Biopsychology key terms

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70 Terms

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Types of neuron

Motor, sensory, relay

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Motor neuron

Carries messages from CNS to muscles and glands

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Sensory neurons

Carry messages from PNS to CNS

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Relay neurons

Carry messages from sensory to motor neurons, or other relay neurons

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Structure of neurons

Each neuron contains a cell body, dendrites which carry nerve impulses towards the cell body, an axon covered in myelin sheath to speed up the message, and terminal buttons that communicate with the next neuron in the chain

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Synapse

Neurons do not physically touch each other but are separated by a gap called the synapse

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Neurotransmitter

When the electrical signal reaches the end of a neuron synaptic vesicles release neurotransmitters which relay the signal across the synapse

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Excitation

Makes it more likely that the next neuron will fire

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Inhibition

Making it less likely that the next neuron will fire

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Axon

Carries the impulses away from the cell body down the length of the neuron, is covered in a fatty layer of myelin sheath that protects the axon and speeds up electrical transmission of the impulse

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Effector

Something such as a muscle or gland which produces a response

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Neural networks

Groups in which neurons communicate with each other

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Synaptic vesicles

Tiny sacs that release neurotransmitters

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Postsynaptic receptor site

The dendrites of the next neuron

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Serotonin

Neurotransmitter that causes inhibition in the receiving neuron

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Dopamine

Neurotransmitter that causes excitation in the receiving neuron

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Summation

The likelihood of the cell firing, calculated by adding up the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs.

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Nervous system

The nervous system id divided into the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS)

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Central nervous system

The CNS is made up of the brain and the spinal cord

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Peripheral nervous system

The PNS is made up of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the somatic nervous system (SNS)

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Autonomic nervous system

The ANS is further split into the sympathetic branch and parasympathetic branch

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Endocrine system

Consists of a number of glands that send chemical messages called hormones throughout the bloodstream

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Fight or flight

During stress, the endocrine system and sympathetic branch of the ANS work together to product the fight or flight response (physiological changes such as increased heart rate)

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Somatic nervous system

Information to and from the senses and to and from the nervous system

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Sympathetic nervous system

Generally increases bodily activities

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Parasympathetic nervous system

Generally maintains or decreases bodily activities

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Spinal cord

Receives and transmits information to and from the brain

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Brain

Maintains life, involved in higher functions and psychological processes

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Cerebral cortex

The brains outer layer which is highly developed in humans, distinguishing our higher mental functions from that of animals

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Glands

Organs in the body that produce and secrete hormones to regulate many bodily functions

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Pituitary gland

The major endocrine gland located in the brain, which controls the release of hormones from all the other endocrine glands in the body

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Adrenaline

Released in the adrenal gland, triggers the fight or flight response in a stressful situation

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Testosterone

Released in the testes, causes the development of tested in the womb, as well as creating secondary sexual characteristics during puberty

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Oestrogen and progesterone

Released in the ovaries, helps to regulate the menstrual cycle. Oestrogen is involved in repairing and thickening the uterus lining whilst progesterone maintains the uterine lining

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Melatonin

Regulates the sleep-wake cycle. High levels of melatonin cause drowsiness when daylight is low.

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Adrenal medulla

The inner core of the adrenal glands that releases adrenaline in a fight or flight response.

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Localisation of function

Different areas of the brain are responsible for different behaviours, processes or activities

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Motor area

Frontal lobe, involves in regulating movement

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Somatosensory area

Parietal lobe, processes sensory information such as touch

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Visual area

Occipital lobe, receives and processes visual information

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Auditory area

Temporal lobe, analyses speech-based information

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Language areas

Broca’s areas, frontal lobe in the left hemisphere, speech production.

Wernike’s area, temporal lobe in the left hemisphere, language comprehension

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Auditory Cortez

In both hemispheres, receives information from both ears which is about what sound is and its location

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Motor cortex

Generates voluntary motor movements, located at the back of the frontal lobe in both hemispheres

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Somatosensory cortex

Lies next to the motor cortex in the brain, where sensory information from the skin is represented. The somatosensory cortex from one side of the brain receives sensory information from the opposite side of the body

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Visual cortex

There are two, one in each hemisphere, in the occipital lobe. Each eye sends information from the right visual field to the left visual cortex and from the left visual field to the right visual cortex

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Area V1

An area which seems to be necessary for visual perception. Individuals with damage to this area report no vision.

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Hemispheric lateralisation

Certain mental processes and behaviours are controlled or dominated by one hemisphere rather than the other (such as language)

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Split brain studies

Corpus callosum cut in patients with severe epilepsy, allowing researchers to investigate the extent to which brain function is lateralised

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Procedures

Image/word is projected to the right visual field (RVF) or left visual field (LVF)

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Describing what you see

Pictures shown to the RVF could be described but not those to LVF because there are no language centres in the left hemisphere

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Recognition by touch

Could not describe objects projected to LVF but able to select a matching objectfrom a selection of different objects using their left hand

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Corpus callosum

The bridge across the two hemisphere of the brain, so that the two hemispheres can exchange information

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fMFI

Measures brain activity by detecting associated changes in blood flow

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EEG

A record of the brain wave patterns produced by neurons, producing characteristic patterns

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ERPs

Isolating specific responses of neurons to specific stimuli or tasks

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Post mortem examinations

Correlating behaviours before death with brain structures after death

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Plasticity

Brain’s tendency to change and adapt (functionally and physically) as a result of experience and new learning

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Functional recovery

A form of plasticity, the brains ability to redistribute or transfer functions following damage through trauma

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Synaptic pruning

As we age, rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used connections are strengthened

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Axonal sprouting

Undamaged axons grow new nerve endings to reconnect neurons whose links were injured or severed

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Recruitment of homologous areas

Regions on opposite sides of the brain take on functions of damaged areas

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Axon sprouting

The growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged nerve cells to form new neuronal pathways

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Factors affecting recovery of the brain after trauma

Age

Gender

Physical exhaustion

Stress

Alcohol consumption

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Biological rhythms

The natural cycle of change in our body’s chemicals or functions. These are governed by two things- the body’s internal body clocks (endogenous pacemakers) and external changes (exogenous zeitgebers)

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Circadian rhythms

A cycle in biological or psychological activity that occurs over 24 hours. These include hormone production, the sleep-wake cycle and core body temperature

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Infradian rhythms

Rhythms that last more than 24 hours, such as the menstrual cycle

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Untraditional rhythms

Biological rhythms lasting less than 24 hours, such as eye blinking, heartbeats, sleep patterns, breathing, pulse, appetite

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SCN

The superchiasmatic nucleus- a bundle of nerve cells located in the hypothalamus, plays an important role in maintaining circadian rhythms, such as the sleep/wake cycle

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Examples of exogenous zeitgebers

Light, social cues