Psyc122 weeks 1-4 Flashcards
Examples of how we can study the brain, behaviour & mind?
Ask questions
Make observations
Measure performance on specific tasks
Measure of activity on healthy brains
If we were investigating food types in hippos what would be the IV & DV?
IV = food type
DV = hippos
Define automaticity theory
The word interferes with the colour naming when the word and colour do not match because reading is an automatic process and recognising colours is a more controlled process
Selective attention process
Reading requires less attention compared to identifying a colour, that’s why it takes us longer to identify the colour of words in incongruent trials
What is Aphasia and what is it caused by?
A language disorder that affects a persons ability to communicate - usually result of a stroke or brain injury
What tasks do people with Aphasia find difficult?
Talking
Comprehending spoken / written language
writing
What does FMRI & TMS stand for
FMRI - function magnetic resonance imaging
TMS - Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
What does Broca’s area involve & what could it cause?
- Involved in speech production
- Difficulty in producing language & comprehension abilities relatively conserved
What does Wernike’s area involved & what could it cause?
- Involved in language comprehension
- Spoken language often lacks meaning
- Difficulty with language comprehension
Example of observing brain activity during mental tasks
fMRI & TMS
fMRI technique
-safe & non-invasive
-detects changes in blood flow
-increase in blood flow correlate with neuronal activity
TMS technique
-Non-invasive technique that disrupts specific brain activity for a fraction of a second
-Allows us to investigate the role of these areas in human functioning
2 main parts of the nervous system
Central nervous system (CNS)
Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
What do the neuronal cells do
Able to transmit information - send & receive
What does the Axon Hillock do? (Neuronal cells)
Considered the scorekeeper - counts up all the different signals that come up from the dendrites and keep score of it
What do the dendrites do? (Neuronal cells)
Part of the cell that is reaching out & expecting to receive information from other cells
What does the cell body do? (Neuronal cells)
Can be known as the life support - contains a lot of different organelles (things that keep the cell alive)
What does the Axon do? (Neuronal cells)
Carries information away from the cell body, then splits off onto the terminal region - trying to link up with other dendrites of other cells
What do the dendritic spines do?
Add surface area to the dendrites so there is more places where axon terminals from other cells can link up to the neurons
What are the 2 things that the Axon Hillock do?
either nothing - because the threshold is not reaching
or fires - when the threshold has been reached and signal is sent
All or nothing principle
Define neuron firing
When there is enough signals that reaches the threshold that the Axon Hillock is waiting for then the neuron ‘fires’ - when the neuron decides to send a signal - Axon Hillock generates the signal and sends it down the Axon
What is the Myelin sheath
A fatty substance that insulates the axon, allowing signal to travel faster
What are the 3 types of Glial cells
Oligodendrocytes
Schwann cells
Astrocytes
What does the Oligodendrocytes do?
-Forms the myelin sheath around the axons in the central nervous system
-Help increase speed of information traveling through the axon
What does the Schwann cells do?
-Forms the myelin sheath around the axons in the peripheral nervous system
-Help increase speed of information travelling through the axon
What does the Astrocytes do?
-Helps repair the neurons
-Helps bring nutrients from the blood stream in the neurons using the blood-brain barrier
-Provides structural support for neurons
Define summation
The sum of all incoming signals that determines whether the neurons fire
What are the 2 types of signals that can travel into the cell body?
Excitatory signals - more likely to fire
Inhibitory signal - less likely to fire
What are the 2 ions crucial to sending signals down to the axon?
Potassium & Sodium
What is the neuron threshold to fire?
-55mV
How is resting membrane potential achieved?
When both forces are equally strong
Define action potential
Change in the voltage inside a cell taking place at one section of the cell at a time
Process of Action potential propagation (K+)
- First not much will happen
- Concentraion foce wants to move K+ out, electrical force wants to push K+ in
- Na+ flows in, the inside becomes more negative, leading to a reduction in electrical force
- Now concentration force is win ing & K+ flows out
During the refractory period is the neuron hyperpolarized or depolarised?
hyperpolarised
Define repolarised & depolarised
Re- more negative
De- more postive & gates close
Benefits of saltatory conduction
- Signals move faster (increases rate of propagation)
- Energy efficient (100x less movement of ions)
What 2 components does the central nervous system break into?
Brian & spinal cord
What 2 components does the peripheral nervous system break into?
Somatic & autonomic
What 2 components does autonomic system break into?
sympathetic & parasympathetic
What does autonomic peripheral system do? (nervous system)
- Involuntary, automatic activity
- Controls & regulates blood vessel, organs (including heart) & glands
What does sympathetic system do? (autonomic system)
- Increases arousal
- Prepares the body for survival - related action
- 4 F’s
What are the 4 F’s (sympathetic)
Fighting, fleeing, feeding, mating
What does the parasympathetic system do? (autonomic system)
-Reduces arosual
- Returns the body to resting state
Examples of sympathetic nervous system
- Dilates pupil
- Accelerates heartbeat
- Relaxes bladder
Examples of Parasympathetic nervous system
- Contracts pupil
- Slow heartbeat
- Contract bladder
What is the neuraxis
Central line of the body
Why should neuroscience matter to psychologists?
- Mental functions are the product of activity in the nervous system
- The scientific study of biological & neural processes underlying mental process
What functions does the nervous system preform?
- Receives sensory information from the environment
- Integrates and processes information
- Regulates internal functions
Produces motor actions
What ways do we look at the brain?
- horizontal/axial/ transverse
- Sagittal
- Coronal
What does the hindbrain do?
Coordinates information flow to/from the spinal cord
What does the pons do? (Hindbrain)
Relays info between cerebellum & the rest of the brain
What does the Medulla do? (Hindbrain)
Extension of the spinal cord - controls:
- heart rate
- Circulation
- Respiration
What does the Reticular formation do? (Hindbrain)
- Regulates: sleep/wake arousal
What does the Cerebellum do? (Hindbrain)
- Controls fine motor activity
- Doesn’t initiate movements, but refine & smooths them
What does the midbrain do?
The midbrain coordinates the basic functions related to perception and action
