Biopsychology Notes
Feruze Rama
The Nervous System:
Human NS
Peripheral NS CNS
Autonomic Somatic NS
Brain
NS Spinal Cord
Sympathetic Parasympathe
NS tic NS
Endocrine system:
Hormones are distributed via the bloodstream
The pituitary gland is the master gland.
Fight or flight – Sympathetic arousal: pituitary -> ACTH (hormone) -> adrenal gland -> adrenaline
You ‘rest and digest’ in Paradise (parasympathetic state)
Structure and Function of Neurons:
Dendrites
Cell Body (with
nucleus)
Axon (covered in
Myelin Sheath
Axon
Terminal
Relay Sensory Motor
Positive Charge = action potential.
, Biopsychology Notes
Feruze Rama
Synaptic Transmission:
Terminal Buttons are at synapse, pre-synaptic vesicles release the neurotransmitter
Adrenaline is excitatory (increases positive charge), Serotonin is inhibitory (increases negative
charge), SSRI’S increase serotonin activity.
Localisation of Function:
Different behaviours are controlled by specific areas of the brain.
Each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body; the cortex is the outer layer of the brain
Frontal Lobe – Motor cortex
Parietal Lobe – Somatosensory Cortex
Temporal Lobe – Auditory Cortex
Occipital Lobe – Visual Cortex
Broca's area:
Found in frontal lobe – damage to it
causes Broca’s Aphasia = difficulty
saying words
Wernicke's area:
Found in temporal lobe – damage to it
causes Wernicke's aphasia = producing
nonsense words
+ve -ve
Peterson et al showed Broca and Wernicke areas Lashley – Rats’ maze learning unaffected by
active with brain scan removal of cortical material – learning requires
all cortex’s, not just one
1/3 of OCD patients responded well to surgery = Plasticity – brain can use other parts to carry out
supports localisation tasks after damage – not everything is localised.
Case study = Phineas Gage- personality changed
BUT it’s a case study, no tests done on him
before accident, short temper may be because
of frustration because of accident.
Feruze Rama
The Nervous System:
Human NS
Peripheral NS CNS
Autonomic Somatic NS
Brain
NS Spinal Cord
Sympathetic Parasympathe
NS tic NS
Endocrine system:
Hormones are distributed via the bloodstream
The pituitary gland is the master gland.
Fight or flight – Sympathetic arousal: pituitary -> ACTH (hormone) -> adrenal gland -> adrenaline
You ‘rest and digest’ in Paradise (parasympathetic state)
Structure and Function of Neurons:
Dendrites
Cell Body (with
nucleus)
Axon (covered in
Myelin Sheath
Axon
Terminal
Relay Sensory Motor
Positive Charge = action potential.
, Biopsychology Notes
Feruze Rama
Synaptic Transmission:
Terminal Buttons are at synapse, pre-synaptic vesicles release the neurotransmitter
Adrenaline is excitatory (increases positive charge), Serotonin is inhibitory (increases negative
charge), SSRI’S increase serotonin activity.
Localisation of Function:
Different behaviours are controlled by specific areas of the brain.
Each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body; the cortex is the outer layer of the brain
Frontal Lobe – Motor cortex
Parietal Lobe – Somatosensory Cortex
Temporal Lobe – Auditory Cortex
Occipital Lobe – Visual Cortex
Broca's area:
Found in frontal lobe – damage to it
causes Broca’s Aphasia = difficulty
saying words
Wernicke's area:
Found in temporal lobe – damage to it
causes Wernicke's aphasia = producing
nonsense words
+ve -ve
Peterson et al showed Broca and Wernicke areas Lashley – Rats’ maze learning unaffected by
active with brain scan removal of cortical material – learning requires
all cortex’s, not just one
1/3 of OCD patients responded well to surgery = Plasticity – brain can use other parts to carry out
supports localisation tasks after damage – not everything is localised.
Case study = Phineas Gage- personality changed
BUT it’s a case study, no tests done on him
before accident, short temper may be because
of frustration because of accident.
