biopsychology

• Central nervous system: the brain and the spinal cord
• The peripheral nervous system: the somatic nervous system and the automatic nervous system
• Automatic nervous system: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
• Automatic nervous system: controls involuntary actions like breathing, heart rate, digestion etc.
• Somatic nervous system: control voluntary muscle movement and receives information from sensory receptors
• Sympathetic nervous system: Stimulates the body to prepare for fight or flight
• Parasympathetic nervous system: brings the body down from an emergency
• Endocrine system: glands and hormones that release chemicals into the bloodstream, all which have a specific function.
• Adrenal gland: adrenaline, prepares body for fight or flight
• Ovary: oestrogen, controls puberty and the menstrual cycle
• Ovary: progesterone, maintains the lining of the womb
• Pancreas: insulin, controls blood sugar levels
• Pituitary gland: anti-diuretic hormone (ADH), controls blood water levels
• Thyroid gland: thyroxine, controls the rate of metabolism
• Testes: testosterone, controls puberty and sperm production
• Localisation of brain function: Strengths- evidence from surgery & brain scan evidence & case studies (Phineas Gage). Limitation- high cognitive processes are not localised.
• Split brain research: Strengths- standardised procedures & evidence in dual task efficiency (rogers et al and chickens). Limitations- lacks population validity & differences may be overstated.
• Plasticity and brain recovery: Strengths- real life application & increase with age & animal studies. Limitation- negative plasticity (drugs and phantom limb syndrome).
• Circadian rhythm: Strengths- application to shift workers & drug treatment (aspirin). Limitations- case studies/small sample size & poor control in studies.
• Infradian and ultradian rhythms: Strengths- evolutionary basis of period cycles & evidence for sleep stages & practical application (SAD). Limitation- method limitations (period study).
• Endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers: Strengths- practical application (jet lag). Limitations- case studies challenge EZ & peripheral oscillators. EZ and EP may interact together.
• Presynaptic neuron: the neuron that transmits the nerve impulse.
• Postsynaptic neuron: the neuron that receives the neural impulse.
• Axon: a nerve fibre which conducts electrical impulses away from the cell towards the end of the neuron.
• Presynaptic nerve terminal: end of the presynaptic neuron and facilitates communication with the next neuron.
• Synaptic vesicle: stores neurotransmitters.
• Neurotransmitter: chemical substances made by the neuron specifically to transmit a message.
• Synapse: small gap between the presynaptic neuron and postsynaptic neuron.
• Postsynaptic receptor sites: found on the surface of a postsynaptic neuron and binds to neurotransmitters.
• Localisation of function: the theory that different areas of the brain are responsible for different behaviours or activities.
• Motor area: frontal lobe in both hemispheres. Responsible for voluntary movement.
• Somatosensory area: front of the parietal lobe, both hemispheres. Where sensory information is represented.
• Visual area: occipital lobe, both hemispheres. Receives and processes visual information.
• Auditory area: temporal lobe, both hemispheres. Processes, analyses and interprets auditory information.
• Broca's area: frontal lobe, left hemisphere. Responsible for speech production.
• Wernicke's area: temporal lobe, left hemisphere. Responsible for language comprehension.
• Brain plasticity: the brain's ability to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning.
• Synaptic pruning: the deletion of rarely used synaptic connections and the strengthening of frequently used ones.
• Functional recovery: a form of plasticity which follows on from trauma, the brain's ability to redistribute or transfer functions usually preformed by a damages area(s) to undamaged area(s).
• Axon sprouting: nerve endings grow and connect to other undamaged nerve cells to from new neuron pathways.