Week 9: Internal Regulation & Emotional Behaviours

Question 1

What does the term “Homeostasis” mean?

Answer 1

Walter B Cannon introduced this term to refer to temperature regulation and other biological processes that keep the body within a fixed range

Question 2

What is a ‘set point’?

Answer 2

a single value the body works to maintain e.g. levels of water, oxygen, calcium, protein & fat

Question 3

Differentiate between pokilothermic and homeothermic

Answer 3

P = body temperature matches environment. Behavioural methods are put in place to escape the heat/cold. Poikilothermic animals lack physiological mechanisms to regulate internal temperature.
H= meaning that mammals and birds are capable of generating heat internally

Question 4

What are the brain mechanisms that regulate body temperature?

Answer 4

Preoptic Area (POA) and Anterior hypothalamus (AH) receive information from temperature receptors and produces regulatory behaviour.

Question 5

What is responsible for thirst?

Answer 5

Vasopressin - a hormone released by the posterior pituitary that raises blood pressure by constricting blood vessels.

Question 6

What are the two types of thirst?

Answer 6

Osmotic thirst- caused by eating salty foods. The water flows across the semipermeable membrane from the area of low solute concentration. This membrane will allow water to pass but solutes cannot.