Biopsychology

Question 1

Nervous system

Answer 1

Pns
Cns

Question 2

CNS

Answer 2

Central nervous system
Brain cerebral cortex highly developed in humans
Spinal cord connects to the brain - reflex actions

Question 3

PNS

Answer 3

Autonomic nervous system ( sympathetic parasympathetic)
Somatic nervous system = voluntary movement

Question 4

Endocrine system

Answer 4

Glands and hormones
Fight or flight sympathetic nerve adrenal gland adrenaline

Question 5

Localisation of the brain

Answer 5

Different areas of the brain are responsible for specific behaviours processes and activities
Lateralisation - one hemisphere controls something etc
Areas of brain learn

Question 6

Hemispheric lateralisation

Answer 6

Halves are functionally different
Language left hemisphere broca and wernickes area
LH - analyse RH - synthesise
Motor areas collateral wiring right= left hand movement
Vision collateral and ipsilateral
LVF right RVF left

Question 7

Split brain research

Answer 7

Sperry Conduct studies on individuals who had corpus callosum removed (epilepsy)
Object shown in RVF (LH) person describes object if shown in LVF says nothing is there but can select item
=LH is verbal RH isn’t

Question 8

Plasticity

Answer 8

Plasticity = brains ability to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning
Maguire= brains of cab drivers - posterior hippocampus is larger than usual after learning The Knowledge
Longer cab driver - bigger hippo
Draganski= change in hippocampus and parietal cortex before and after exams

Question 9

Functional recovery

Answer 9

Form new synaptic connections after trauma
Axonal sprouting - new nerve endings and neuronal paths
Recruitment of homologous areas eg Broca’s area move to the right
Denervation supersensitivity - axons become aroused to a higher to a higher level to compensate

Question 10

fMRI

Answer 10

Detect changes in the blood oxygenation and flow that ovcur as a result of brain activity
3D images

Question 11

Electro encephalogram EEG

Answer 11

Electrical activity in brain via electrodes fixed to scalp brainwaves patterns overall account

Question 12

ERPs event related potential

Answer 12

Types of brainwaves that are triggered by particular events isolating specific areas

Question 13

Post mortem examination

Answer 13

Individuals whose brains are examined after death

Question 14

Biological rhythms

Answer 14

Circadian
Infradian
Ultradian

Question 15

Circadian rhythms

Answer 15

Once every 24hrs
Eg sleep wake cycle governed by daylight and biological clock - suprachiasmatic nucleus
-Siffres cave study bio rhythm 24hrs
-Aschoff and Wever - bunker
-Folkard- body clocks couldn’t match 22hrs

Question 16

Infradian rhythm

Answer 16

Takes longer than 24 hrs to complete
Eg menstrual cycle= 28 days 14th day egg released
McClintock study - 30 women irregular periods 9 gave pheromones (sweat on lip exogenous factor) -68% synched
Seasonal affective disorder - seasonal depression regulated by melotonin

Question 17

Ultradian rhythm

Answer 17

More than once every 24hrs
Stages of sleep
1. 5 mins wake to sleep high freq brain
2. 40-50mins light sleep heart decrease
(Alpha)
3-4 15-20 mins deep sleep low heart rate and freq brain (delta )
5. REM high freq brain heart incr (theta)

Question 18

Endogenous pacemakers

Answer 18

Suprachiasmatic nucleus bundle of nerves in the hypothalamus maintains circadian rhythms - info on light
-chipmunks destroy scn connection in the brain sleep/wake dissappeared killed
- pineal gland production of melotonin sleepiness

Question 19

Exogenous zeitgabers

Answer 19

External factors in environment reset body clock through entrainment
Free running bio clock brought into line by environmental cues
Light - detected by skin deviate sleep wake cycle by 3 hrs - powerful
Social cues - by 16 weeks babies circadian rhythm entrained by schedules imposed by parents