Week 5: Biological Processes Flashcards
What is the Nervous System?
The nervous system is made up of a variety of different cells.
What are the Nervous System’s divisions?
o Central and Peripheral
o Somatic and Autonomic
o Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
What is a Neuron Cell?
A neuron cell is located in the nervous system.
Neurons send messages from one part of the nervous system to another.
When Neuron Cells send messages what process takes place?
An electrical and chemical process. This is called neurotransmitters.
What is the Peripheral Nervous System?
The peripheral nervous system is the division of the nervous system containing all the nerves that lie outside of the Central Nervous System.
What is the primary role of the Peripheral Nervous System?
The primary role of the peripheral nervous system is to connect the central nervous system to the organs, limbs and skin.
What are the Peripheral Nervous System subdivision groups?
o Somatic Nervous System
o Autonomic Nervous System
What is the role of the Somatic Nervous System?
Nerves that we have conscious control over.
This includes movements and awareness of our senses.
What is the role of the Autonomic Nervous System?
Nerves that carry automatic or involuntary messages to and from the organs of our body. Less consciously aware of.
The Autonomic Nervous System is subdivided:
o Sympathetic Nervous System
o Parasympathetic Nervous System
What is the role of the Sympathetic Nervous System?
The Sympathetic Nervous System prepares the body for danger.
What is the role of the Parasympathetic Nervous System?
The Parasympathetic Nervous System calms and relaxes.
What is the brain part of?
The brain is part of the nervous system and is located in our heads.
What are the subdivisions of the brain?
o Hindbrain ('oldest')
o Midbrain
o Forebrain ('most evolved')What is the Hindbrain?
Hindbrain is located at the lower part of the brain.
Hindbrain includes:
o Cerebellum
o Medulla
o Reticular Formation
What is the role of the Cerebellum?
The cerebellum is the coordination of fine motor skills (movement).
What is the role of the Medulla?
Medulla coordinates heart-rate and respiration.
What is the role of the Reticular Formation?
Reticular formation controls arousal, which is the level of wakefulness,
What is the Midbrain?
Midbrain is located towards the base of the brain.
The midbrain is organised into two main regions, the tectum and tegmentum.
What are the functions of the Midbrain?
o Emotion
o Pleasure & reward (motivation)
o Orientation to events in the environment.
What is Forebrain?
Forebrain contains the cerebral cortex (outer layer of the brain).
Subcortical structures of the Forebrain include:
o Hypothalamus
o Amygdala
o Hippocampus
What is the role of the Hypothalamus?
Hypothalamus regulates body temperature, appetite, and sexual behaviour.
What is the role of the Amygdala?
Amygdala responds to fear and danger.
What is the role of the Hippocampus?
Hippocampus is the integration of new memories with existing ones.
What are the Cerebral Cortex functions?
o Frontal Lobe
o Occipital Lobe
o Parietal Lobe
o Temporal Lobe
What is the role of the Frontal Lobe?
The frontal lobe consists of:
o Primary motor cortex
o Prefrontal cortex
What does the Primary motor cortex do?
The primary motor cortex is the planning of motor movements.
What does the Prefrontal cortex do?
The prefrontal cortex is the organisation of behaviour, planning.
What is the role of the Occipital Lobe?
The occipital lobe is the first stage of visual processing.
What is the role of the Parietal Lobe?
The parietal lobe processes touch and bodily sensations.
What is the role of the Temporal Lobe?
The temporal lobe involves auditory information (hearing) and perception of movement and face recognition.
Does the brain have two halves?
Yes. This is called ‘hemispheres.
o Right Hemisphere
o Left Hemisphere
Most structures of the brain are found on both sides of the hemispheres.
What is Lateralisation?
Lateralisation means some functions are controlled by one side of the brain. Either on the right hemisphere or left hemisphere.
What functions are Lateralised?
o Movement
o Vision
o Language
How do we know about Lateralistion?
Lateralistion is discovered through brain imaging scans.
What is Visual Search?
One type of brain imaging is Visual Search.
Visual Search involves individual’s finding targets.
What is Visual Neglect?
If an individual’s performance is terrible in the Visual Search, this may be due to Visual Neglect.
Visual Neglect is a disorder of attention as it involves the inability to place attention to one side.
What are split-brain patients?
Split-brain patients are individuals who have had their hemispheres surgically separated as treatment from epilepsy.
What is Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)?
fMRI is used to identify activity in specific regions of the brain by detecting blood flow.
What is Electroencephalography (EEG)?
EEG measures electricity activity in specific regions of the brain.
What is Positron Emission Tomography (PET)?
PET scans detect activity in different regions of the brain.
