This is a high quality bundle of essays regarding the biopsychology reduced specification, written by an A* student. It includes 15 answers, with a range from 2 mark answers to 16 mark answers.
The divisions of the nervous system: central and peripheral (somatic and autonomic).
The structure and function of sensory, relay and motor neurons. The process of synaptic
transmission, including reference to neurotransmitters, excitation, and inhibition.
Localisation of function in the brain and hemispheric lateralisation: motor, somatosensory,
visual, auditory and language centres; Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, split brain research.
Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma.
Ways of studying the brain: scanning techniques, including functional magnetic resonance
imaging (fMRI); electroencephalogram (EEGs) and event-related potentials (ERPs); post-
mortem examinations.
Describe the structure and function of the central nervous system [3 marks]
The central nervous system consists of the brain and the spinal cord and is responsible for
passing messages to and from the brain, as well as connecting nerves to the peripheral
nervous system. The brain is the centre of all conscious awareness, dividing into the left and
right hemisphere which control opposite sides of the body. The spinal cord is an extension of
the brain, which is responsible for reflex actions.
Identify the two components of the peripheral nervous system and explain two differences in
their organisation and/or functions. [4 marks]
Two components of the peripheral nervous system are the autonomic nervous system and
the somatic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system contains motor neurons,
whereas the somatic nervous system contains motor and sensory neurons. The autonomic
nervous system controls involuntary actions, such as breathing, without conscious
awareness. The somatic nervous system, however, controls voluntary muscle movement, as
well as reflexes.
Jeremy is digging in the garden. He feels the spade hit a rock and stops digging
immediately.
Explain how sensory, relay and motor neurons would function in this situation. [6 marks]
In this situation, the stimulus is the spade, which hits the rock. This is detected by sense
organs in the peripheral nervous system, which convey a message to stop digging along the
sensory neuron. This message reaches the central nervous system, where it then connects
to a relay neuron. This neuron transfers the message to a motor neuron, which carries this to
an effector via long axons, such as Jeremy’s hand muscle. This causes it to contract and his
hand stops digging immediately after hitting the rock.
Describe sensory, relay and motor neurons. [6 marks]
Sensory neurons are found in receptors such as the tongue and skin and carry nerve
impulses to the spinal cord and brain. When these nerve impulses reach the brain, they are
translated into ‘sensations’, such taste and touch. However, not all sensory neurons reach
the brain, as some neurons stop at the spinal cord, allowing for quick reflex actions.
Relay neurons are found between sensory input and motor output/response. Relay neurons
are found in the brain and spinal cord and allow sensory and motor neurons to
communicate.
Motor neurons are found in the central nervous system (CNS) and control muscle
movements. When motor neurons are stimulated they release neurotransmitters that bind to
, BIOPSYCHOLOGY 16 MARKERS
the receptors on muscles to trigger a response, which lead to movement.
Describe the structure and function of a neuron [4 marks]
Neurons are cells that are specialised to carry neural information throughout the body. All
neurons consist of similar parts. The dendrites receive signals from other neurons or from
sensory receptor cells. The dendrites are typically connected to the cell body, which is often
referred to as the ‘control centre’ of the neuron, as it’s contains the nucleus. The axon is a
long slender fibre that carries nerve impulses, in the form of an electrical signal known as
action potential, away from the cell body towards the axon terminals, where the neuron
ends. Most axons are surrounded by a myelin sheath (except relay neurons) which insulates
the axon so that the electrical impulses travel faster along the axon. The axon terminal
connects the neuron to other neurons (or directly to organs), using a process called synaptic
transmission.
Outline the structures and processes involved in synaptic transmission. [6 marks]
Synaptic transmission is the process by which two neurones communicate. When an action
potential / electrical impulse reaches the presynaptic terminal, it triggers the release of the
neurotransmitter from the synaptic vesicles into the synapse, where it becomes a chemical
message. Once the neurotransmitter crosses the gap, it is take up by the postsynaptic
receptor sites. Here, the chemical message is converted back to an electrical impulse, and
transmission begins again in this other neurone. Summation then decides the effect on the
post synaptic neurone, and whether the postsynaptic fires or not, by summing the excitatory
and inhibitory influences and if the overall effect on the neuron is inhibitory then the
postsynaptic neuron is less likely to fire an electrical impulse. Certain neurotransmitters will
only bind to certain receptor sites.
Explain why neurons can only transmit information in one direction at a synapse. [3 marks]
Neurons only travel in one direction at the synapse because the receptors for the
neurotransmitter are only present on the post-synaptic membrane. The synaptic vesicles
containing the neurotransmitter are only present on the pre-synaptic membrane. It is the
binding of the neurotransmitter onto the receptor site that enables information to be passed
onto the next neurone.
Discuss what research has shown about localisation of function in the brain. [8 marks]
Before Broca and Wernicke’s researched it was thought that all parts of the brain were
involved in the processing of thought and action. Broca and Wernicke argued for localisation
of function, the idea that different areas of the brain are responsible for different behaviours
and processes. Some functions are more localised, for example, motor functions are
localised to the motor cortex whilst other functions such as the language system are widely
distributed. Through post-mortem examinations, Broca and Wernicke found different areas
responsible for language in the brain. Broca’s area was found to be an area in the left frontal
lobe responsible for speech production. Broca examined patients with Broca’s aphasia,
where their Broca’s area was damaged and therefore had slow speech that lacked in
fluency. Wernicke’s area was found in the left temporal lobe, responsible for language
comprehension. Wernicke examined patients with Wernicke’s aphasia, where this area was
damaged and caused fluent but meaningless speech.
A strength of both Broca and Wernicke’s research is that there is brain scan evidence of
localisation. These scans demonstrated that the Broca’s area was active during reading
tasks and the Wernicke’s area was active during listening tasks. This suggests that these
areas of the brain have different functions. This is a strength because the research is
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