w/1 foundations of biopsychology & nervous system Flashcards
What is Biopsychology?
→ Biopsychology, is the scientific study of the biology of behavior (Dewsbury, 1991).
What are the 6 major sub-disciplines of biopsychology?
- Physiological psychology
- Psychopharmacology
- Neuropsychology
- Psychophysiology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Comparative Psychology
Explain Physiological psychology.
→ Physiological psychology, studies the neural mechanisms of behavior, through the direct manipulation and recording of the brain in controlled experiments—surgical and electrical methods are most common.
Explain Psychopharmacology.
→ Psychopharmacology, focuses on the manipulation of neural activity and behavior with drugs. The purpose of many psychopharmacological experiments is to develop therapeutic drugs or to reduce drug abuse.
Explain Neuropsychology.
→ Neuropsychology, is the study of the psychological effects of brain damage in human patients. Neuropsychology tests facilitate the diagnosis and thus help the attending physician prescribe effective treatment (Benton, 1994). They can also be an important basis for patient care and counseling (Kolb and Whishaw, 1990).
Explain Psychophysiology.
→ Psychophysiology, studies the relation between physiological activity and psychological processes in human subjects. The usual measurement of brain activity is the scalp electroencephalogram (EEG). Other common psychological measures are muscle tension, eye movement, and several indicators of autonomic nervous system activity.
Explain Cognitive Neuroscience.
→ Cognitive Neuroscience, studies the neural bases of cognition, a term that generally refers to higher intellectual processes such as thought, memory, attention, and complex perceptual processes (Gutchess, 2014). The major method of cognitive neuroscience is functional brain imaging : recording images of the activity of the living human brain.
Explain Comparative Psychology.
→ Comparative Psychology, compares the behavior of different species in order to understand the evolution, genetics, and adaptiveness of behavior.
What does the Nervous System do?
→ The purpose of the nervous system is to produce and control behavior
What is CNS?
→ The Central nervous system, is made up of the brain and spinal cord. It’s the body’s processing center, responsible for receiving, processing, and responding to sensory information. (Incased in bone)
What is PNS?
→ The Peripheral nervous system, which is made up of nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. It sends information from different areas of your body back to your brain, as well as carrying out commands from your brain to various parts of your body. (isn’t incased in bone)
What are the two subdivisions of PNS?
- Somatic Nervous System - associated with voluntary movement
- Autonomic Nervous System - Involuntary control of automatic processes
What does the brain consist of?
→ The brain consists of two hemispheres connected by corpus callosum (bundles of fibers) and covered by a layer of tissue called cerebral cortex.
What are the forms of protection of the brain?
- First is the skull which is composed of thick bone.
- Between the skull and the brain itself are three protective membranes, (meninges) : Dura mater, Arachnoid membrane, and Pia mater.
- Cerebral Fluid (CSF), is found between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater, in a space called the subarachnoid space.
- Blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a selective semi-permeable membrane between the blood and the interstitium of the brain.
What are the Major Divisions of the brain?
- Telencephalon
- Diencephalon
- Mesencephalon
- Metencephalon
- Myelencephalon or Medulla
Explain Telencephalon.
→ Telencephalon Is the most highly developed andanteriorpart of the forebrain, composed of the cerebral cortex, Major Fissures, Major Gyri, Four Lobes, Limbic System, Basal Ganglia, and Cerebral Commissures.
Explain Diencephalon.
→ The diencephalon isone of the main vesicles of the brainformed during embryogenesis. It consists of Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Optic Chiasm, and Pituitary Gland.
Explain Mesencephalon.
→ Mesencephalon isthe uppermost part of the brainstem that connects the forebrain to the cerebellum and pons. It contains Tectum and Tegmentum.
Explain Metencephalon.
→ Metencephalon is the part of the brain that includes the cerebellum and pons.Containing Reticular Formation, Pons, and Cerebellum.
Explain Myelencephalon or Medulla.
→ Myelencephalon or Medulla Is the lowest part of the brain. Containing Reticular Formation.
What are the lobes of each hemisphere?
- Frontal Lobe
- Parietal Lobe
- Temporal Lobe
- Occipital Lobe
Explain Frontal Lobe.
- Located in the front of the head
- The largest lobe of the brain
- Involved in personality, decision-making, movement, and short-term memory
- Contains Broca’s area, which is associated with speech ability
Explain Parietal Lobe.
- Located in the middle of the brain
- Helps identify objects, understand spatial relationships, and interpret pain and touch
- Contains Wernicke’s area, which helps the brain understand spoken language
Explain Temporal Lobe.
- Located beneath the frontal and parietal lobes, near the ears.
- Auditory processing (primary auditory cortex).
- Memory formation (hippocampus is housed here).
- Emotion regulation (amygdala involvement)
- Facial and Object recognition (right hemisphere).
