Physiological Psychology Chapter 3

1.              Write a flow chart showing the major divisions of the nervous system (i.e., putting “Nervous System” at the top and going all the way down to “Sympathetic” and “Parasympathetic” at the lowest level division).

2.              Define each of the divisions listed in #1.

Nervous System

-       Central Nervous System

o   Brain and spinal cord

-       Peripheral Nervous System: connects the CNS to the rest of the body

o   Somatic Nervous System: controls voluntary muscles and conveys sensory information to the CNS

o   Autonomic Nervous System: controls involuntary organs

§  Sympathetic Nervous System: prepares organs for rigorous activity

§  Parasympathetic Nervous System: rest and digest systems that decreases the effects of the Sympathetic Nervous System

3.              Name and define at least 6 of the major directional terms referring to brain anatomy.

Anterior: the front of the brain

Posterior: the back of the brain

Dorsal: away from the stomach

Ventral: close to the stomach

Superior: above

Inferior: below

4.              Name 3 structures in the hindbrain and give the function of each.

Medulla: responsible for vital reflexes like breathing.

Cranial nerves: allows the medulla to control sensations from the head, muscle movements in the head, and many parasympathic nervous system outputs.

Cerebellum: regulates motor movement, balance, and coordination, and is important for shifting attention between auditory and visual stimuli.

5.              Name the major structures comprising the limbic system.  What are the general functions of this interconnected system?

Olfactory bulb, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, cingulate gyrus. Generally associated with motivation emotions like eating, drinking, sex, anxiety, and aggression.

6.              Describe the relationship of the thalamus to the cerebral cortex.

The thalamus is the relay station from the sensory organs whose main source of input is to the cerebral cortex.

7.              Name the 3 structures that comprise the basal ganglia. Describe the functions of this system.

8.              List the 4 lobes of the cerebral cortex and at least one main function for each.

Frontal Lobe: executive functions like planning.

Parietal Lobe: processes sensory information like touch.

Temporal lobe: processes auditory information.

Occipital Lobe: processes visual information.

9.              Which methods of brain measurement would you use if you wanted to see if someone had a brain tumor or damage to the brain?

A CAT scan or an MRI.

10.           Compare using EEG/MEG/Evoked potentials to using PET/fMRI to measure brain activity. How do they differ in what they are measuring, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each?

EEG/MEG/Evoked potentials produce information about what parts of the brain are being used, and PET/fMRI both produce an image of the brain. They differ in measuring the activity and structure of the brain. To see the activity of the brain, an EEG/MEG/Evoked potentials are better, but not as clear as to the structure of the brain, and to see the structures of the brain, PET/fMRI are also better, but you won’t necessarily get to see the brain’s activity.