biol. psych

• Structural organisation of the nervous system:

  • Central nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord
  • Peripheral nervous system includes somatic and autonomic divisions
• Role of the functional divisions of the peripheral nervous system:

  • Autonomic division includes sympathetic and parasympathetic
  • Somatic division includes sensory and motor functions
• Central Nervous System vs Peripheral Nervous System:

  • CNS contains the brain and spine (True)
  • PNS includes all nerves outside of the brain (True)
  • CNS carries motor messages from the brain to organs and muscles (True)
  • PNS carries motor messages to the PNS via motor neurons
• Autonomic vs Somatic:

  • Involuntary reflex to move your hand from a hot stove (Autonomic)
  • Using your foot to kick a football (Somatic)
  • Feeling hungry due to a pang in the stomach (Autonomic)
  • Heart beating faster when scared (Autonomic)
• Sympathetic Nervous System vs Parasympathetic Nervous System:

  • Putting your hand on a hot stove (Parasympathetic)
  • Relaxing on the couch (Parasympathetic)
  • Having dinner after coming home from work (Parasympathetic)
  • Being stung by a hornet (Parasympathetic)
• Functions of neurons:

  • Cells of the nervous system that send messages to the body/muscles/gland cells
• • Myelin Sheath: Fatty covering of axon that acts as an insulator and increases the speed of electrical transmission
• Structure of the neuron:

  • Dendrites: Extensions of the cell body that receive neurotransmitters from pre-synaptic neurons and convert them into electrical nerve impulses
  • Cell Body (soma): The spherical part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and connects to the dendrites and axon
  • Axon: The long projection of a neuron that conducts electrical nerve impulses away from the cell body
  • Axon terminals: The enlarged end points of axon branches that store and release neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft
• Functions of sensory neurons:

  • Process sensory information from nerve cells and carry nerve impulses/information from sensory receptors towards the central nervous system and brain
• Functions of interneurons:

  • Allow sensory and motor neurons to communicate with each other
  • Connect various neurons within the brain and spinal cord
  • Recognizable by their short axons
  • Form circuits of differing complexities to assist in learning and decision-making
• Broca’s area controls the fine muscles responsible for the production of clear speech
• When damaged, Broca’s area causes impairment in the ability to produce articulate speech, known as Broca’s aphasia
• Wernicke’s Area is responsible for the understanding and production of meaningful speech
• Impairment in Wernicke’s Area results in the inability to understand and produce meaningful speech, known as Wernicke’s Aphasia
• The prefrontal cortex is responsible for higher-order cognitive functions such as decision-making, problem-solving, and social behavior regulation
• Plays a crucial role in executive functions, including planning, impulse control, and attentional control
• Primary motor cortex, located in the frontal lobe, is responsible for planning, executing, and controlling voluntary movements throughout the body
• Neurons in the primary motor cortex form zones representing specific body parts for precise control over motor functions
• Primary Sensory Cortex, situated in the parietal lobe, receives and processes sensory information from the body
• Neurons in the primary sensory cortex are organized in zones dedicated to processing sensory input from specific body regions for precise perception and interpretation of sensory stimuli
• Primary Auditory Cortex is an area within the temporal lobe that registers and processes auditory information received from the ears
• Primary Visual Cortex is an area in the occipital lobe that registers and processes visual information received from both eyes
• Sensory neurons and motor neurons:
• Sensory neurons transmit sensory information from sensory receptors to the central nervous system (CNS)
• Motor neurons carry signals from the CNS to effectors such as muscles or glands
• Importance of interneurons:
• Interneurons are found in the CNS and play a crucial role in processing and integrating information between sensory and motor neurons
• They help in making decisions and coordinating responses to stimuli
• Neuron structure:
• Dendrites: receive signals from other neurons or sensory receptors
• Cell body: contains the nucleus and processes incoming signals
• Axon: transmits electrical impulses away from the cell body
• Axon terminals: release neurotransmitters to communicate with other neurons or effectors
• Myelin sheath: insulates the axon and speeds up transmission of electrical impulses
• • Right to withdraw: Participants should have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without facing any consequences.
  • Debriefing: Researchers should provide participants with a full explanation of the study's purpose and results after it is completed.
• Ethical considerations in brain research:

  • Informed consent: Participants must be fully informed about the study and give their voluntary consent to participate.
  • Confidentiality: Researchers must ensure that the data collected from participants is kept confidential and anonymous.
  • Deception: Researchers should avoid deceiving participants unless absolutely necessary, and debrief them after the study.
  • Protection from harm: Participants should not be exposed to any physical or psychological harm during the study.
• In brain research, ethical considerations are crucial to ensure the well-being and rights of participants are protected.
• Two findings from the case study of Phineas Gage
• Three ethical concerns that could not be addressed in Freeman’s lobotomy research/procedures
• Electroencephalogram (EEG)


  1. Shows brain activity in real time

  2. Electrodes are placed on the head and brain waves (electric) in the brain are detected and recorded by a machine