Biopsychology flashcards

Biopsychology explores the biological foundations of behaviour and mental processes. Students must understand the structure and function of neurons, how nerve impulses are transmitted via synapses, and the divisions of the nervous system including the central and peripheral branches. The endocrine system and its interaction with the nervous system through hormones is also essential. Students should be able to explain localisation of brain function, lateralisation, and split-brain research. Brain scanning techniques such as fMRI and EEG must be understood in terms of what they measure and their strengths and limitations. The fight-or-flight response links biological systems together. Understanding the distinction between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and how genetics and evolution contribute to behaviour, rounds out this topic.

1. Card 1

   What are the three main types of neuron and their roles?

   Sensory neurons carry signals from receptors to the CNS; motor neurons carry signals from CNS to muscles; relay neurons connect sensory and motor neurons within the CNS.

2. Card 2

   What is the resting potential of a neuron?

   The resting potential is approximately -70mV inside the neuron relative to outside, maintained by the sodium-potassium pump, meaning the neuron is polarised and ready to fire.

3. Card 3

   Describe what happens at a synapse during neurotransmission.

   An action potential triggers neurotransmitter release from vesicles into the synaptic cleft. Neurotransmitters bind to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane, causing excitation or inhibition.

4. Card 4

   What is the difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?

   The sympathetic nervous system arouses the body for action (fight or flight), while the parasympathetic nervous system returns the body to a resting, calm state after threat has passed.

5. Card 5

   What is localisation of brain function?

   Localisation is the idea that specific areas of the brain are responsible for particular functions, such as Broca's area for speech production and the visual cortex for processing sight.

6. Card 6

   What did split-brain research by Sperry reveal?

   Split-brain research showed that the two hemispheres have different functions; when the corpus callosum is severed, the left and right hemispheres cannot share information directly.

7. Card 7

   What does an fMRI scan measure and what are its limitations?

   fMRI measures blood oxygenation as a proxy for neural activity. Limitations include poor temporal resolution and the fact that it only shows correlation, not causation, between brain regions and behaviour.

8. Card 8

   What does an EEG record and what is it useful for?

   An EEG records overall electrical activity across the scalp using electrodes. It has excellent temporal resolution and is used to study sleep stages, though it has poor spatial resolution.

9. Card 9

   What is the role of the endocrine system in behaviour?

   The endocrine system releases hormones from glands into the bloodstream. For example, the adrenal glands release adrenaline during stress, preparing the body for fight or flight.

10. Card 10

    What is the fight-or-flight response and which brain structure triggers it?

    The fight-or-flight response is the body's reaction to perceived threat. The hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system and adrenal glands, increasing heart rate and releasing adrenaline.

11. Card 11

    What is lateralisation of brain function?

    Lateralisation refers to certain functions being predominantly controlled by one hemisphere; for example, language is largely left-hemisphere dominant and spatial processing tends to be right-hemisphere dominant.

12. Card 12

    What is the difference between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters?

    Excitatory neurotransmitters increase the likelihood of the postsynaptic neuron firing, while inhibitory neurotransmitters decrease this likelihood, helping regulate neural activity.

• Many students confuse the roles of Broca's area and Wernicke's area, incorrectly stating that Wernicke's area controls speech production when it is actually involved in language comprehension.
• Students often claim that the sympathetic nervous system is always harmful or negative, when in fact it is a normal, adaptive response that prepares the body to deal with genuine threats.
• A common error is assuming that fMRI directly measures neural firing, when it actually measures changes in blood oxygenation (the BOLD response) as an indirect indicator of brain activity.

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