biopsychology

• What components make up the Central Nervous system


  The brain and spinal cord
• The peripheral nervous system has two divisions, what are they?


  Autonomic nervous system and Somatic Nervous system
• Which division of the Peripheral Nervous System contains the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions?


  Autonomic
• What is the somatic nervous systems role?

  To communicate with sense organs and voluntary muscles
• Which part of the central nervous system is in control of reflexes?

  Spinal cord
• Cerebrum


  The largest section of the brain which is divided into four sections. The frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobe.
• What joins each hemisphere of the brain?

  The corpus callosum
• What is the role of the cerebellum?


  Controls motor skills, movement, balance and coordination
• The dienecephalon is divided into which two important brain structures?


  The thalamus and the hypothalamus
• What is the function of the thalamus?


  Acts as a relay station for nerve impulses coming from the senses and sends them to the appropriate part of the brain
• The hypothalamus


  Regulates body temperature, hunger and thirst. Links the endocrine and nervous system together. Controls the release of hormones from the pituitary gland
• Brain stem (medulla oblongata)

  Regulates autonomic functions including breathing and heartbeat.
• The sympathetic nervous system


  Helps our body to respond to emergencies, fight or flight response.

  
  

  Uses noradrenaline to increase heart rate.
• The parasympathetic nervous system


  Restores the body back to equilibrium.

  
  

  Relaxes an individual by reducing heart rate and lowering blood pressure.

  
  

  Conserves energy.
• Each neurone contains:


  The cell body (soma), a nucleus, dendrites, an axon, a myelin sheath made of Schwann cells, nodes of ranvier and a synaptic terminal
• What are the 3 types of neurone?


  Sensory

  Motor

  Relay
• What is the function of a sensory neurone?


  Carry nerve impulses from sensory receptors to the central nervous system.
• What is the function of a motor neurone?


  They lie within the central nervous system but project their axons outside. They tend to bring about a response in the effector cell, e.g. muscle.
• What is the function of a relay neurone?


  Allow sensory and motor neurones to communicate with one another.

  
  

  They are located in the Brain and Spinal cord.
• Stages of Synaptic transmission


  1. Nerve impulse reaches the end of an axon.

  2. This triggers the release of calcium ions into the presynaptic bulb

  3. The release of calcium ions causes vesicles containing neurotransmitters to move and fuse with the presynaptic membrane.

  4. The neurotransmitters are then released into the synaptic cleft by exocytosis.

  5. The neurotransmitter then binds to the post synaptic membrane and provides an excitatory response.
• Excitatory responses


  Increase the likeihood that an excitatory signal is sent which is called an Excitatory post synaptic signal.

  
  

  Neurotransmitters which cause this include: Acetylcholine and noradrenaline.
• Inhibitory responses


  Decrease the likelihood that a neurone will fire, they are usually responsible for calming the body and the mind.

  
  

  Neurotransmitters which cause this include: GABA and serotonin.
• Examples of glands in the body

  1. Pituitary

  2. pineal

  3. Pancreas

  4. Adrenal

  5. Thyroid.
• What happens to the body during the fight or flight response?


  Pupil dilation

  Increased heart rate

  Skin becomes pale

  Digestive system slows down

  Blood is diverted to muscles
• Where in the brain is the motor cortex?


  At the back of the frontal lobe in both hemispheres
• What is the function of the motor cortex?


  Controls voluntary movements on the opposite side of the body
• What happens if the motor cortex is damaged?


  Loss of control over skeletal muscles
• Where in the brain is the somatosensory cortex?


  At the front of the parietal lobe in both hemispheres.
• What is the function of the somatosensory cortex?


  Receives information from sensory receptors in the skin and skeletal muscle
• What happens if the somatosensory cortex is damaged?


  Loss of sensation to Skin and Skeletal muscle.
• Where in the brain is the visual centres?


  They are located on the occipital lobe
• What is the function of the visual centres?


  Receives impulses conveying visual information. Each eye sends visual information from the right visual field to the left visual cortex and vice versa.
• What happens if the visual centres is damaged?


  Loss of vision. For example damage to the left visual centre causes blindness to the right visual field
• Where in the brain is the Auditory centre?


  On the temporal lobe in both hemispheres.
• What is the function of the Auditory centre?


  Receives and responds to auditory stimulus. Analyses speech based information.
• What happens if the Auditory centre is damaged?


  Loss of hearing.
• Where in the brain is Broca's Area?

  Left Frontal lobe.
• What is the function of Broca's Area?


  Controls muscles responsible for the production of speech.
• What happens if Broca.s area is damaged?

  Affects speech production. Speech is often described as slow and lacking fluency ( Broca's Aphasia.

  
  

  Broken speech.
• Where in the brain is Wernike's area?


  On the left of the temporal lobe.