Biopsychology

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

  The brain and the spinal cord
• What is the role of the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

  It relays messages from the environment to the CNS and from the CNS to effectors
• What are the two subdivisions of the PNS?

  The autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system
• What does the autonomic nervous system control?

  Involuntary, vital functions of the body
• What is the function of the somatic nervous system?

  It receives information from sensory receptors and stimulates effectors
• How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system work together?

  They work as an antagonistic pair during the 'rest and digest' response
• What physiological changes does the sympathetic nervous system induce?

  Increases heart rate, breathing rate, causes vasoconstriction and pupil dilation
• What physiological changes does the parasympathetic nervous system induce?

  Decreases heart rate, breathing rates, causes vasodilation and pupil constriction
• What is the role of the endocrine system?

  It is the main chemical messenger system of the body
• What is the function of the pituitary gland?

  It controls the release of hormones from all other glands in the body
• What hormone does the thyroid release and what is its effect?

  Thyroxine, which increases heart rate and growth rate
• What is the role of adrenaline in the fight or flight response?

  It creates physiological arousal by increasing activity in the sympathetic branch
• What is synaptic transmission?

  A method of neurons communicating with each other
• What are the steps of the fight or flight response?

  1. Body senses a stressor (e.g., sound of a speeding car)
  2. Information sent to the hypothalamus via sensory neurons
  3. Adrenaline released from adrenal medulla
  4. Physiological changes occur (e.g., increased heart rate)
  5. Once the threat is gone, the hypothalamus triggers the rest and digest response
• What is the process of synaptic transmission?

  1. Action potential arrives at presynaptic membrane
  2. Vesicles fuse with presynaptic membrane and release neurotransmitter
  3. Neurotransmitter binds to receptors on postsynaptic membrane
  4. Action potential transmitted along the axon of the next neuron
• What effect do inhibitory neurotransmitters have?

  They reduce the likelihood of an action potential being generated
• What effect do excitatory neurotransmitters have?

  They increase the likelihood of an action potential being generated
• What does localisation theory suggest?

  Certain areas of the brain are responsible for specific processes and behaviours
• Where is the motor area located?

  In the frontal lobe, separated from the auditory area by the central sulcus
• What happens if there is damage to the motor area?

  It results in an inability to control voluntary fine motor movements
• Where is the auditory area located?

  In the temporal lobe on the superior temporal gyrus
• What is the consequence of damage to the auditory area?

  It causes hearing loss and can result in Wernicke’s aphasia
• What is the function of the visual area?

  It is responsible for processing visual information
• What does the somatosensory area process?

  Information associated with the senses such as touch and temperature
• What happens if there is damage to the somatosensory area?

  It results in a loss of ability to denote sensitivity to particular bodily areas
• What is Wernicke’s Area responsible for?

  Speech comprehension
• What is the effect of damage to Wernicke’s Area?

  It results in Wernicke’s aphasia, characterized by nonsensical words
• What is Broca’s Area responsible for?

  Speech production
• What happens if there is damage to Broca’s Area?

  It results in Broca’s aphasia, characterized by difficulty forming sentences
• Which hemisphere of the brain is associated with language production and comprehension?

  The left hemisphere
• What evidence supports the localisation of brain function?

  • Tulving et al. found semantic memories recalled from the left prefrontal cortex
  • Petersen et al. showed Wernicke’s area is activated for listening tasks
  • Broca’s area is required for reading tasks
• What does the case study of Phineas Gage demonstrate?

  • Damage to the prefrontal cortex affects decision making and emotion processing
  • Shows specific brain areas are responsible for certain functions
• What is the holistic view of brain function?

  • Suggests multiple brain areas are activated for each function
  • Functions are not restricted to specific areas
• What evidence supports the link between certain brain areas and symptoms of OCD?

  Dougherty et al. found that cingulotomy improved symptoms in 32% of OCD patients
• What is plasticity in the context of the brain?

  • The brain's ability to adapt and change in response to trauma and learning
  • Neuroplasticity can be positive or negative
• What did Maguire et al. find regarding London taxi drivers?

  They had a larger grey matter volume in the mid-posterior hippocampi
• What is functional recovery in the brain?

  It is the ability to transfer functions from damaged areas to healthy parts of the brain
• What mechanisms enable functional recovery?

  • Law of equipotentiality
  • Axonal sprouting
  • Reformation of blood vessels
  • Recruiting homologous areas on the opposite side of the brain
• What is an example of negative plasticity?

  Phantom limb syndrome caused by cortical reorganization
• What is an example of positive plasticity?

  Jodi Miller controlling her right side after right hemisphere removal