Biological Psychology Notes
What is Biological Psychology
AO1:
1. Involved in genes
2. Hormones
3. Neurotransmitters
4. Brain structure
5. Evolution
Genes:
o Contains set of instructions and is a carrier of information.
o Made up of DNA which influences our development through protein synthesis.
o They are contained on chromosomes which are found within the nuclei of cell;
o we inherit 23 chromosomes from each parent which are thought to account for the
share behavioural traits between family members.
Hormones:
o Are produced by glands and like neurotransmitters carry messages.
o However, the message travels through bloodstream and so is passed much more
slowly.
o They affected process such as growth, development, mood and metabolism.
o Exposure to hormones both before and after birth is responsible for physical
differences between males and females.
Neurotransmitters:
o Chemical messengers that act between the neurons in the brain, allowing the brain to
process thoughts and memories.
o They are released and passed across the synaptic gap from the terminal button of one
neurone to the dendrite of receiving neuron.
o For example, dopamine for feel good, addiction, glutamate on cognitive functioning,
serotonin for good mood and happiness.
Neurons:
o Neurons are cells that receive and transmit message within the CNS.
o Takes form as an electrical impulse which are passed form cell to cell across synaptic
gap which enables behaviours, thinking and emotions to be transmitted.
, Biological Psychology Notes
Central Nervous System:
o CNS is made up of the brain and the spinal cord.
o Nerves in our body send information via the spinal cord to the brain
o The brain then processes that information and sends a message to the body though the
spinal cord
o Cells in CNS are call neurons and it sends messages through the brain as an electrical
impulse which neurotransmitter are released and cross synaptic gap to be picked up
by receptor sites.
How do synapse works:
AO1:
(2 mark)
o Neurons acts as an Electrical impulse that will trigger release of neurotransmitters
from the vesicle, where neurotransmitters pass through the synaptic gap.
o The receptor sites in the postsynaptic neuron act as a lock and key mechanism and if
neurotransmitters fit, the messages pass on.
o If neurotransmitters are not accepted by receptors, it will either be taken up again for
reusage of messages and is absorbed back into the presynaptic neuron
o Re-uptake inhibitors stop neurotransmitters from being absorbed into the next neuron
where neurotransmitters will be left in gap for message to continue longer.
AO3: (CNS)
o Use of brain studies, raine et al
, Biological Psychology Notes
Effect of recreational drugs on transmission process in the CNS: (cocaine)
AO1:
o One kind of recreational drug is cocaine, which works by blocking reuptake, so more
neurotransmitters(dopamine) is in the synapse, it also works on the reward pathway and
dopamine receptors within seconds.
o With cocaine, there is reuptake by the presynaptic neuron for neurotransmitter left in the
synaptic gap, where cocaine bocks the binding site of reuptake receptor, and stops reuptake of
dopamine back into the presynaptic knob.
o This blocking of reuptake means that excess dopamine will be sustained in the synapse which
could led to over-stimulation at the postsynaptic receptor.
o At cocaine contain of dopamine, which is not a foreign substance to bind to dopamine
receptors, but there is more dopamine than usual, where euphoria will be seen at the reward
pathway.
o Psychoactive drugs are also called recreational drugs which is taken for pleasure by altering
brain functioning, changes mood, perception and conscious experience
AO3: (link to cocaine)
Strength:
o A strength is that Olds and Milner use rats and found a pleasure centre in their brain as rats
continue to press the lever that provides pleasure in that particular area. Therefore, supporting
the fact that excess dopamine caused by cocaine can create a sense of euphoria for users as
the blocking of reuptake by cocaine is achieved in the reward pathway to stimulate “high”
sensation.
o A strength is that it is supported by real-life observations of recreational drug addicts.
Observational research found that at first users of cocaine experience a great level of pleasure,
but then become addicted and gradually needed more volume of cocaine to experience same
level of effects of euphoria. Therefore, supporting the idea that continuous intake of
recreational drugs may have somehow damages the dopamine receptor sites due to constant
over-stimulation, causing malfunction of receptors where high amount of drugs is needed to
maintain normal function of the user and receptor sites and become addicted.
Weakness:
o A weakness is that results of animal CNS effect are not generalisable to human. Old and
Milner uses the brain of rats to test effects of recreational drugs but there are huge differences
in animal brain as oppose to human brain, where human have higher level of emotional
thinking. Therefore, findings of reward pathway and pleasure centre of rats may not be
applied and representative of how human behaves when face with recreational drugs such as
cocaine
o Another weakness is that the idea on CNS, the brain and neurotransmitter is extremely
complex where other research suggests that there may be more than one reward pathway and
more than one brain region involved in action of recreational drug. Therefore, the idea seems
to be oversimplistic as only suggests one reward pathway, when intake of cocaine may trigger
various type of euphoria in various brain regions.
What is Biological Psychology
AO1:
1. Involved in genes
2. Hormones
3. Neurotransmitters
4. Brain structure
5. Evolution
Genes:
o Contains set of instructions and is a carrier of information.
o Made up of DNA which influences our development through protein synthesis.
o They are contained on chromosomes which are found within the nuclei of cell;
o we inherit 23 chromosomes from each parent which are thought to account for the
share behavioural traits between family members.
Hormones:
o Are produced by glands and like neurotransmitters carry messages.
o However, the message travels through bloodstream and so is passed much more
slowly.
o They affected process such as growth, development, mood and metabolism.
o Exposure to hormones both before and after birth is responsible for physical
differences between males and females.
Neurotransmitters:
o Chemical messengers that act between the neurons in the brain, allowing the brain to
process thoughts and memories.
o They are released and passed across the synaptic gap from the terminal button of one
neurone to the dendrite of receiving neuron.
o For example, dopamine for feel good, addiction, glutamate on cognitive functioning,
serotonin for good mood and happiness.
Neurons:
o Neurons are cells that receive and transmit message within the CNS.
o Takes form as an electrical impulse which are passed form cell to cell across synaptic
gap which enables behaviours, thinking and emotions to be transmitted.
, Biological Psychology Notes
Central Nervous System:
o CNS is made up of the brain and the spinal cord.
o Nerves in our body send information via the spinal cord to the brain
o The brain then processes that information and sends a message to the body though the
spinal cord
o Cells in CNS are call neurons and it sends messages through the brain as an electrical
impulse which neurotransmitter are released and cross synaptic gap to be picked up
by receptor sites.
How do synapse works:
AO1:
(2 mark)
o Neurons acts as an Electrical impulse that will trigger release of neurotransmitters
from the vesicle, where neurotransmitters pass through the synaptic gap.
o The receptor sites in the postsynaptic neuron act as a lock and key mechanism and if
neurotransmitters fit, the messages pass on.
o If neurotransmitters are not accepted by receptors, it will either be taken up again for
reusage of messages and is absorbed back into the presynaptic neuron
o Re-uptake inhibitors stop neurotransmitters from being absorbed into the next neuron
where neurotransmitters will be left in gap for message to continue longer.
AO3: (CNS)
o Use of brain studies, raine et al
, Biological Psychology Notes
Effect of recreational drugs on transmission process in the CNS: (cocaine)
AO1:
o One kind of recreational drug is cocaine, which works by blocking reuptake, so more
neurotransmitters(dopamine) is in the synapse, it also works on the reward pathway and
dopamine receptors within seconds.
o With cocaine, there is reuptake by the presynaptic neuron for neurotransmitter left in the
synaptic gap, where cocaine bocks the binding site of reuptake receptor, and stops reuptake of
dopamine back into the presynaptic knob.
o This blocking of reuptake means that excess dopamine will be sustained in the synapse which
could led to over-stimulation at the postsynaptic receptor.
o At cocaine contain of dopamine, which is not a foreign substance to bind to dopamine
receptors, but there is more dopamine than usual, where euphoria will be seen at the reward
pathway.
o Psychoactive drugs are also called recreational drugs which is taken for pleasure by altering
brain functioning, changes mood, perception and conscious experience
AO3: (link to cocaine)
Strength:
o A strength is that Olds and Milner use rats and found a pleasure centre in their brain as rats
continue to press the lever that provides pleasure in that particular area. Therefore, supporting
the fact that excess dopamine caused by cocaine can create a sense of euphoria for users as
the blocking of reuptake by cocaine is achieved in the reward pathway to stimulate “high”
sensation.
o A strength is that it is supported by real-life observations of recreational drug addicts.
Observational research found that at first users of cocaine experience a great level of pleasure,
but then become addicted and gradually needed more volume of cocaine to experience same
level of effects of euphoria. Therefore, supporting the idea that continuous intake of
recreational drugs may have somehow damages the dopamine receptor sites due to constant
over-stimulation, causing malfunction of receptors where high amount of drugs is needed to
maintain normal function of the user and receptor sites and become addicted.
Weakness:
o A weakness is that results of animal CNS effect are not generalisable to human. Old and
Milner uses the brain of rats to test effects of recreational drugs but there are huge differences
in animal brain as oppose to human brain, where human have higher level of emotional
thinking. Therefore, findings of reward pathway and pleasure centre of rats may not be
applied and representative of how human behaves when face with recreational drugs such as
cocaine
o Another weakness is that the idea on CNS, the brain and neurotransmitter is extremely
complex where other research suggests that there may be more than one reward pathway and
more than one brain region involved in action of recreational drug. Therefore, the idea seems
to be oversimplistic as only suggests one reward pathway, when intake of cocaine may trigger
various type of euphoria in various brain regions.
