Biopsych

• Central Nervous System

  • The Brain
  • Spinal Cord
• The Brain

  • Provides conscious awareness and is involved in all psychological processes
  • 2 Hemispheres
  • 4 Lobes:
  • Occipital- processes visual information
  • Temporal- processes auditory information
  • Parietal- integrates information from senses, important in spatial navigation
  • Frontal- higher order functioning e.g. planning, abstract reasoning, logic
• The Spinal Cord

  • Extension of the brain
  • Processes messages to and from the brain
  • Connects nerves to the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
  • Responsible for reflex actions
• Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

  • Role is to relay messages (nerve impulses) from the Central Nervous System (CNS) to the rest of the body
  • Made up of:
  • Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
  • Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
• Somatic Nervous System (SNS)

  • Maintains communication between Central Nervous System (CNS) and outside world
  • Made up of:
  • Sensory Receptors- carry information to the spinal cord and the brain
  • Motor Pathways- allow the brain to control movement
• Sympathetic Nervous System

  • Involved in response that prepares the body for fight or flight
  • Impulses travel from Sympathetic Nervous System to organs in the body to help them prepare for action
  • E.g. heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate all increase. Digestion, salivation and urination all slow down
• Parasympathetic Nervous System

  • Once the threat has past the Parasympathetic Nervous System returns the body back to its resting state
  • Works in opposite to the Sympathetic Nervous System
  • E.g. Heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate decrease back to normal. Digestion, salivation and urination speed back up
  • Rest and Digest response
• Endocrine System

  • Acts more slowly than the Nervous System
  • Its signals are transfers chemically rather than electrically
  • Effects are more widespread and long lasting
• Endocrine Glands

  • Pituitary- master gland, in the brain
  • Hypothalamus- releases CRF, stimulates and controls release and hormones from Pituitary
  • Pineal- releases melatonin, responsible for biological rhythms like sleep-wake cycle
  • Thyroid- releases thyroxine, regulates metabolism, in the neck
  • Adrenal- middle releases adrenaline in fight or flight, cortex releases cortisol, on the kidneys