal lobe to control muscle movement so that the man can pronounce this.

24
Q

Key study Tan?

A

Brocas patient.
Could understand spoken language but couldn’t speak himself.
Conducted post mortem- damage to Broca’s area in left hemisphere in frontal lobe
Explained why Tan couldn’t speak
Function of speech=specific location=Broca’s area

25
Q

Key study Lashley?

A

Removed areas of the cortex in rats.
Put rats in a learning maze.
Found no area was more important in the ability to to learn.
Learning is too complex a function to be localised.
Requires involvement of whole brain.
More holistic approach, localisation is too reductionist.

26
Q

Evaluate localisation and function in the human brain?

A

Fill in

27
Q

Describe the HPA response?

A

Reps one to chronic stress (long term)
H- hypothalamus controls the
P- pituitary gland which releases ATCH
A- adrenal cortex is activated by ACTH to release cortisol

28
Q

What is meant by lateralisation?

A 
Each hemisphere is responsible for a specific function.
Left- language 
      - right visual field 
Right- facial recognition 
         - left visual field
29
Q

What is meant by split brain research?

A

The 2 hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum, when it’s severed the brains functions can be measured separately.

30
Q

Evaluate research into hemispheric lateralisation/ split brain research?

A

Fill in

31
Q

What’s meant by plasticity?

A

The brains ability to change and adapt as a result of learning and experience.
Growth and development isn’t exclusive to childhood.
It continues over the life span.

32
Q

What is meant by functional recovery?

A

It occurs after trauma.

It is a form of neural plasticity where the brain compensates for damages areas.

33
Q

List 4 types of functional recovery?

A

1) neuronal unmasking- dormant synapses make new connections to compensate for a nearby damaged area.
2) stem cells- unspecialised cells implanted into the brain replace dead cells and become specialised and take on the characteristics of the nerve cell.
3) spontaneous recovery- natural recovery which slows with age.
4) atonal sprouting- new nerve endings grow and connect to damaged nerves.

34
Q

Key study Maguire?

A

Studies taxi driver’s brains before and after a complex knowledge test.
As a result of the learning experience there was significantly more volume of grey matter in the hippocampus.

35
Q

Evaluate research into neural plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma?

A

Fill in

36
Q

Key study Sperry- APFC?

A

A: examine the extent to which hemispheres are specialised for specific functions.
P: lab exp., epileptic patients whose corpus callosum was severed, looked at computer screen, image flashed to left or right side, p were asked what they had seen:
F: image flashed to left p couldn’t say what they had seen but could draw it but when flashed to the right p could say what they had seen.
C: language is exclusive to the left hemisphere. Facial recognition is exclusive to the right.

37
Q

Key features of an FMRI?

A

Scanning technique.
Measures blood flow in specific areas which indicates heightened neural activity within those specific regions.
Higher demand for oxygen occurs when specific regions become more active.
Brains response to this demand is to deliver oxygen via red blood cells.
Allows researchers to identify which areas of the brain are involved in particular mental activity by producing maps of the brain.

38
Q

Evaluate an FMRI?

A

Positive: high spatial resolution
Positive: non invasive scanning technique
Negative: low temporal resolution
Negative: suitable for all patients?

39
Q

Key features of an EEG?

A

Scanning technique.
Measurement of the electrical activity of the brain by recording from electrodes placed on the scalp.
Measures the activity of cells immediately under the electrode.
Uses more electrodes for a wider more in depth picture.
Resulting traces are known as an EEG and represent an electrical signal from a large number of neurons.

40
Q

Evaluate an EEG?

A

Positive: high temporal resolution
Positive: lower economic implication / but still not cheap
Negative: low spatial resolution
Negative: suitable for all patients?

41
Q

Key features of an ERP?

A

Scanning technique.
Event related potentials.
Refers to types of brainwaves that are triggered by particular events.
It’s a use of an EEG, brain waves are generated in response to a stimulus eg.image on screen, flash lights, play music.
Within the first second of the stimulus the brain responds with a series of blip in the ERP brain wave.
Look at the blips to gain a better understanding of how different types of info is processed.

42
Q

Evaluate an ERP?

A

Positive: high temporal resolution
Positive: lower economic implication / but still not cheap
Negative: low spatial resolution
Negative: suitable for all patients?

43
Q

Key features of a post mortem?

A

Not a scanning technique.
Examination where body/brain is investigated after death.
Insight into where damage had occurred in the brain/ how it might explain behaviour exhibited by the individual prior to death.
Useful to psychologists still looking for answers about different disorders.
Find things that may not show up in other techniques eg.colouration, softness of tissue.

44
Q

Evaluate a post mortem?

A

Positive: shows features that don’t show up on other ways to study the brain
Positive: lower cost implication/ but still not cheap
Negative: ethics
Negative: cause and effect can’t be established

45
Q

What’s a biological rhythm?

A

Fill in

47
Q

Key study Siffre?

A

Fill in

49
Q

A01 circadian rhythms?

A

Fill in

50
Q

Evaluate research into circadian rhythm?

A

Fill in

51
Q

A01 infradian rhythm?

A

Fill in

52
Q

Evaluate research into infradian rhythm?

A

Fill in

53
Q

A01 ultradian rhythm?

A

Fill in

54
Q

Evaluate research into ultradian rhythm?

A

Fill in

55
Q

A01 endogenous pacemakers?

A

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57
Q

Evaluate endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers?

A

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58
Q

What happens when you disrupt biological rhythms?

A

Fill in

59
Q

What are the effects of shift work and jet lag on biological rhythms?

A

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60
Q

A01 exogenous zeitgebers?

A

Fill in

Psychology (8 decks)

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