Biological psychology

skull + vertebrae
brain
1. striatum: role in controlling movements, + in motivation
2. Hippocampus (part of the limbic system): S-T Ms, passed into LTM via the hippocampus. in the medial temporal lobe. right + left hippocampus. connects emotions + senses to Ms
3. ventricles: produce+ contain cerebrospinal fluid, protect, brain, injury, + provides it w/ nutrients
4. Amygdala (part of the limbic system): Responsible for M, decision-making, + emotions
5. Hypothalamus (part of the limbic system): controls the pituitary gland, regulate eating, drinking + motivated bhs
6. medial temporal lobe: large role in M, ability to understand + speak. Includes the hippocampus
7. cerebellum: controls muscle movement, stores learning of practical skills
8. corpus callosum: connect, L+ R hemispheres, + transmits messages
9. Limbic system: about emotions + Ms
10. hemispheres = 2 halves. R side controls the body's left side, L side, R
11. frontal lobe: behind the forehead. intellectual activities, e.g. planning + organising, controls emotions
12. cerebral cortex: outer layer of neural tissue, covering the cerebrum (brain). vital role in M, attention, perception,thought
13. Thalamus: passes sensory info to the cerebral cortex
14. Pituitary gland: pea-sized structure, producing several hormones
15. temporal, parietal, occipital, prefrontal lobes
16. lateralisation = 2 hemispheres, R + L. same structures are the same across the 2 hemispheres. e.g. the lobes: bilateral
17. corpus callosum = the section that joins the 2 hemispheres. Messages that pass between the 2 hemispheres must pass through the corpus callosum. Sperry, 1960s, split-brain research
18. prefrontal cortex = part of the oter layer of the brain. Covers the front part of the frontal lobe. Regulates emotions, bc it connects to parts of the brain that relate to: dopamine, serotonin, + norepinephrine
  1. L hemisphere, involved in +ve emotions. R, -ve emotions
  2. Role in agg: Bechara + van der Linden (2005), review of studies on the prefrontal cortex. confirmed, 'planning', regulates bh by deferring rewards. Damage, focus, present, can't plan LT, wanting immediate rewards. Inability to regulate aggressive rs
  3. Link to amygdala: damage to the pf c, not inhibiting messages
19. orbitofrontal cortex, linked to accepting delayed gratification + deferring rewards
20. ventromedial cortex, linked to experiencing emotions
21. lateral prefrontal cortex, linked to making choices, see, options
22. Perach-Barzilay et al. (2012): dorsolateral region, links to inhibition + impulse control
23. Limbic system?
  1. hippocampus
    1. M
  2. hypothalamus
    1. eating, day-night cycle
  3. amygdala
    1. emotional responses to environmental stimuli
24. cingulate gyrus = role, focusing attention on emotional events. links the thalamus + hippocampus
25. Andy + Velamati (1978), cats. stimulated, hypothalamus + basal ganglia, aggressive seizures.
26. Downer (1961), monkeys. C = amygdala, involved, agg, to perceived threat. R = aggressive, had visual input that connected to the intact amygdala. ablated amygdala, visual input had not amygdala to reach, calmer, not usual rs
27. Lesions = cuts, in the brain
28. Ablations = removing a structure
29. Hermans et al (1993): agg, hypothalamus' electrical stimulation
30. Delville et al. (1997): hypo, has receptors, interact w/ serotonin + vasopressin, + determine agg levels
Nts = chemical messengers, act between the neurons in the brain. allows, brain, process thoughts + Ms
1. released into, synapse, +, taken up, receptors of dendrites, of another neuron
  1. or, can inhibit a message, left, gap, not taken up, but re-used
2. serotonin: nt for happiness. regulates the sleep-wake cycle (melatonin for sleep, serotonin for wakefulness). low levels, link, depressions + anxiety. Exercise, + light levels, affect serotonin levels
3. Dopamine: associated w/ pleasure feelings. linked to drug addiction. pleasure, wanted, actions to get those feelings
4. Norepinephrine: gives attention. prepares for flight-or-fight. ADHD, prescribed, to help
Neurons +glia = cs within the CNS
Glial cs = repair, + remove waste products, brain
1. surround + protect neurons. supplies nutrients.
Neurons = receive + transmit messages
1. Motor neurons, receive messages from the CNS, to generate movements
original, interesting example, tell the examiner you understand
structure, neuron?
1. dendrites, finger-like structures surrounding a c body
2. axon = long extension, where the electrical signal from the c body travels
3. axon terminal = ends @. end, each 'branch', terminal button
4. myelin sheath = protects, axon, insulation layer
5. nodes of Ranvier = speed up, message, places in the myelin sheath where it thins
6. Explanation: Neurons, c body sending an electrical signal down an axon, protected, myelin sheath, has breaks in it (nodes of Ranvier). signal arrives @ the axon terminal. release, nts into the synapse. separates the terminal buttons of 1 neuron from the dendrites of another neuron, receptors. signal continues w/ the nt sending a message, action potential down, axon
How, electrical message arises: voltages outside + inside, c body differ sufficiently, r, causes an action potential in, c body. travels, via the axon hillock, into the axon. speeded up, nodes of Ranvier. action potential releases, nt stored @, terminal. jump from node to node, speeds up the action potential. myelin sheath, quickly, sheath's conductance
function, neuron: pass messages between neurons, enable bh, thinking, + emotions, transmitted. electrical impulses, axon, release, nts from, terminal released, synapse, picket up, dendrites receptors, or, taken up again, re-use.
function, nts: 'carry messages' from 1 neuron to another - can also, 'blocking them'. If, not taken up by, dendrites, message stops. role, message, blocked.
Synaptic transmission
1. nt fits, receptor, message, passed on. not, blocked.
  1. an action potential, generated, c body, other neuron
2. nts, leave, axon terminal. fit, receptors, dendrites. taking, message on
  1. an action potential, generated, c body, postsynaptic neuron
3. presynaptic = sends, message. releases, nts. action potential, axon
4. postsynaptic = receives, message. receives, nt @ receptors, dendrites
5. Reuptake = when the nt, absorbed back into the presynaptic neuron
6. E
  1. human brain scanning, research. actual brain activity + brain structures at work. method has scientific credibility. Reliability, e.g. more than 1 person can analyse the scan, check, results.
  2. Jovanovic (2008), PET scanning, before + after ovulation. Those w/o PMDD did show differences in the synaptic receptors. role in PMDD, a condition that links to depression. evidence that ST, involving nts (serotonin) relates to mood (including depression).
  3. animals' brains working, generalised completely, human brains, more emotional functioning. Much of the evidence, studies w/ animals where lesions can be made (damaging parts of the brain, effects)
  4. Allen + Stevens (1994): ST regarding hippocampal neurons was v unreliable, less than half the nts arriving from the presynaptic neuron being picked up, postsynaptic. But, might not be evidence that ST isn't involved in messaging in the brain; might just mean, isn't as straightforward, seem. But, evidence, many factors at work in ST. Giving a process a name implies it works regularly all the time, which doesn't seem to be the case.
reward pathway, or pleasure centre = where pleasure, so desired, continue, bh, pleasure, received, even when starving or thirsty. Desire for the pleasure overrides other drives. including, prefrontal cortex
Desensitisation = when more of a substance, needed to get the same feeling. bc of changes @ the synapse
Tolerance = loss of response to a drug, more, needed to maintain the 'normal' response
Addiction = refers to the reward system in the brain giving such good feelings that, 'must' have that reward, continues w/ the drug. An addictive drug = rewarding, or the drug is needed for normal functioning.
Drugs
1. Cocaine: blocks the binding site on the 'reuptake receptor' of the presynaptic neuron. excess dopamine, synapse, over-stimulation of postsynaptic receptors. More, dopamine activity, more pleasure feelings, occurs within seconds
2. Nicotine: mimics, nt acetycholine. binds to nicotinic receptors. when either acetycholine or nicotine bind to these receptors, produce, same effect: 1. Excite that neuron. 2. causes an action potential within that neuron 3. causes the release of that neuron's nt 4. which is dopamine. Nicotine also blocks the enzyme that breaks down dopamine in the synapse, more dopamine, available, + more, pleasure feelings. These 2 modes of action, associate pleasure feelings w/ using nicotine, driven, repeat the 'nicotine bh'.
Genes
1. genome = all the genes in a c
2. gene = a set of instructions, + a carrier of info
3. genotype = genetic constitution; what our genes will dictate in us
4. phenotype = what we become when our genes interact, w/ each other + our environ.
5. coding sequence (3 letter combo) has, instructions as to what gene will produce
6. sequence, copied, RNA m. protein synthesis. tRNA transports aas, ribosomes. mRNA acts as a model to form proteins
7. dominant: always lead to their characteristic(s)
8. recessive: need more than 1 copy. doesn't always lead, characteristic(s)
9. Some characteristics + diseases are controlled by the sex genes. More common in 1 sex. E.g. most colour-blind people = men. If 1 parent gives 2 copies of chromosome 21, child has 3 copies: Down's syndrome
Evolution
1. Agg, survival, e.g. agg against threat, protect offspring. ns. aid survival (of the genes), male, aggressive, protect a female + child
2. Limited resources: Those who successfully defended food + shelter food survive longer + reproduce, so any such bh can be inherited, bc genes leading to such agg would survive.
3. seen as stronger: avoid being attacked, killed, pass on genes
4. Infidelity + jealousy
  1. males: eliminate sexual competition
    1. know, product of your own genes
  2. females: eliminate emotional competition
    1. man, provide for + protect you + your children
  3. once they 'have their woman', men still can't relax bc, unfaithful, paternity uncertainty, evo: innately programmed to avoid the risk, investing in offspring that aren't their own = 'wasted investment', genes aren't, own.
    1. lower, chance, men show more jealousy-induced agg related to female infidelity than females do towards male infidelity.
      1. directed towards, male rival + LT female mate. theory: positively correlated w/ the reproductive value of the female mate (youth).
      2. offspring, own, quality of men, not availability. Women, more indirect forms once they 'have their man', unfaithful, losing his resources + protection for her children
  4. Young wives/ girlfriends = more likely to be killed than older ones. (Daly + Wilson, 1988)
5. gain resources, self-defence, deter, mates from infidelity (desired LT mates, ensure paternity, e.g. domestic violence against women)
6. E
  1. scientific method research. Darwin, observed visible bh, which could be confirmed by others. Dawkins: Darwin listed "all the evidence". v widely accepted
  2. Buss + Shackleton (1997): aid survival of the male's genes, debasement (give, female everything she wanted) + intersexual threats (threatening to any other males around). genes, women, verbal threats (e.g. 'he is taken') + threaten, leave, man if he is unfaithful. different bc, know their baby is carrying on their genes. explaining current inherited bh, that can be explained, ns, +, past. not, explaining @ the level of an individual's decision-making
  3. agg = counter-productive. protect, offspring, genes (ns). @ risk. Using E in agg, might not use resources successfully + might not survive.
    1. Kin selection theory can answer this weakness, agg, save that parent's genes in their offspring. risk of not surviving
  4. Dollard et al.'s frustration-agg theory, alternative, ns. If there is frustration + agg that can't be displayed in a situation, that agg can be displaced onto someone or something. can explain seemingly inexplicable agg. ns doesn't have that flexibility
Hormones
1. = chemical messengers, take time to relay messages
2. functions:
3. travel via the circulatory system: bloodsteam
4. parts, distant, different, ST
Psychodynamic

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Biological psychology

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	Created by Maria Angela Samonte about 8 years ago