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Biopsychology notes
- Module
- Biopscyhology
- Institution
- AQA
This document will support your revision of biopsychology for A-level psychology.
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Biopsychology RevisionThe Nervous System
The central nervous system (CNS)
The brain- two hemispheres, cerebral cortex
Spinal cord- reflex actions
The peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Sends messages via nerves (neurons)
Autonomic nervous system (ANS)- breathing, heart rate, digestion (smooth muscle,
involuntary)- further split in to Sympathetic & Parasympathetic
Somatic nervous system (SNS)- sensory and muscle information (skeletal muscles, voluntary)
The Endocrine System
Glands produce hormones- secreted into the blood- affects cells and organs throughout the body
Pituitary gland- influences all others (Thyroid, adrenal, pancreas, ovaries, testes etc.)
Fight or flight- interaction between the endocrine system and ANS
Sympathetic Nervous System- increased heart rate, breathing, sweating, dilate pupils, inhibits
digestion & saliva production, ‘squeaky bum time’ (contracts your rectum)
Parasympathetic nervous system- decreases heart rate, breathing, constricts pupils, stimulates
digestion & saliva
Trigger- Hypothalamus triggers Sympathetic Nervous system
Adrenaline (stress hormone) released from adrenal medulla (in the adrenal gland)
This increases heart rate- makes the body physically ready for fight or flight- punch it or run away
from it.
Neurons
Allow signals to be sent-
Sensory- Carry messages from the PNS to CNS, receptors
Relay- Connect sensory and motor neurons (or other relay neurons), interneuron/ connector
Motor- send messages to muscles and glands, effector
Structure of a neurone
Cell body (including nucleus)- contains genetic material of the cell
Dendrites- branches. Carry nerve impulses from neighbouring cell to cell body.
, Axon- carries impulses away from cell body. Covered in a Myelin Sheath- protects and allows
messages to be sent
Terminal buttons- at the end of the axon.
Synapse- the gap between the axon and dendrite of the next cell
Electric transmission- neurons are usually negatively charged. When a neuron ‘fires’ it becomes
positively charged. This is known as action potential.
Synaptic Transmission
Signals within a neuron- electric, between neurons- chemical (neurotransmitters)
Transferred via the synapse (synaptic cleft) from the axon of the send (presynaptic) neuron to the
dendrite of the receiving (postsynaptic) neuron.
Neurotransmitters contained in vesicles
Vesicles released from presynaptic neuron (only)
Receptors on postsynaptic neuron
Neurotransmitters binds to the receptor and signal passed to the next neuron
Specific vesicles and receptors for different neurotransmitters
Excitation- more likely to fire (more positively charged)- Adrenaline
Inhibition- less likely to fire (more negatively charged)- Serotonin
Localisation of function in the brain
Are specific areas of the brain responsible for certain functions?
Left& right hemispheres- some actions are more dominated by one or other side. This is called
lateralisation. In general actions on the left hand side of the body are controlled by the right
hemisphere and vice versa.
Cerebral Cortex- the outer 3mm of the brain. High functioning. Grey matter
Lobes- Frontal (motor- movement), parietal (somatosensory- senses from the skin (heat, pressure
etc.), occipital (visual), temporal (auditory). Damage to these areas influence the action.
Language areas- left hemisphere
Broca’s area- frontal lobe- speech production. Damage causes ‘Broca’s asphasia’- slow & laboured
speech, lacking fluency, e.g., Tan
Wernicke’s area- Left temporal lobe- language comprehension- ‘Wernicke’s asphasia’ can produce
language but not understand it- nonsense words, fluent but meaningless
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