biopsych

• 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 is the function of the somatic nervous system?

  It receives information from sensory receptors
• 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 endocrine system responsible for?

  Secreting hormones into the bloodstream
• 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 and what is its effect?

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

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

  1. Body senses a stressor
  2. Information sent to hypothalamus
  3. Adrenaline released from adrenal medulla
  4. Physiological changes occur (e.g., increased heart rate)
  5. Hypothalamus triggers parasympathetic response after threat
• What is Wernicke’s Area responsible for?

  Speech comprehension
• Where is Wernicke’s Area located?

  In the left temporal lobe
• What is Wernicke’s aphasia characterized by?

  Nonsensical words and lack of awareness
• What is Broca’s Area responsible for?

  Speech production
• Where is Broca’s Area located?

  In the frontal lobe, usually left hemisphere
• What does Broca’s aphasia result in?

  Difficulty forming and understanding sentences
• What does the left hemisphere of the brain primarily associate with?

  Language production and comprehension
• What supporting evidence exists for localisation of brain function?

  • Tulving et al: Semantic memories from left prefrontal cortex
  • Episodic memories from right prefrontal cortex
  • Petersen et al: Wernicke’s area for listening tasks
  • Broca’s area for reading tasks
• Who was Phineas Gage?

  A patient with a brain injury
• What was the result of Phineas Gage's injury?

  Defect in rational decision making and emotion
• What is the contradictory theory to localisation theory?

  • Holistic view of brain function
  • Functions require multiple brain areas
  • Intelligence and learning are complex processes
• What did Dougherty et al (2002) study in OCD patients?

  Lesioning of the cingulate gyrus
• What was the outcome of Dougherty et al's study?

  32% met criteria for treatment response
• What does synaptic transmission involve?

  Neurons communicating through neurotransmitters

  
• 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 potential difference across postsynaptic membrane
• What effect do excitatory neurotransmitters have?

  They increase potential difference across postsynaptic membrane
• What does localisation theory suggest?

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

  Regulating and coordinating movements
• What happens if the motor area is damaged?

  Inability to control voluntary fine motor movements
• What is the auditory area responsible for?

  Processing auditory information and speech
• What happens if the auditory area is damaged?

  Causes hearing loss and Wernicke’s aphasia
• What is the visual area responsible for?

  Processing visual information
• What is the somatosensory area responsible for?

  Processing sensory information like touch and pressure
• What happens if the somatosensory area is damaged?

  Loss of sensitivity to bodily areas
• What is neuroplasticity?

  • Brain's ability to adapt and change
  • Occurs in response to trauma and learning
  • Demonstrated by Hubel and Wiesel's research
• What did Hubel and Wiesel (1970) find in their study?

  Activity in the left visual cortex despite eye closure