Biosychology

• What are the two main components of the nervous system?

  CNS and PNS

  
• What happens in the fight-or-flight response?

  • Amygdala sends distress signal to hypothalamus
  • Sympathomedullary pathway (SAM pathway) is activated
  • Adrenaline is released from the adrenal gland
  • Increases heart rate, breathing, and sweat production
• What role does adrenaline play in the fight-or-flight response?

  It leads to increased heart rate, breathing, and sweat production.
• What does the parasympathetic nervous system do after the fight-or-flight response?

  It returns the body to its normal resting state.
• What are the main functions of the brain and spinal cord in the CNS?

  • Brain: provides conscious awareness and different functions
  • Spinal Cord: transfers messages and controls simple reflex actions
• What does the somatic nervous system do?

  It facilitates communication between the CNS and the outside world.
• What is the role of the autonomic nervous system?

  It maintains internal processes like body temperature and heart rate.
• What are the two branches of the autonomic nervous system?

  • Sympathetic Nervous System: involved in fight or flight
  • Parasympathetic Nervous System: slows down heart rate and breathing after danger
• What are some critiques of the fight-or-flight response?

  • Initial 'freeze' response is not considered
  • Females may adopt a 'tend and befriend' response
  • May not be suitable for modern-day situations
• What does the endocrine system do?

  It secretes hormones using blood vessels.
• What are some key hormones and their functions?

  • Adrenaline: key for fight or flight
  • ACTH: released by the pituitary gland, a stress hormone
  • Testosterone: affects puberty and aggression
  • Melatonin: regulates sleep-wake cycle
• Where are sensory neurons found?

  In receptors such as the eyes, ears, tongue, and skin.
• What is the function of relay neurons?

  They allow sensory and motor neurons to communicate.
• What do motor neurons control?

  Muscle movements.
• How does synaptic transmission occur in the brain?

  • Information is passed as an electrical impulse
  • Vesicles release neurotransmitters across the synapse
  • Neurotransmitters bind to receptor sites
  • Results in excitatory or inhibitory effects

  
• What is the effect of excitatory neurotransmitters?

  They make the post-synaptic cell more likely to fire.
• What is the effect of inhibitory neurotransmitters?

  They make the post-synaptic cell less likely to fire.
• What is localisation in the brain?

  • Certain functions have specific locations in the brain
  • Examples include language and memory
• What is hemispheric lateralisation?

  • Two halves of the brain have functional specialisations
  • Left hemisphere is dominant for language
  • Right hemisphere excels at visual-motor tasks
• What did Sperry and Gazzaniga's research demonstrate about the left hemisphere?

  It is superior for language production.
• Where is the motor area located in the brain?

  In the frontal lobe.
• What is the function of Broca's area?

  It is responsible for speech production.
• What is the function of Wernicke's area?

  It is responsible for speech comprehension.
• What are some critiques of localisation and lateralisation?

  • Equipotentiality theory suggests higher functions are not localised
  • Gender differences in brain areas are ignored
  • Importance of communication between brain areas is emphasized
• What is brain plasticity?

  • The brain's ability to change and adapt due to experience
  • Involves creating new neural pathways and altering existing ones
• What is functional recovery in the brain?

  • Transfer of functions from damaged areas to undamaged areas
  • Involves neuronal unmasking to compensate for damage
• What did Kuhn et al. find regarding video game play and brain structure?

  Significant increase in grey matter after playing for 30 minutes a day for 2 months.
• What correlation did Maguire et al. find in London taxi drivers?

  Posterior hippocampal volume positively correlated with time as a taxi driver.
• What did Davidson et al. demonstrate about meditation and brain activity?

  Permanent change in the brain with greater activation of gamma waves in frequent meditators.
• What are post-mortems used for in psychology?

  • To study the physical brain of individuals with specific behaviors
  • Allows examination of deeper brain regions
• What did Kuhn et al. find regarding grey matter in the brain?

  They found a significant increase in grey matter after participants played video games for 30 minutes a day for 2 months.
• How did Maguire et al. relate the posterior hippocampal volume to London taxi drivers?

  They found a positive correlation between the posterior hippocampal volume and the time spent as a taxi driver.
• What significant difference did Maguire et al. find between taxi drivers and controls?

  There were significant differences in the brains of taxi drivers compared to those of controls.
• What did Davidson et al. demonstrate about the effects of prolonged meditation?

  They demonstrated a permanent change in the brain with greater activation of gamma waves in frequent meditators.
• What is the purpose of post-mortem studies in psychology?

  To study the physical brain of a person who displayed particular behaviors suggesting possible brain damage.
• What advantage do post-mortem studies provide researchers?

  They enable examination of deeper brain regions, such as the hypothalamus and hippocampus.
• What is a limitation of post-mortem studies regarding causation?

  The deficits displayed during a patient's lifetime may not be linked to the brain deficits found post-mortem.
• What did Iverson find in his examination of deceased schizophrenic patients?

  He found a higher concentration of dopamine in their brains.
• What is a key feature of fMRI scans?

  They measure blood flow in the brain when a person performs a task.
• How does an fMRI detect brain activity?

  It detects the magnetic qualities of deoxygenated and oxygenated hemoglobin.