Topic 8 - Grey Matter Flashcards
Know the structure + function of sensory, relay + motor neurones including the role of Schwann cells + myelination.
8.1
Understand how the nervous system of organisms can cause effectors to respond to a stimulus.
8.2 (i)
Understand how the pupil dilates + contracts.
8.2(ii)
Understand how a nerve impulse (action potential) is conducted along an axon including changes in the membrane permeability to sodium + potassium ions and the role of the myelination in saltatory conduction.
8.3
Know the structure + function of synapses in nerve impulse transmission, including the role of neurotransmitters.
8.4
Understand how the nervous system of organisms can detect stimuli with reference to rods in the retina of mammals, the roles of rhodopsin, opsin, retinal, sodium ions, cation channels + hyper polarisation of rod cells in forming action potentials in the optic neurons.
8.5
Understand how phytochrome + IAA bring about responses in plants to environmental cues, including their effects on transcription.
8.6
Understand how co-ordination is brought about through nervous + hormonal control in animals.
8.7
Know the location + functions of the celebral hemispheres, hypothalamus, celebellum + medulla oblongata in the human brain.
8.8
Understand how magnetic resonance imaging, functional magnetic resonance imaging, position emission tomography + computed tomography scans are used in medical diagnosis + the investigation of brain structure + function.
8.9
Understand what happens during the critical period so that mammals can develop their visual capacities to the full.
8.10
Understand the role animal models have played in the research into human brain development + function, including Hubel + Wiesel’s experiments with monkeys + kittens.
8.11
Be able to discuss moral + ethical issues relating to the use of animals in medical research from 2 ethical standpoints.
8.12
Understand how animals, including humans, can learn by habituation.
8.13
Investigate habituation to a stimulus.
Core practical 18
Understand how imbalances in certain, naturally occurring brain chemicals can contribute to ill health, including dopamine in Parkinson’s disease + serotonin in depression, and to the development of new drugs.
8.14
Understand the effects of drugs on synaptic transmissions, including the use of L-Dopa in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease + the action of MDMA in Ecstasy.
8.15
Understand how the outcomes of genome sequencing projects are being used in the development of personalised medicine + the social, moral + ethical issues this raises.
8.16
Know how drugs can be produced using genetically modified organisms (plants, animals + microorganisms).
8.17
Understand the risks + benefits associated with the use of genetically modified organisms.
8.18
Understand the methods used to investigate the contributions of nature + nurture to brain development, including evidence from the abilities of new-born babies, animal experiments, studies of individuals with damaged brain areas, twin studies + cross-cultural studies.
8.19
