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Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

Nervous system

A

Complex network of nerve cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to the different parts of the body

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2
Q

Central Nervous system

A

Receives info and processes it to bring about responses

Controls behaviour and the regulation of the body’s physiological processes

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3
Q

Spinal cord

A

Collection of nerves collected to the brain - relay signals from brain to body

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4
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

All nerves outside the CNS

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5
Q

Automatic nervous system

A

Actions without conscious control e.g. heart beating, digestion
This is necessary as these vital bodily functions would not work as efficiently if we had to think about them

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6
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

Receives signals from CNS directly muscles to act

Made up of 12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves

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7
Q

Sympathetic nervous system

A 
‘Fight or flight’
Adrenaline released 
Heart rate increases
Blood pressure increases
Pupils dilate
Digestion halted 
Inhibits saliva production
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8
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous system

A 
‘Rest and digest’ - involved with energy conservation 
Heart rate slows 
Digestion increases 
Constricts pupils 
Stimulates saliva production 
Decreases breathing rate
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9
Q

Neurons

A

Specialised cells that carry electrical impulses to and from the CNS

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10
Q

What does action potential create

A

An electrical signal travelling down the axon of a neuron

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11
Q

What is the CNS made up of

A

Brain

Spinal cord

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12
Q

What is the PNS divided into

A

Somatic nervous system

Automatic Nervous system

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13
Q

What’s the ANS divided into

A

Parasympathetic Nervous system

Sympathetic nervous system

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14
Q

Sensory neurons

A

Carry nerve impulses from sensory receptors (PNS) to the spinal cord and brain (CNS) in the form of neural impulses
Some of these neurons only take info to the spinal cord

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15
Q

Relay neurons

A

Transfer impulses from the sensory to the motor neurons

These neurons all lie within the brain or spinal cord

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16
Q

Motor neurons

A

Originate in CNS and project their axons outside CNS
Deliver impulses from the CNS to the PNS
Form synapses with muscles to control contraction
When they are excited they cause contraction, when inhibited cause muscle relaxation

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17
Q

Cell body (soma)

A

Contains nucleus

Controls neuron

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18
Q

Dendrites

A

Receive signals from other neurons

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19
Q

Axon

A

Long thin extension of cytoplasm where the action potential travels down

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20
Q

Myelin sheath

A 
Insulates axon (fatty layer) 
Speeds up electrical impulse
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21
Q

Nodes of Ranvier

A

Section of axon without myelin sheath

Impulse jumps along the nodes

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22
Q

Terminal button

A

End of neuron forms synapses with other neurons or an effector

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23
Q

When does an action potential occur

A

When a neuron is activated by a stimulus, the inside of the cell becomes positively charged for a split second, causing an action potential to occur

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24
Q

Synaptic transmission

A

Action potential arrives at the end of pre-synaptic neuron
Neurotransmitter in vesicles is released into synapse
Neurotransmitter diffuses across synapse
Neurotransmitter binds to specific receptors on the post synaptic neuron
A post synaptic potential is generated
Neurotransmitter is removed from synapse by enzymes or is taken back to be reused

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25
Types of neurotransmitters
Excitatory or inhibitory | These generate either excitatory post synaptic potential (EPSPs) or IPSPs
26
What will a post-synaptic neuron often receive
Several presynaptic inputs. EPSPs increase the likelihood of the neuron firing an action potential, IPSPs decreases the likelihood
27
Types of summation
Spatial | Temporal
28
Spatial summation
Multiple pre-synaptic neuron firing High conc. of neurotransmitter in synapse Strong EPSP in post-synaptic neuron
29
Temporal summation
One pre-synaptic neuron with lots of action potential travelling down it
30
Examples of excitatory neurotransmitter
Acetylcholine | Noradrenaline
31
Examples of inhibitory neurotransmitters
Serotonin | GABA
32
What are inhibitory neurotransmitters reponsible for
Calming the mind and body Inducing sleep Filtering out unnecessary excitatory signals
33
Endocrine system
Network of glands throughout the body that manufacture and secrete chemical messengers (hormones) Uses blood vessels to deliver hormones
34
Major glands of endocrine system
Pituitary Adrenal Ovaries Testes
35
Hormones produced by anterior pituitary
``` Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) Luteinising hormone (LH) Follicle Stimulating hormone (FSH) Prolactin (PRL) Growth hormone (GH) ```
36
Hormones produced by posterior pituitary
Anti-diuretic hormone (ADH) | Oxytocin
37
Hormones produced by Adrenal cortex
Cortisol Aldosterone Both necessary for life
38
Cortisol
Release in response to stress Suppressed immune system Increases blood sugar
39
Aldosterone
Regulates Na, blood pressure and K levels
40
Hormones produced by Adrenal Medulla
Adrenaline | Noradrenaline
41
Fight or flight
Stressor —> amygdala —> (distress signal); Hypothalamus —> multiple responses via sympathetic nervous system
42
Response to acute stressors
Triggers SNS SNS sends a signal to Adrenal medulla - releases adrenaline into the bloodstream When the threat has passed PNS returns body to resting state It works in opposition to the SNS
43
Response to chronic stressors
Hypothalamus - Releases CRH into bloodstream Pituitary glands - CRH causes ACTH to be produced and released. Transported in bloodstream to target site Adrenal glands - ACTH stimulates Adrenal cortex to release various hormones e.g. cortisol, can have -ve or +ve affects e.g. impaired cognitive performance or bursts of energy
44
The feedback system
Cortisol levels are monitored by the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. If it rises, a reduction in CRH and ACTH is initiated
45
Holistic theory
All parts of the brain were involved in the processing of thought and action
46
Localisation of function
Theory that the different areas of the brain are responsible to different functions
47
Cerebral cortex
Outer layer of both hemispheres - this covers the inner parts of the brain
48
Cortex found in frontal lobe
Motor cortex
49
Motor cortex
Controls voluntary movement in the opposite side of the body
50
Damage to frontal lobe
Loss of control over fine motor movement
51
Somatosensory cortex
Found in parietal lobe | Where sensory info from the skin is represented
52
Damage to parietal lobe
Loss of sense of touch, vibration and temperature
53
Visual cortex
Occipital lobe | Each eye sends info from the right visual field to the left and from the left visual field to the right
54
Damage to occipital lobe
Can produce blindness in the right visual field of both eyes
55
Auditory cortex
Temporal lobe | Analyses speech-based info
56
Damage to temporal lobe
Partial hearing loss The worse the damage, the more extensive the loss
57
Broca’s Area
Frontal lobe (left hemisphere) ‘Language centre’ Critical for speech production and responding to demanding cognitive tasks
58
Damage to Broca’s area
Unable to speak nor express thoughts in writing
59
Wernicke’s Area
Left part of temporal lobe | Processes spoken lang. and helps understand speech
60
Broca’s aphasia
Frequently speak in short phrases Omit small words, “is”, “and”, “the” Typically understand speech of others fairly well
61
Wernicke’s aphasia
Speak in long sentences with no meaning, unnecessary words and create made up word Difficult to understand them Great difficulty understanding speech Unaware of mistakes
62
What has split-brain research discovered
Left hemisphere is responsible for speech and language Right hemisphere specialises in visual-spatial processing Connectivity between different regions is as important as the different parts
63
Brain plasticity
Ability to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning
64
Functional recovery
Moving functions from a damaged area of the brain after trauma to other undamaged areas Spontaneous recovery - quickly after trauma Rehabilitative therapy - several weeks or months later to further recovery
65
Hippocampus
Part of brain associated with the spatial and navigational skills
66
Maguire et al (2000)
Found hippocampus is 28% bigger in London taxi drivers that have taken ‘The Knowledge’
67
Michelli et al (2004)
Found bilinguals have a larger parietal cortex
68
Wall (1977)
‘Dormant synapses’ - synaptic connections that exist anatomically but their function is blocked Increasing the rate of neural input to these synapses can open or unmask them
69
Structural changes that support opening ‘dormant synapses’
Axonal sprouting - growth of new nerve endings with other undamaged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathways Reformation of blood vessels Recruitment of homologous areas

Pschology (6 decks)

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