biopscyhology Flashcards

Question

somatosensory area

Answer 1

an area of the parietal lobe that processes sensory information such as touch.

Answer 2

a part of the occipital lobe that receives and processes visual information.

Answer 3

located in the temporal lobe and concerned with the analysis of speech- based information.

Answer 4

an area of the frontal lobe of the brain in the left hemisphere responsible for speech production.

Answer 5

an area of the temporal lobe ( around the auditory cortex) in the left hemisphere responsible for language comprehension.

Answer 6

it is involved in reasoning motor control, emotion and language. It contains motor cortex which is involved in planning and coordinating the pre-frontal cortex for higher-level cognitive functioning and Broca's area is essential language production.

Answer 7

it is located behind the frontal lobe and it is involved processing information from the body' s senses. It contains somatosensory cortex which is important for processing sensory information from across the body such as touch, temperature and pain.

Answer 8

it is located in the side of the head. Wernicke's area important for speech and comprehension is located here. Individuals with to damage to Broca's area have difficulty producing language those with Wernike's area can produce sensible language and unable to understand it.

Answer 9

it is located at the back of the brain and contains the primary visual cortex. It is responsible fo interpretating incoming visual information.

Answer 10

language is restricted to the left side of the brain in most people. Broca identified a small area in the left frontal lobe responsible for speech production. Damage to the Broca's area causes to Broca's aphasia which means the speech is slow and lacks fluency. Wernike was describing patients who had no problems producing language but a severe difficulty understanding it like the speech they produced was fluent but meaningless. Wernike identified a region in the left temporal lobe as being responsible for language comprehension which results in wernicke's aphasia when damaged which makes them produce nonsense words.

Answer 11

strength= it is used brain scans to demonstrate how Wernicke's area was active during a listening task and Broca's area was active during a reading task showing areas of the brain have different functions. Limitations= The holistic theory argues that the localisation of the function is incorrect. Lashely on rats brains did not find a specific area involved in memory. It appeared to be stored all over the brain. This would show the idea of specific areas performing specific functions is incorrect.

Answer 12

this describes the tendency to change and adapt as a result of experience or learning.

Answer 13

a form plasticity. it is the result of damage from trauma. The brain's ability to redistribute or transfer functions performed by a damaged area to other undamaged area.

Answer 14

the brain appearing plastic would show it has the ability to change shape throughout a life. infant= brain experiences a growth in the number of synaptic connections so the average is 15,000 at age 2-3 years. adult- twice as many as an infant. old age- synaptic pruning takes place connections are deleted and straightened. at any time the brain can change, neural connections can form meaning learning can occur.

Answer 15

the brain appearing plastic would show it has the ability to change shape throughout a life. infant= brain experiences a growth in the number of synaptic connections so the average is 15,000 at age 2-3 years. adult- twice as many as an infant. old age- synaptic pruning takes place connections are deleted and straightened. at any time the brain can change, neural connections can form meaning learning can occur.

Answer 16

Maguire studied the brains of London taxi drivers and there was more volume of grey matter in the posterior hippocampus than in an matched control group. This brain is associated spatial and navigational skills in humans and animals. The taxi drivers had to take part in a knowledge test to see a recall of the city streets and routes and it was to alter the structure of the taxi drivers brain and it showed that the longer they had been in the job the more structured differed. findings= Draganski who imagined the brains of medical students three months before and after their final exams. Learning- induced changes were seen to have occurred in the posterior hippocampus and the parietal cortex as a result of a exam.

Answer 17

the functional recovery may occur in the brain after trauma is another example of neural plasticity. Healthy brain areas may take over the functions that are damaged. The process can occur quickly after trauma and then slow down after several weeks or months.

Answer 18

The Brain is able to rewire and recognise itself by forming new synaptic connections close to the area of damage. Secondary neural pathways that would not typically be used to carry out certain functions are activated to enable functioning to continue often in the same way as before.

Answer 19

axonal sprouting= the growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathways. reformation of blood vessels recruitment of homologous areas on the opposite side of the brain to perform specific tasks. example if Broca area was damaged on the right side the left side would carry out the functions. After a while, the functionality would reverse.

Answer 20

negative plasticity = The brain's ability to rewire itself has a maladaptive behavioural consequence. Prolonged drug use shows the result in poor cognitive functions and increases the risk of dementia. Also 60/80% of amputees have been known to develop phantom limb syndrome. The sensations are unpleasant painful and thought to be due to cortical reorganisation in the somatosensory cortex occurs as a result of limb loss. Age and plastcity= functional plasticity reduces with age . the brain has a greater reorganisation in childhood as it constantly adapting to new experiences and learning. Ladina Bezzola et al = demonstrated 40 hours of golf training produced changes in the neural representation of how movement in participants aged 40-60. Using FMRI the researchers observed motor cortex activity in the novice golfers compared to a control group showing more efficient neural representations after training. Neural plasticity counties through the lifespan.

Answer 21

The idea that two halves of the brain are functionally different and that certain mental processes and behaviours are mainly controlled by one hemisphere rather than the other as in the example of language.

Answer 22

a series of studies which began in the 1960s involving epileptic patients who had experienced a surgical separation of the hemispheres of the brain. it allowed the researcher to investigate the extent to which the brain function was lateralised.

Answer 23

the ability to produce and understand language for most people is controlled by the left hemisphere. This shows that for the rest of us language is subject to hemisphere lateralisation. The specialised areas associated with language are found in one of the brain's hemispheres rather than both.

Answer 24

Sperry involved a unique group of individuals who had the same surgical procedures - an operation is a commissurotomy- in which the corpus callosum and other tissues which connect the two hemispheres were cut down in the middle in order to separate the two hemisphere and control frequent and severe epileptic seizures. For split- brain patients the main communication line between the two hemispheres was removed. This allowed Sperry and his colleagues to see the extent to which the two hemispheres were specialised for certain functions and whether the hemispheres were specialised for certain functions and whether the hemispheres performed tasks independently of one another.

Answer 25

devised a general procedure in which an image or word could be projected to a patient's right visual field which was processed by the left hemisphere and the same, or different , image could be projected to the left visual field. In the normal brain the corpus callosum would share the information between both hemisphere giving a complete picture of the visual world. Presenting the image to one hemisphere of a split-brain patient meant that the information could not be conveyed from that hemisphere to the other.

Answer 26

Describing what you see= when a picture of an object was shown to a patient right visual field the patient could easily describe what was seen. But if the same object was shown to the left visual field, the patient could not describe what was seen and usually they would report they could not see anything. For most people language is recovered in the left hemisphere. The patients inability to describe objects in the left visual field was due to the lack of language in the right hemispheres. In the normal brain, messages from the right hemispheres would be relayed to the language centres in the left hemisphere.

Answer 27

demonstrated lateralised brain functions= Sperry's pioneering work into the split-brain phenomenon has produced an impressive and sizeable body of research findings- the conclusion that appears to the left hemisphere is more geared towards analytic and verbal tasks whilst the right is more adept at performing spatial tasks and music. the left produces rudimentary words/phrases contributes emotional and holistic content to language. There is research showing the left - analyser and the right- synthesisers. Theoretical basis= Sperry's work prompted a theoretical and philosophical debate about the degree of communication between two hemispheres in everyday functioning and nature of consciousness. Some theorist suggest two hemispheres work different showing duality within the brain- it shows we have two minds and this situation is emphasised rather than created in the split-brain patient. other researcher argue both hemispheres are involved in everyday tasks.

Answer 28

a method used to investigate brain activity while a person is performing a task with MRI technology. It enables researcher to detect what area of the brain produces oxygen and what are active. it detects changes of the blood oxygenation and flow and it occurs as a result of neural activity. an active brain area = consumes more oxygen to meet this increased demand blood flow is directed to the active area. it produces a 3D image that are activation maps revealing parts of the brain are consuming parts of oxygen and more active. FMRI- activity takes 1-4 sceonds.

Answer 29

a record of tiny electrical impulses created by the brain activity. it measures waves patterns and this helps to create a diagnostic. EEG scanners measure this electrical activity through the electrodes attached to the scalp. Small electrical charges detected by the electrodes which are graphed within a period of time. this is as unusual arrhythmic patterns of activity indicate neurological abnormalities like tumours. they are used by clinicians as a diagnostic tool. waves: alpha waves beta waves theta waves delta waves

Answer 30

it is a form of looking into a brain activity, contains all the neural responses it is associated with sensory, cognitive and motor events. ERPs work by using a statical averaging techniques that filter out extraneous brain activity from the original brain activity.

Answer 31

the brain is analysed after death to determine whether a certain observed behaviour during the patient's lifetime it would be linked to abnormalities within the brain. those who have this examinations usually have a rare disorder and have experienced unusual mental health episodes/ behaviour. they examine the Broca area and the Wernicke area to establish cause and effect.

Answer 32

non- invasive - Fmri does not use raditiation or involve inserting instruments directly in the brain and it is virtually risk-free. spatial resolution= it has a good spatial resolution as it produces images to make it easier for psychologists to discriminate between different parts of the brain regions. Fmri are expensive compared to other technology and it can only get a clear view of the image if the person stays completely still.

Answer 33

they are important in diagnosis of conditions such as epilepsy a disorder characterised by random burst of activity in the brain that can be easily detected. EEG has a high temporal resolution rather than a still image of passive brain. It takes readings every millisecond meaning it can record the brain activity in real time as opposed to looking at a passive brain. weakness EEG- tend to produce very generalised information as it can only detect activity from a superficial region they cannot reveal what's going on in the deeper regions like hypothallamus can be implanted to achieve this not ethically permissible as its invasive.

Answer 34

strengths: researchers have been able to identify many different types of ERP and describe the precise role of those in cognitive functions= parts of working memory. ERP use more robust methods to eliminate extraneous neural activity but some scanning techniques may struggle. weakness: it is not easy to eliminate background noise and it cannot record activities taking place at a deeper level of the brain. it is restricted to neocortex.

Answer 35

strength- it provides a detailed examination of the anatomical structure and neurochemical aspects of the brain that is not possible with other scanning techniques. post modern examinations access areas like the hypothalamus and hippocampus which other scanning techniques cannot and therefore provide an insight into these brain regions. weakness= ethics- post-modern examinations are carried out on patients with severe deficits- e.g amnesia sufferers who unable to provide complete consent. causation of death as people die due to a variety reasons and stages of diseases which can influence the post-modern brain.

Answer 36

they are cyclonical patterns within a biological system that have evolved in response to environmental influences example- day and night patterns of changes in the body activity which are conforming to cyclonical periods. It is influenced by internal body cues and external changes within the environment.

Answer 37

Endogenous pacemakers= internal body clocks that regulate biological rhythms. Exogenous zeitgebers= external cues that may affect or entrain our biological rhythms.

Answer 38

are biological rhythms lasting a day. example would be sleep/wake cycle and it usually measured by reading the time and regular events like when we eat or sleep.

Answer 39

The light induced activation of the scn prevents the pineal gland producing melatonin. Melatonin recpetors in the eye respond to light (natural or artisically) and trasmit signals to the SNC.

Answer 40

using himself as the participant spent six months in a cave without any natural light or cues to the day/light. When he awoke he had an artifical light to help him navigative within the cave and keep himself busy his internal body clock allowed him to free run and made up a sleep/wake cycle within 25-30 hours. he ended up losing track of how many days he had been in the cave - as he recalled it being one month less. 24 hour sleep cycle was increased by the lack of exogenous zeitgebers -natural light making him believe one day was longer than it was.

Answer 41

it is able to give researchers an understanding of adverse consequences that occur as a result of disruption to sleep. shift worker Boivin et al it showed people who work late shifts are more likely to have mistakes and accidents it has also help recognise a relation between shifts and poor health. Shift workers are three times more likely to develop heart disease due to the stress that comes with adjusting to a new sleep - wake cycle. the research in the sleep wake cycle may have economic implications in terms of how best to manage worker productivity. practical application for circadian rhythms= the circadian rhythm coordinate a number of body basic processes like heart rate and digestion. it informs how well drugs are absorbed and distributed. circadian rhythms have revealed that there are certain peak times during the day or night when drugs are most likely to be effected. this increases the level of guidelines around drug dosing like medications for anticancer

Answer 42

a type of biological rhythm with a frequency of less than one cycle in 24 hours like the menstrual cycle. the hormone levels rise during the cycle and this causes a release of an egg- ovulation then the release of the hormone progesterone which thickens the womb lining comes away resulting in menstruation. The periodicity appears unaffected by external factors like time of the year or temperature so it is affected by endogenous body clocks. During each cycle= rising levels of hormones oestrogren cause the ovary to develp an egg. after ovauluation= the hormone progestorone helps the womb lining grow thicker making the body inevitabel for pregnancy

Answer 43

Mcclintock found that women recieved odourless compounds from the latter half of the menstrual cycle was shortened. the cycle refers to the first time in which a woman starts her period when the womb lining is shed to the day before her next period. The cycle takes 28 days to complete. Their menstrual cycle was shortened by the other womens pheromones when they approached the end of their cycle the sample included 29 women who all had a history of irregular periods. the sample of pheromones were gathered from 9 of the women of the different stages of their menstrual cycle. they wore the pad for 8 hours, the pads were treated with alcholol and frozen and were added to the upper lip. 68% of the people experienced changes to their cycle of their odour. The study showed the compounds being transferred by the women's wiping pad which was previously wiped across the donor's armpit on to the upper lip. This shows that the menstrual cycle of a women may be altered by communication due to the pheromones. As something within the environment acts like zeitgeber.

Answer 44

is a depressive order which has a seasonal pattern of oneset and it is diagnosed as a mental health order. Symptoms of low mood are triggered within the winter months when the number of daylight is shortened. it is a type of infradian rhythms called circidian rhythms as the experience of SAD may be due to a sleep wake cycle and it can be attributed to prolonged periods of darkness. the hormone meltanonin impacts the cause of depression. Night- pineal gland produces melatonin until there is an increase in light. winter= the lack of light in the morning means the secretation process happens for longer. it is a contributer as serotonin production reduces.

Answer 45

is the stages of sleep, there are five distinct stages of sleep that continues through the course of the night. Each of these stages within the brain activity which is monitored by using EEG. Stage 1 and 2= it is light sleep as the person may be easily woken. Brainwave patterns starts to become slower and more rhythmic and they become slower as you get deeper in sleep. Stage 3 and 4= Delta waves have a slower still and have a greater amplitude than earlier wave patterns this is deep sleep. stage 5 rem sleep= the body is paralyzed but brain activity speeds up and it resembles a awaken brain. rapid eye movement denote a fast movement under the eyelids. REM- sleep is highly connected to dreaming.

Answer 46

the menstrual synchrony has evoloutionary value. for our ancestors it may be advantagous to be on your menstrual cycle at the same time as you could fall pregnant at the same time. this could mean new borns would be cared for in a collective household. a limitation of this point if so many females are fertile at the same time it would increase competion. method limitations= issue of confounding variables as there are many factors that affects a womens cycle so the pattern that researchers identified are expected to occur by chance. the research involves small samples of women and relies on particpants to self-report by their own sets. perhaps other studies failed to find any evidence of menstrual synchrony in all female samples.

Answer 47

• a Lightbox which resets melatonin levels. Strong light in the morning and evening

Answer 48

• the Suprachiasmatic nucleus= primary endogenous makes • DeCoursey et al (2000)= destroyed the SC in 30 chickmunks who were returned to their natural habitat and observed for 80 days. The sleep/wake cycle of the chickmunks disappeared and by the end a significant proportion died due to them presumably being awake and vulnerable when they should have been asleep. • ralph et al (1990) bred 'mutant' hamsters with a 20 hour sleep/wake evcle SCN cells DeCoursey et al (2000)= destroyed the SCN in 30 chickmunks who were returned to their natural habitat and observed for 80 days. The sleep/wake cycle of the chickmunks disappeared and by the end a significant proportion died due to them presumably being awake and vulnerable when they should have been asleep. • ralph et al (1990) bred 'mutant' hamsters with a 20 hour sleep/wake cycle. SCN cells from the mutant Hamsters were transplanted into the brains of normal hamsters, the cycles of the hamsters defaulted to 20 hours. • Both show SCN role in establishing and maintaining the sleep/wake cycle • SC passes info on day length and light to the pineal gland which secretes melatonin. DeCoursey et al (2000)= destroyed the SCN in 30 chickmunks who were returned to their natural habitat and observed for 80 days. The sleep/wake cycle of the chickmunks disappeared and by the end a significant proportion died due to them presumably being awake and vulnerable when they should have been asleep. • ralph et al (1990) bred 'mutant' hamsters with a 20 hour sleep/wake cycle. SCN cells from the mutant Hamsters were transplanted into the brains of normal hamsters, the cycles of the hamsters defaulted to 20 hours. • Both show SCN role in establishing and maintaining the sleep/wake cycle • SCN passes info on day length and light to the pineal gland which secretes melatonin. DeCoursey et al (2000)= destroyed the SCN in 30 chickmunks who were returned to their natural habitat and observed for 80 days. The sleep/wake cycle of the chickmunks disappeared and by the end a significant proportion died due to them presumably being awake and vulnerable when they should have been asleep. • ralph et al (1990) bred 'mutant' hamsters with a 20 hour sleep/wake cycle. SCN cells from the mutant Hamsters were transplanted into the brains of normal hamsters, the cycles of the hamsters defaulted to 20 hours. • Both show SCN role in establishing and maintaining the sleep/wake cycle • SC passes info on day length and light to the pineal gland which secretes melatonin.

Answer 49

-external factors in the environment that reset our biological clocks - light plays a role Campbell and Murphy (1998) demonstrated light is detected by skin receptors and its not exclusive to receptors received by the eyes. 15 participants were woken up at various times and a light pad was shone at the back of their knees. This produced a deviation in their sleep/wake cycle of up to 3 hours in some cases. - social cues Infants are born with a random sleep I/wake cycle it begins around 6weeks and by 16 weeks infants are usually entrained. Schedules imposed by parents e.g. bedtimes and meal times are likely the key influence. Research suggest adapting to local eating and sleeping times is effective way to entrain circadian rhythms and beat jeg lag.

Answer 50

-research revealed there are numerous of circadian rhythms called peripheral oscillators e.g. can be found in the adrenal gland and liver. - Damiola et al (200) demonstrated how changing feeding patterns in mice can alter their circadian rhythms of cells in the liver by up to 12 hours whilst leaving the SC u affected suggesting there may be many complex influences on the sleep wake cycles asides from the SCN and peripheral clocks can act independently. • ethical issues= lack generalisation of animals studies + protection of harm also the studies have mythology issues= Murphy and campbell has no replication • influence of exogenous zeitgebers may be overstated Miles et al (1977) recounts a story of a young man, blind from birth, with a circadian rhythm of 24.9 hours. Despite exposure to social cues his sleep/wake cycle asides from the SC and peripheral clocks can act independently. • ethical issues= lack generalisation of animals studies + protection of harm also the studies have mythology issues= Murphy and campbell has no replication • influence of exogenous zeitgebers may be overstated Miles et al (1977) recounts a story of a young man, blind from birth, with a circadian rhythm of 24.9 hours. Despite exposure to social cues his sleep/wake cycle could not be adjusted, and consequently he had to take sedatives at night and stimulates in the morning to keep pace with the 24 hour sleep world. -also individuals who live in artic regions show normal sleep patterns despite prolonged exposure to light.

biopscyhology Flashcards

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