Biological Psychology - The nervous system

Question 1

Names the different parts of the central nervous system (CNS).

Answer 1

• The spinal cord
• The brain
• Subcortical structures
• Lateralisation and localisation
• The cerebral cortex
• language areas of the brain

Question 2

What is the role of the spinal cord?

Answer 2

Links the peripheral nervous system (PNS) to CNS via brainstem, responsible for reflex actions

Question 3

What is the role of the brain?

Answer 3

Conscious awareness, two hemispheres, contralateral control over the body, cerebral cortex is the top layer (3mm thick)

Question 4

Names the different subcortical structures.

Answer 4

• Thalamus
• Hypothalamus
• Limbic system
• Cerebellum
• Corpus callosum

Question 5

What is the thalamus? (subcortical structure)

Answer 5

Relay station, receives and passes on sensory information, acts like a gate/filter

Question 6

What is the Hypothalamus? (subcortical structure)

Answer 6

Controls motivational behaviours, stress response, homeostasis, endocrine system and produces some hormones.

Question 7

What is the limbic system? (subcortical structure)

Answer 7

Memory and learning, interconnected with cortex. Includes amygdala (emotional processing)

Question 8

What is the cerebellum? (subcortical structure)

Answer 8

Two hemispheres, control balance an coordination, integrate information from the spinal cord and brain.

Question 9

What is the corpus callosum? (subcortical structure)

Answer 9

Connects the two hemispheres, integrates activity of both sides of the brain and the body.

Question 10

What is lateralisation?

Answer 10

Two hemispheres have different functions.

Question 11

What is localisation?

Answer 11

Specific brain areas have specific functions

Question 12

What is the cerebral cortex?

Answer 12

Higher cognitive processing. Four lobes per hemisphere, convolutes surface (sulci and gyri)

Question 13

Name the 4 lobes of the cerebral cortex.

Answer 13

• Frontal lobe
• Parietal lobe
• Temporal lobe
• Occipital lobe

Question 14

What is the role of the frontal lobe? (cerebral cortex)

Answer 14

Cognitive functions e.g. motor cortex controlling voluntary movement.

Question 15

What is the role of the parietal lobe? (cerebral cortex)

Answer 15

E.g. somatosensory cortex processing sensory information from skin

Question 16

What is the role of the temporal lobe? (cerebral cortex)

Answer 16

E.g. auditory cortex processing sound information role in understanding language

Question 17

What is the role of the occipital lobe? (cerebral cortex)

Answer 17

E.g. visual cortex for processing of visual information

Question 18

What is the Broca’s area? (Language area of the brain)

Answer 18

Left frontal lobe, speech production. Damage causes Broca’s aphasia, dysfluent speech.

Question 19

What is the Wernicke’s area? (language area of the brain)

Answer 19

Left temporal lobe, language understanding. Damage to the Wernicke’s aphasia, meaningless speech.

Question 20

What is the structure of a neuron?

Answer 20

Cell body, dendrites, axon with myelin sheath, nodes of Ranvier, terminal buttons.

Question 21

What are the different types of neurons?

Answer 21

Sensory - receptors to CNS, long dendrites, short axons

Motor - CNS to effectors, short dendrites , long axons

Relay - Connects sensory, motor and other relay neurons, short axons

Question 22

What is the function of neurons?

Answer 22

Cell depolaries, carries action potential (all-or-nothing) down axon to terminal button.

Question 23

What is synaptic transmission?

Answer 23

Neurons separated by gap (synaptic cleft), communication is chemical (neurotransmitters bind with postsynaptic receptors)

Question 24

What is the functions of neurotransmitters?

Answer 24

Neurotransmitters fit receptors like key and lock

Question 25

What is excitation?

Answer 25

Excitatory makes next neuron more likely to fire.

Question 26

What is inhibition?

Answer 26

Inhibitory makes the next neuron less likely to fire.

Question 27

What is summation?

Answer 27

Excitatory and inhibitory inputs summed, neurons firing depends on net effect.

Question 28

What is cocaine?

Answer 28

Stimulant effect on mesocorticolinbic (reward) pathway, alters dopamine transmission.

Question 29

What is the role of dopamine?

Answer 29

Cocaine blocks dopamine reuptake, leaving surplus dopamine in synapse and creating euphoria.

Question 30

What is the long term effects of cocaine?

Answer 30

Dopamine receptors downregulated (fewer active), less dopamine, explains tolerance and withdrawal.

Question 31

What is heroin?

Answer 31

CNS depressant, binds with u (mu) receptor in body's natural opioid system

Question 32

What is the agonist and the antagonist? (Heroin)

Answer 32

Heroin mimics action of natural painkiller (agonist). Naloxone blocks opiate receptors (antagonist)

Question 33

What are the long term effect of heroin?

Answer 33

Opioid receptors downregulated, system becomes less sensitive to heroin (tolerance)

Question 34

Evaluate the effect of recreational drugs. (Research supporting the role of dopamine)

Answer 34

Lesions to mesocorticolinbic pathway in mice (Weinshenker and Schroeder 2007) less self- administered cocaine, highlights role.

Question 35

Evaluate the effect of recreational drugs. (Validity of non-human animal studies)

Answer 35

Human brains are more complex (e.g. interactions of dopamine with other neurotransmitters) However, human studies are also supported (e.g. Volkow et al 1997) confirm validity of animal models.

Question 36

Evaluate the effect of recreational drugs. (Application to better treatment for addition)

Answer 36

Antagonist drugs developed to prevent heroin binding, but without euphoric effects.

Question 37

Evaluate the effect of recreational drugs. (issues and debates)

Answer 37

Illustrates psychological knowledge and society, potential benefits (Morgan et al. 2013) addressing social issues.