Biopsychology P2

Question 1

Outline what is meant by the nervous system

Answer 1

A specialised network of cells that enables communication within the body.

Question 2

What does antagonistic mean?

Answer 2

two branches that are working in an opposite way to each other.

Question 3

what does the central nervous system include?

Answer 3

Brain, spinal cord

Question 4

What does the peripheral nervous system include?

Answer 4

Somatic nervous system, autonomic, nervous system

Question 5

The autonomic nervous system has two branches that work in opposite ways to each other, what are they?

Answer 5

Sympathetic nervous system, parasympathetic, nervous system

Question 6

What is the role of the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 6

Transmits messages to and from the CNS to the rest of the body through nerves.

Question 7

what is the role of the somatic nervous system?

Answer 7

Control voluntary muscle movement

Question 8

what is the role of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 8

Manages involuntary processors (e.g. heart rate)

Question 9

Structure of a sensory neuron

Answer 9

short axon, long dendrites

Question 10

structure of a motor neuron

Answer 10

Long axon, short dendrites

Question 11

structure of a relay neuron

Answer 11

Short axon and short dendrites

Question 12

function of sensory neurons

Answer 12

Sending off signals to the rest of the nervous system about information they have received

Question 13

function of motor neurons

Answer 13

Transmits impulses from the spinal cord to the muscles to carry out specific functions

Question 14

function of relay neurons

Answer 14

Allows sensory and motor neurons to communicate

Question 15

synaptic transmission

Answer 15

1. Electrical impulse reaches axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron.
2. This instructs vesicles to drop their neurochemicals into the
   synaptic cleft.
3. transmitters float around and lock onto receptor sites on postsynaptic neurons.
4. Summation occurs.
5. Excess neurochemicals, either get broken down or reabsorbed.

Question 16

Endocrine system

Answer 16

Network of glands that release hormones into the bloodstream to regulate physiological processes.

Question 17

Hormones

Answer 17

Chemical messages produced by glands

Question 18

Glands

Answer 18

Specialised organs in the body that release substances into the bloodstream

Question 19

Pituitary gland

Answer 19

The master gland, secretes (releases) different hormones and regulates the endocrine system.

Question 20

Thyroid gland

Answer 20

Produces thyroxine and controls the metabolic rate (affecting growth rate)

Question 21

Pancreas

Answer 21

Produces insulin which controls blood sugar levels

Question 22

Hypothyroidism

Answer 22

Not enough thyroxine, resulting in depression and weight gain

Question 23

hyperthyroidism

Answer 23

Too much thyroxine, resulting in nervousness and weight loss

Question 24

Outline how the body responds to prolonged stress

Answer 24

HPA AXIS
1. The hypothalamus (brain) activates the stress response system
2. H- hypothalamus releases, a chemical messenger called corticotropin (CRH) releasing hormone
3. causes the… P- pituitary gland, produces and releases adrenocorticotrophic (ACTH)
4. stimulates the… A- adrenal cortex to release cortisol (quick burst of energy)

Question 25

Spatial resolution

Answer 25

The smallest feature a scanner can detect

Question 26

Temporal resolution

Answer 26

How quickly the scanner can detect changes in brain activity

Question 27

Which topic to these revision cards not cover

Answer 27

Ways of studying the brain: fMRI, EEG, ERP and post-mortem

Question 28

Localisation

Answer 28

Research that shows how specific areas of the brain are related to certain behaviours

Question 29

Lateralisation

Answer 29

The idea that each hemisphere controls the opposite side of your body

Question 30

Which lobe is the somatosensory cortex (skin) located in

Answer 30

Parietal lobe

Question 31

Which lobe is the auditory cortex (sound) located in?

Answer 31

Temporal lobe

Question 32

Which lobe is the visual cortex located in

Answer 32

Occipital lobe

Question 33

Which lobe is the motor cortex (movement) located in?

Answer 33

Frontal lobe

Question 34

Which lobe is Broca’s area located in

Answer 34

Frontal lobe

Question 35

Which lobe is Wernicke’s area located in

Answer 35

Temporal lobe

Question 36

Evidence against localisation

Answer 36

Dick and Tremblay (2016)- 2% of modern researchers think that language in the brain is completely controlled by Broca’s and Wernicke’s area.

Question 37

Evidence supporting localisation

Answer 37

Phineas Gage

Question 38

Evidence supporting lateralisation

Answer 38

Kim Peek case study- Born without a corpus callosum, can read two pages in 10 seconds. This supports lateralisation, as there is no communication between the hemispheres.

Question 39

Neural plasticity

Answer 39

Where the brain changes and adapts its structures as a result of experience and new learning (growing up)

Question 40

Functional recovery

Answer 40

When trauma or physical injury occurs unaffected areas of the brain are able to adapt and compensate for damaged areas

Question 41

Axonal sprouting

Answer 41

Growth of new nerve endings, which connect with undamaged nerve cells to form neural pathways

Question 42

Functional recovery case study

Answer 42

Jodie Miller- often had epileptic seizures, had to have the right hemisphere of her brain removed due to the seizures coming from that hemisphere. The left hemisphere, then took on all the roles (motor cortex had to double its role)

Question 43

Neural plasticity case study

Answer 43

Maguires case study- London cab drivers brain structure changed due to revising for a complex test called the knowledge. This assesses the recall of the streets of London.

Question 44

Circadian rhythm

Answer 44

Rhythms that last for around 24 hours

Question 45

Infradian rhythm

Answer 45

Rhythms which last longer than 24 hours

Question 46

Ultradian rhythm

Answer 46

Rhythms which last shorter than 24 hours