Bio psychology
### Introduction to Biopsychology
Q: What is Physiological Psychology and what tools does it use?
A: Studies neural mechanisms of behavior through direct manipulation of brain
Tools: lesion studies, stimulation studies
Q: What is Neuropsychology and what tools does it use?
A: Studies psychological deficits caused by brain damage
Tools: case studies, behavioral tests
Q: What is Psychophysiology and what tools does it use?
A: Studies physiological signals to understand psychological processes
Tools: EEG, heart rate monitoring
Q: What is Cognitive Neuroscience and what tools does it use?
A: Studies neural basis of cognitive processes
Tools: fMRI, PET scans
### Evolution, Genes, Epigenetics
Q: What is translation and where does it occur?
A: - mRNA translated to proteins
- Occurs in ribosomes
- Uses tRNA to add amino acids
Q: What are the characteristics of mitosis?
A: - Creates identical body cells
- Results in 2 identical daughter cells
- Maintains chromosome number
Q: What are the characteristics of meiosis?
A: - Creates sex cells
- Results in 4 cells with half chromosomes
- Allows genetic variation
Q: What is histone acetylation and its effects?
A: - Adds acetyl groups
- Opens chromatin
- Increases gene expression
Q: What is histone phosphorylation and its effects?
A: - Adds phosphate groups
- Can increase or decrease expression
- Context-dependent effects
Q: What is histone methylation and its effects?
A: - Adds methyl groups
- Can activate or repress genes
- Depends on location and number
Q: What is DNA methylation and its effects?
A: - Directly modifies DNA
- Usually decreases gene expression
- More permanent modification
### Neuroanatomy
Q: What are the functions of the frontal lobe?
A: - Executive functions
- Motor planning
- Personality
- Broca's area (speech production)
Q: What are the functions of the temporal lobe?
A: - Auditory processing
- Memory formation
- Wernicke's area (posterior superior temporal gyrus - language comprehension)
Q: What are the functions of the parietal lobe?
A: - Sensory integration
- Spatial awareness
- Body position sense
Q: What are the functions of the occipital lobe?
A: - Visual processing
- Pattern recognition
Q: What are the functions of the thalamus
A: sensory relay
Q: what are the functions of the hypothalamus
A: homeostasis
Q: what are the functions of the cerebellum
A: movement coordination
Q: what are the functions of the hippocampus:
A: memory formation
Q: what are the functions of the amygdala
A: emotion processing
Q: What is the Prosencephalon
A: (Forebrain):
* Telencephalon
* Diencephalon
Q: What is the Mesencephalon
A: (Midbrain):
* Superior/inferior colliculi
* Substantia nigra
Q: What is the Rhombencephalon
A:(Hindbrain):
* Metencephalon
* Myelencephalon
Q: where is CSF created?
A: Choroid plexus
Q: where is CSF stored?
A: Ventricles
Q: what are the functions of CSF?
A: * Cushions brain
* Removes waste
* Delivers nutrients
* Maintains pressure
Q: What are dorsal roots?
A: Sensory nerves
- Carry information to CNS
- Afferent
Q: What are ventral roots?
A: Motor nerves
- Carry information from CNS
- Efferent
## Week 2
### Neural Communication (Electrical)
Q: : What are the phases of an action potential in order?
A: 1. Resting State (-70mV, Na+/K+ pump active, K+ channels open)
2. Depolarization (Na+ channels open, Na+ rushes in)
3. Peak (+30mV, Na+ channels inactivate)
4. Repolarization (K+ channels open more, K+ rushes out)
5. Hyperpolarization (Below -70mV, K+ channels still open)
What is phase 1 of action potential?
A: Resting State (-70mV, Na+/K+ pump active, K+ channels open)
What is phase 2 of action potential?
A: Depolarization (Na+ channels open, Na+ rushes in)
What is phase 3 of action potential?
A: Peak (+30mV, Na+ channels inactivate)
What is phase 4 of action potential?
A: Repolarization (K+ channels open more, K+ rushes out)
What is phase 5 of action potential?
A: Hyperpolarization (Below -70mV, K+ channels still open)
Q: What causes depolarization?
A: - Na+ influx
- Excitatory neurotransmitters
- Opening of Na+ channels
Q: What causes hyperpolarization?
A: - K+ efflux
- Inhibitory neurotransmitters
- Opening of Cl- channels
### Neurotransmitters (Chemical)
Q: What are agonists and their effects?
A: - Activate receptors
- Mimic natural neurotransmitters
- Increase response
Q: What are antagonists and their effects?
A: - Block receptors
- Prevent natural binding
- Decrease response
Q: What is the mesolimbic dopamine pathway?
A: - VTA to nucleus accumbens
- Reward and motivation
- Involved in addiction
Q: What is the nigrostriatal dopamine pathway?
A: - Substantia nigra to striatum
- Motor control
- Affected in Parkinson's
Q: What are the key features of serotonin?
A: - Synthesis: From tryptophan
- Storage: Vesicles
- Functions:
* Mood regulation
* Sleep cycles
* Appetite control
* Temperature regulation
Q: What are the characteristics of ionotropic receptors?
A: - Fast acting
- Ion channel directly attached
- Opens immediately
- Brief effect
Q: What are the characteristics of metabotropic receptors?
A: - Slower acting
- Uses second messengers
- Longer lasting effects
- More complex cascade
Q: What is the process of neurotransmitter function?
A: 1. Synthesis
2. Storage in vesicles
3. Release via calcium
4. Receptor binding
5. Reuptake or breakdown
Q: What is the epinephrine synthesis pathway?
A: Tyrosine → DOPA → Dopamine → Norepinephrine → Epinephrine
Q: what are the key functions of glutamate?
A: Main excitatory
- Learning/memory
- Neural plasticity
## Week 3
### Research Methods
Q: What are methods for measuring neurotransmitter release?
A: - Microdialysis
- Voltammetry
- Receptor binding studies
- PET scanning
Q: What are methods for measuring gene/protein expression?
A: - PCR
- Western blot
- In situ hybridization
- RNA sequencing
Q: What are the characteristics of CT scans?
A: - X-ray based
- Good for structure
- Lower resolution
- Quick/inexpensive
Q: What are the characteristics of MRI?
A: - Magnetic fields
- Excellent soft tissue
- High resolution
- No radiation
Q: What are the characteristics of PET scans?
A: - Metabolic activity
- Radioactive tracers
- Good for function
- Shows chemical activity
Q: What are the characteristics of EEG?
A: - Electrical activity
- Excellent temporal resolution
- Poor spatial resolution
- Non-invasive
Q: What is resting state connectivity?
A: - Measures brain networks at rest
- Shows functional connections
- Uses fMRI
- Identifies neural networks
### Nervous System Development
Q: What are the major steps in nervous system development?
A: 1. Neural induction
2. Neural tube formation
3. Neural crest migration
4. Neurogenesis
5. Migration
6. Differentiation
7. Synaptogenesis
8. Pruning
Q: What is the order of postnatal development?
A: 1. Sensory systems
2. Motor systems
3. Language areas
4. Higher cognitive functions
Q: What do MRI studies reveal about language development?
A: - Rapid white matter development
- Strengthening of language pathways
- Left hemisphere specialization
- Critical periods identified
Q: What are the key features of neural crest cells?
A: - Origin: Neural tube edges
- Migration: Throughout body
- Develop into:
* PNS neurons
* Glial cells
* Melanocytes
* Facial bones
## Week 4
### Vision
Q: What are complementary afterimages?
A: - Occurs due to photoreceptor fatigue
- Opposite colors appear
- Based on opponent process theory
- Examples:
* Red → Green
* Blue → Yellow
Q: What are the characteristics of prosopagnosia?
A: - Face blindness
- Fusiform face area damaged
- Can see faces but not recognize
- Temporal lobe disorder
Q: What are the characteristics of parvocellular layers in the LGN?
A: - Color vision
- Fine detail
- Slow processing
- High acuity
Q: What are the characteristics of magnocellular layers in the LGN?
A: - Motion detection
- Depth perception
- Fast processing
- Low resolution
Q: What are the characteristics of the photopic system?
A: - Daylight vision
- Color sensitive
- Uses cones
- High acuity
Q: What are the characteristics of the scotopic system?
A: - Night vision
- Black and white
- Uses rods
- Low acuity
Q: What are the characteristics of rods?
A: - More numerous
- Light sensitive
- Night vision
- Peripheral vision
- No color
Q: What are the characteristics of cones?
A: - Less numerous
- Color vision
- Better acuity
- Central vision
- Three types (RGB)
Cognitive Psychology
Focuses on understanding mental processes such as perception, memory, reasoning, and decision-making.
Utilizes experimental methods to explore cognitive functions.
Key theories include information processing, cognitive load, and dual-coding theory.
Applications include enhancing learning strategies, improving memory, and developing artificial intelligence.