A Level Psychology terminology, Biopsychology

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The brain
Stores knowledge & memories, gives you the capacity to think and emote, and enables you to control your body.
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Sensory fibres
Carries sensory info. to the spinal cord & motor fibres and transmits signals from the CNS to muscles and glands.
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Grey matter
Contains the cell bodies of neurons & their local connections to eachother.
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White matter
Contains bundles of nerve fibres that connect distinct brain regions to eachother.
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Primary sensory neurons
Carries info. from the body into the spinal cord.
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Interneurons
Connects sensory and motor neurons to eachother that have short axons and a branched axon.
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Brain scanning
To understand how a healthy brain develops, develops its function, change as we age & study the changes involved in neurological conditions.
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Computerised tomography (CT)/ Computerised axial tomography (CAT)
Uses x-rays & a computer to produce detailed images of horizontal slices through the brain/body.
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Electro-encephalography (EEG)
Measures electrical activity within the brain via electrodes fixed on a skull cap that record brainwave patterns/ unusual arrhythmic brain activity is used as diagnosis.
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Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
Detects changes in blood oxygenation & flow that occurs as a result of neural activity in specific areas of the brain; an active area consumes more oxygen.
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Event-related potentials (ERPs)
Isolates specific neural responses when
monitoring brain activity. Uses statistical averaging techniques to filter extraneous brain acitivty.
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Post-mortem examinations
The analysis of a person's brain after death in rare conditions where damaged areas are examined and compared to a neurotypical (healthy) brain.
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Pons
Serves as a message station between parts of the brain & helps to relay messages from the cortex and the cerebellum.
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Mendualla
Maintains & controls involuntary functions (e.g. blood pressure).
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Cerebellum
Controls movement and balance; damage can result in loss of motor coordination.
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Thalamus
Relays sensory info. from the spinal cord/ brain stem to the cortex.
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Hypothalamus
Responsible for motivation behaviour & is involved in physiological functions (hunger/ thirst). Contains the pituitary gland that connects to the endocrine system to the CNS.
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Neocortex
Involved in high order commands (cognition/ language).
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Basal ganglia
Involved in motor control & movement (executive functions & behaviours).
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Limbic system
Involved in functions like memory, learning & emotions.
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Hippocampus
Assists with the storage of long-term memories & the memory of the location of objects and people.
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Amygdala
Controls the reaction to certain stimuli that's potentially threatening/ dangerous.
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Cerebral cortex
Thin layer of tightly-packed neurons that covers the outer layer of the cerebellum & is responsible for higher though processes.
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Corpus callosum
Allows neural communication between the two hemispheres.
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Broca's Area
Associated with speech production & written language; is considered one of the main language centres.
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Localisation of function
Theory that different areas of the brain are responsible for different behaviours, processes or activites.
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Motor cortex
The part of the brain in the frontal lobe where nerve cells are engaged in planning & directing the actions of muscles/ glands under conscious control (both hemispheres have one).
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Somatosensory cortex
The region of the brain in the parietal lobe that's responsible for recieveing & processing sensory info. from areas of the body (both hemispheres have one).
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Wernicke's Area
Contains motor neurons involved in speech comprehension & is located in the posterior temporal lobe; near areas of auditory/ visual input where it can be recognised with language & meaning.
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Visual cortex
Processes visual info. (colour, shape or movement) and is located in the optical lobe.
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Auditory cortex
Recognises & responds to sound but doesn't swap info. clearly between the hemispheres; it's located in the temporal lobe.
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Plasticity
The brain's ability to change & adapt both physically and functionally.
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Synaptic pruning
When rarely used connections are deleted and frequently used ones are strengthed through learning & experience.
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Functional recovery
How the brain recovers after trauma & how the brain adapts/ compensates for damaged areas.
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Axonal sprouting
The growth of new nerve endings which connect with other undamaged nerve cells to form new neural pathways.
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Recruitment of homologous areas
When similar areas of the brain on the opposite side are used to perform a specific task.
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Biological rhythms
Synchronized, cyclic pattern that occurs in response to a stimulus, which is regulated by an internal clock (unaffected by external stimuli).
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Infradian rhythms
Biological rhythms that last longer than 24 hours and can be weekly, monthly or yearly (e.g. menstrual cycles).
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Circadian rhythms
Natural cycles of physical, mental and behavioural changes that occur during a 24-hour cycle that's controlled by the SCN within the hypothalamus ("master clock").
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Ultradian rhythms
Reoccurring cycles throughout a 24-hour period (e.g. pulse); shorter period & higher frequency than circadian rhythms.
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Nervous system
Specialised network of cells & is a primary communication system by collecting, processing & responding to information in the environment.
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Endocrine system
Works alongside the CNS by controlling vital hormone actions. It operates slower but has more powerful, widespread effects.
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Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Transmits messages via neurons to and from nervous system.
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Somatic nervous system
Controls muscle movement/ receives info. from sensory receptors.
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Autonomic nervous system
Governs vital functions (breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal, stress responses).
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Sympathetic nervous system
Prepares the body to expend energy during fight or flight response.
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Parasympathetic nervous system
Maintains and conserves body energy & functions.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Carries sensory info. to the spinal cord & motor fibres and transmits signals from the CNS to muscles and glands.

Back

Sensory fibres

Card 3

Front

Contains the cell bodies of neurons & their local connections to eachother.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Contains bundles of nerve fibres that connect distinct brain regions to eachother.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Carries info. from the body into the spinal cord.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
View more cards

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