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 between the environment and CNS
• What are the two subdivisions of the PNS?

  Autonomic and somatic nervous systems
• What does the autonomic nervous system control?

  Involuntary, vital functions of the body
• What are the five senses associated with the somatic nervous system?

  Touch, sight, hearing, taste, smell
• How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches function together?

  They work as an antagonistic pair
• What physiological responses does the sympathetic nervous system trigger?

  Increases heart rate and breathing rate
• What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system?

  It decreases heart rate and breathing rates
• What is the main function of the endocrine system?

  To act as the body's chemical messenger system
• Why is the pituitary gland referred to as the 'master' gland?

  It controls the release of hormones from other glands
• What hormone does the thyroid release?

  Thyroxine
• What is the effect of adrenaline on the body?

  It creates physiological arousal for fight or flight
• What are the steps of the fight or flight response?

  1. Sensing a stressor (e.g., speeding car)
  2. Information sent to hypothalamus via sensory neurons
  3. Adrenaline released from adrenal medulla
  4. Physiological changes (e.g., increased heart rate)
  5. Activation of parasympathetic branch after stressor is gone
• What is synaptic transmission?

  A method of neuron communication
• What are the steps of synaptic transmission?

  1. Action potential arrives at presynaptic membrane
  2. Calcium ion channels open, causing depolarization
  3. Vesicles release neurotransmitter into synaptic cleft
  4. Neurotransmitter binds to receptors on postsynaptic membrane
  5. Action potential transmitted along the next neuron

  
• What effect do inhibitory neurotransmitters have?

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

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

  Certain brain areas are responsible for specific functions
• What is the role of the motor area in the brain?

  Regulates and coordinates movements
• What happens if the motor area is damaged?

  Inability to control voluntary fine motor movements
• What is the function of the auditory area?

  Processes auditory information and speech
• What is Wernicke’s area responsible for?

  Speech comprehension
• What is Broca’s area responsible for?

  Speech production
• What is the left hemisphere of the brain associated with?

  Language production and comprehension
• What evidence supports localisation of brain function?

  • Tulving et al: Semantic memories from left prefrontal cortex
  • Petersen et al: Wernicke’s area for listening tasks
  • Broca’s area for reading tasks
• What happened to Phineas Gage?

  He had damage to his prefrontal cortex
• What does functional recovery refer to?

  Brain transferring functions to healthy areas
• What is plasticity in the brain?

  Brain's ability to adapt and change
• What is synaptic pruning?

  Elimination of extra neurons and connections
• What did Maguire et al. find about taxi drivers' brains?

  Increased grey matter in posterior hippocampi
• What is the law of equipotentiality?

  Secondary neural circuits activate after damage
• What is an example of negative plasticity?

  Phantom limb syndrome causing pain
• What is an example of positive plasticity?

  Jodi Miller controlling her body post-surgery
• What did Hubel and Wiesel study in kittens?

  Effects of eye closure on brain activity
• What did Hubel and Wiesel find regarding ocular dominance columns?

  Activity in the left visual cortex despite right eye closure
• What is the role of sensory neurons in the PNS?

  They relay messages from the environment to the CNS
• What is the role of motor neurons in the PNS?

  They carry out responses dictated by the brain
• What is physiological arousal?

  Body's response to perceived threats
• What is the role of the hypothalamus in the fight or flight response?

  Coordinates response and triggers sympathetic activity
• What is exocytosis in neurotransmitter release?

  Process of vesicles releasing neurotransmitters