Biopsychology Overview 2024
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Questions and Answers

What is the scientific study of the biology of behavior called?

Biopsychology

What are the four types of biological explanations for behavior discussed?

  • Neurochemical, Neuroanatomical, Neurophysiological, Neuropathological
  • Nature, Nurture, Genetics, Environment
  • Physiological, Ontogenetic/Epigenetic, Evolutionary, Functional (correct)
  • Behavioral, Cognitive, Emotional, Physiological

    • What is a physiological explanation of behavior?

    A physiological explanation relates a behavior to the activity of the brain and other organs.

    What is an ontogenetic/epigenetic explanation of behavior?

    <p>An ontogenetic/epigenetic explanation describes how a structure or behavior develops, including the influences of genes, nutrition, experiences, and their interactions.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is an evolutionary explanation of behavior?

    <p>An evolutionary explanation reconstructs the evolutionary history of a structure or behavior, highlighting how these features evolved over time from ancestral species.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a functional explanation of behavior?

    <p>A functional explanation describes why a structure or behavior evolved as it did, highlighting its adaptive value for the organism.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is not a field of neuroscience relevant to the study of biopsychology?

    <p>Neurosociology</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The expression "nature vs. nurture" refers to the debate about whether behavior is primarily influenced by innate biological factors or environmental experiences.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Gregor Mendel, known as the father of genetics, studied inheritance in pea plants and found evidence that each parent contributes one copy of each gene to their offspring.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the three main types of mutations?

    <p>Point mutation, frameshift mutation, chromosomal aberration</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two main divisions of the nervous system?

    <p>Central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS)</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The brain receives approximately 10% of the blood flow from the heart.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT one of the protective sheaths that covers the brain and spinal cord?

    <p>Myelin sheath</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of the blood-brain barrier?

    <p>The blood-brain barrier regulates the passage of substances from the bloodstream into the brain, protecting it from harmful agents and maintaining a stable environment for neural activity.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the major parts of a neuron?

    <p>Dendrites, cell body (soma or perikaryon), axon, terminal buttons</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of glial cells?

    <p>To support and protect neurons, regulate neurotransmitter activity, and contribute to brain development</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is gray matter, and where is it located in the brain?

    <p>Gray matter is composed of nerve cell bodies and unmyelinated axons, found in the outer cortex and deeper regions of the brain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the largest division of the brain, and what is its primary function?

    <p>The telencephalon, which includes the cerebral cortex, is the largest division of the brain and is responsible for higher-order cognitive functions, such as learning, language, and reasoning.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a part of the diencephalon?

    <p>Hippocampus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main function of the limbic system?

    <p>The primary function of the limbic system is to regulate emotions, motivation, and memory.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Synaptic transmission is the communication between neurons, where neurotransmitters are released from the terminal buttons, diffuse across the synapse, and bind to receptors on the postsynaptic neuron.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between resting potential and action potential?

    <p>Resting potential is the state of a neuron when it is not transmitting an impulse, characterized by a negative charge inside the membrane relative to the outside. Action potential is a brief electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron, driven by the rapid change in polarity of the membrane from negative to positive.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two types of postsynaptic potentials, and what are their effects on the likelihood of a neuron firing?

    <p>Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) depolarize the postsynaptic membrane, increasing the likelihood of the neuron firing. Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) hyperpolarize the postsynaptic membrane, decreasing the likelihood of the neuron firing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the visual system?

    <p>To detect and process information about light and color</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the role of the extraocular muscles?

    <p>Extraocular muscles are responsible for controlling the movement and positioning of the eyes, allowing us to focus on objects and track movement in our visual field.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of the lens in the eye?

    <p>The lens in the eye is responsible for focusing light onto the retina, a layer of light-sensitive cells at the back of the eye.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two main types of photoreceptor cells in the retina, and what are their primary functions?

    <p>Rods, which are sensitive to low light levels, are responsible for vision in dim light conditions. Cones, which require higher light levels, are responsible for color vision and fine detail vision in brighter light.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the fovea, and why is it important to vision?

    <p>The fovea is a central region of the retina that mediates our most acute vision and contains only cones.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The optic disk is the area where the optic nerve leaves the eye, creating a blind spot because there are no photoreceptor cells in this region.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the auditory system?

    <p>The auditory system is responsible for detecting and processing sound waves, enabling us to hear and understand what we are hearing.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is audition, and what makes it a critical sense?

    <p>Audition is the sense of hearing, and it is a critical sense because it plays a vital role in communication, warning of potential dangers, and navigating our environment.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of the pinna in the ear?

    <p>The pinna, the visible part of the ear, is responsible for collecting sound waves and funneling them towards the ear canal and eardrum.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the ossicles, and how do they contribute to hearing?

    <p>The ossicles are three tiny bones in the middle ear: the malleus, incus, and stapes. They vibrate in response to sound waves, amplifying the vibrations and transmitting them to the cochlea.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a cochlea, and what is its primary function?

    <p>The cochlea is a spiral-shaped structure in the inner ear that contains specialized receptor cells that convert sound vibrations into electrical signals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the somatosensory system?

    <p>The somatosensory system receives and process information about touch, temperature, pain, and body position, providing us with a sense of our body and its surroundings.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is NOT a type of somatosensory receptor?

    <p>Purkinje cell</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two major somatosensory pathways, and what type of information does each pathway carry?

    <p>The dorsal-column medial-lemniscus system carries information about touch and proprioception (body position). The anterolateral system carries information about pain and temperature.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is neuropathic pain, and what causes it?

    <p>Neuropathic pain is severe chronic pain experienced in the absence of a recognizable pain stimulus, often caused by damage to the nervous system.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What brain regions are involved in the processing of emotional pain?

    <p>Emotional pain involves a pathway that goes through the medulla, thalamus, amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex, reflecting the complex interplay of sensory, emotional, and cognitive components of pain.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two main chemical senses, and what do they detect?

    <p>The two main chemical senses are gustation (taste), which detects chemicals dissolved in saliva, and olfaction (smell), which detects chemicals in the air.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of pheromones?

    <p>Pheromones are chemicals released by organisms, often for communication or social signaling, influencing behavior or physiological responses in other individuals of the same species.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is motor output?

    <p>Motor output is the signal sent from the brain to the body that initiates and controls movement in response to internal or external stimuli.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the function of the neuromuscular junction?

    <p>The neuromuscular junction is the specialized synapse where a motor neuron's axon communicates with a muscle fiber, transmitting signals that trigger muscle contraction.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Physiological/Biological Psychology

    • This course covers the physiological and biological aspects of psychology.
    • The instructor is Cleine M. Basas.
    • The year is 2024.

    Biopsychology as Neuroscience

    • Biopsychology is the scientific study of the biology of behavior.
    • It is also referred to as Psychobiology, behavioral biology, or behavioral neuroscience.
    • It focuses on the biological approach to studying psychology rather than the use of psychological thought to study biology.

    Biological Explanations of Behavior

    • Physiological Psychology explains behavior using the activity of the brain and other organs.
    • For example, chemical reactions that allow hormones to influence brain activity and how brain activity regulates muscle contractions.

    Ontogenetic/Epigenetic

    • Describes how a structure or behavior develops.
    • Factors include genes, nutrition, experiences, and interactions of these factors.
    • For example, males and females differ in ways that can be traced to genes, prenatal hormones, cultural influences. Many differences are contributed by a combination of these elements, and several await further research.

    Evolutionary

    • Reconstructs the evolutionary history of a structure or behavior.
    • An animal's characteristic features are often modifications of ancestral species' features.
    • For example, bat wings are modified arms, and porcupine quills are modified hairs.

    Functional

    • Describes why a structure or behavior evolved as it did.
    • For example, a dominant male with many offspring spreads all his genes, including some that may previously have been irrelevant to his success or even disadvantageous.

    Six Fields in Neuroscience

    • Neuroanatomy: The structure of the nervous system.
    • Neurochemistry: Chemical bases of neural activity.
    • Neuroendocrinology: Interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system.
    • Neuropathology: Nervous system disorders.
    • Neuropharmacology: Effects of drugs on neural activity.
    • Neurophysiology: Functions and activities of the nervous system.

    Types of Research in Biopsychology

    • Experiment: Used to study causation (what causes what).
    • Quasi-experimental: Studies that examine groups of subjects under real-world conditions.
    • Case study: In-depth study of a single case, which can yield testable hypotheses.

    Theories in Biopsychology

    • Cartesian Dualism: Developed by René Descartes.
    • Assumed the world as a purely mechanical entity influenced and set in motion by God from the start, with nothing interfering further.
    • This suggests that the mind (or ‘soul’) controls bodily movements, and the body provides info about the environment via sensors, this was thought to happen via the pineal body, in the brain stem.

    Theory of Evolution

    • Charles Darwin's theory of evolution revolutionised biology and impacted early psychology.
    • Natural Selection: The process whereby traits that provide an advantage in survival and reproduction become prevalent in a population.
    • Evolutionary changes in behavior must be explored considering the underlying genetic and physiological processes.
    • Evolutionary comparisons in nervous systems with other animal species help to understand the mechanisms of evolutionary cognitive and behavioral advances.
    • Comparing the animal nervous system (with varying types of animals) is useful to help in finding hypotheses about how evolutionary changes affect the brain and behavioral development of species.

    Nature vs. Nurture

    • The debate about the relative contributions of genes (nature) and upbringing/experience (nurture) to individual characteristics.

    Genetics

    • Gregor Mendel, the father of genetics, conducted experiments with pea plants, which identified mechanisms of inheritance.
    • His experiments led to the study of dichotomous traits and the use of true-breeding offspring for cross-breeding.

    DNA

    • Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) is a double-stranded molecule comprising four nucleotide types: adenine, thymine, guanine, and cytosine.
    • DNA also includes a deoxyribose sugar and a phosphate backbone.

    Chromosome

    • A threadlike structure in the cell nucleus composed of tightly coiled DNA wrapped around proteins called histones.
    • Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes, 22 pairs being autosomal, and 1 pair related to biological sex.

    Mutation

    • Alterations in the genetic make-up of an organism.
    • Types of mutations include point mutations (altered genetic codes) and frameshift mutations (deleted or inserted genetic codes).
    • Chromosomal aberrations are changes in the number or structure of chromosomes.

    Anatomy of the Nervous System

    • The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of the brain and spinal chord.
    • Specific regions and functions of the brain are mentioned, including the cerebrum's hemispheres, brainstem, thalamus, cerebellum, and medulla oblongata.
    • The peripheral nervous system (PNS) includes cranial nerves, spinal nerves, peripheral ganglia, and has divisions of somatic and autonomic. The somatic nervous system has afferent and efferent nerves. The autonomic nervous system can be broken down further into efferent nerves, with sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.
    • Parts of the Peripheral nervous system are explained.

    Brain

    • The brain receives approximately 20% of the blood flow from the heart.
    • The blood flow to the brain is continuous.

    Meninges

    • Protective sheath covering the brain and the spinal chord.
    • The meninges consist of layers, including dura mater, arachnoid membrane, and pia mater.
    • Cerebrospinal fluid is located between the pia mater and arachnoid membrane to cushion the brain.

    Blood-Brain Barrier

    • Capillaries in the brain have tight junctions which restrict substances entering and leaving the brain. This prevents many harmful substances from harming the brain.

    Cells of the Nervous System

    • Neurons are the information processing and transmitting cells of the nervous system.
    • Major parts of neurons include dendrites, cell body (soma), axon, and terminal buttons.

    Dendrites

    • Branched tree-like structures attached to the neuron's cell body.
    • Receive information from the terminal buttons of other neurons.

    Cell Body (Soma)

    • Contains the nucleus and other organelles necessary for cellular functions.

    Axon

    • A long, slender tube that often has a myelin sheath, which insulates it.
    • Carries information from the cell body to the terminal buttons.
    • The message carried by the axon is called action potential.
    • Axons come in various shapes.

    Terminal Button

    • Located at the end of the axon.
    • Secretes chemicals known as neurotransmitters.

    Synapse

    • The junction between two neurons where information is transmitted.
    • Chemicals known as neurotransmitters transmit information between the terminal buttons of one neuron and the dendrites/cell body of another.

    Supporting Cells/Glia

    • Holds nerve cells in place.
    • Controls nutrient supply and other essential chemicals for cellular function.
    • Provides insulation for neurons.
    • Destroys damaged cells.
    • Types of glial cells include Astrocytes, Oligodendrocytes, Microglia, and Schwann cells

    Anatomy of the CNS

    • Telencephalon: The largest part of the brain, divided into symmetrical hemispheres covered by the cerebral cortex. Initiates voluntary movements, interprets sensory input, and mediates complex cognitive processes.
    • Diencephalon: Located between the telencephalon and mesencephalon. Includes parts like thalamus and hypothalamus.
    • Mesencephalon: Tectum-visual reflexes in mammals, Tegmentum-prevents unwanted movements.
    • Metencephalon: Cerebellum-controls balance and movement, Pons-unconscious movement, sleep-wake cycle, and breathing.
    • Myelencephalon: Medulla oblongata-key conduit for nerve signals to and from body, controls breathing, heart rate, and autonomic functions.

    Limbic System

    • The primary function of the limbic system is motivation and emotion.
    • Crucial parts include the amygdala and the hippocampus.
    • The hippocampus is involved in learning and memory.
    • The amygdala is associated with emotions, emotional memories, and recognizing emotional expressions in others.

    Neural Transmission

    • Communication between neurons, transmitting messages from one neuron to another.
    • Neurotransmitters are released by the terminal buttons to transmit signals.
    • Synapses-fluid filled gaps between neurons- allow neurotransmitters to diffuse across from one terminal button/axon terminal of one neuron to cause a signal in the next neuron's dendrite/soma.
    • Synapses have presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes and a synaptic cleft.

    Resting and Action Potentials

    • Resting potential: -70 mV charge when a neuron isn't communicating.
    • Disturbances in the membrane potential, or changes to this polarity, cause signals in the neuron.
    • In resting potential, the inside of a neuron's membrane is negatively charged and the outside is positively charged.
    • Action potential: A change in membrane polarity to communicate a signal.
    • Ions, especially sodium and potassium, travel in and out of the membrane in response to changes in the membrane polarity, such as depolarization (movement of ions that shifts the resting membrane potential toward 0 mV) and hyperpolarization (movement of ions that further increases the negative charge inside the neuron) along the axon to carry the message.

    Activity 3: Neurotransmitters Involved

    • The user gives a list of emotions, behaviors, and experiences, and asks for associated neurotransmitters and explanations.

    Activity 1: Gregor Mendel's Work (December 1, 2023)

    • The student is to write a short paper about Gregor Mendel's work, and discuss how his inherited mechanisms can be used in psychology.
    • Explain genetic changes and their relation to behavior in certain individuals.
    • Outline the major divisions of the nervous system. Draw the nervous system.
    • Define and describe the function of glial cells in the nervous system.

    Sensory System

    • The part of the CNS involved in perception.
    • Audition (sense of hearing) is the second most important sensation.
    • Sounds (vibrations in air molecules) stimulate the auditory system.
    • Senses like taste, smell, and sensation of body temperature are associated with chemical senses/chemicals released by organisms.

    Visual System

    • The part of the CNS required for visual perception.
    • The eye detects light.
    • Extraocular muscles help keep the eye in position.

    Anatomy of the Eye

    • Sclera: The supporting wall of the eyeball and protects it from injury. It also maintains the shape.
    • Cornea: The clear outer layer that allows light to enter the inside of the eye.
    • Iris: Regulates the amount of light entering the eye through changes to the pupil's shape.
    • Pupil: The opening in the iris.
    • Lens: Transmits light and focuses it on the retina, focusing light for visual perception.
    • Retina: Inner lining of the eye that contains photoreceptors (rods and cones), which receive light and convert it into neural signals.
    • Optic nerve: Relays messages from the eye to the brain to create visual images.

    Retina

    • Cones (daytime vision) and Rods (dim light vision) are the two main photoreceptors in the Retina.
    • Fovea: A part of the retina that has only cones, providing sharp visual perception.
    • Optic disk: Where the optic nerve leaves the eye. The optic disk creates a blind spot.

    From Eye to Brain

    • Optic nerves carry signals from the retina.
    • Optic radiations relay signals from the optic nerves to the primary visual cortex.
    • Sensory information is related in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) and thalamus, which relays signals to the primary visual cortex.

    Auditory System

    • Part of the CNS required for auditory perception.
    • Sounds/vibrations stimulate the auditory system.
    • Ear is the organ for hearing.

    Anatomy of the Ear

    • Pinna: External ear that gathers sound waves.
    • Tympanic Membrane: Vibrates in response to sound waves.
    • Ossicles (malleus, incus, stapes): Bones in the middle ear that amplify vibrations.
    • Cochlea: Houses the receptors that process vibrations from sound waves.

    From Ear to Brain

    • Information from the pinna travels through the auditory canal, tympanic membrane (eardrum), and ossicles to the cochlea.
    • The cochlea converts the signal and sends it through the cochlear nerves
    • The signals are routed in the medial geniculate nucleus (MGN), to the auditory cortex for processing.

    Somatosensory System

    • Provides information about touch and pain, as well as sensations felt within the body.
    • A sensory system that perceives pressure, vibration, heat, cooling, and events that can cause tissue damage.

    Somatosensory Pathways (Sections)

    • Dorsal-column medial-lemniscus system: Deals with touch and proprioception (body position).
    • Anterolateral system: Deals with pain and temperature.

    Pain

    • Neuropathic pain: Severe chronic pain without a clear painful stimulus. Usually related to trauma to the nervous system.
    • Emotional pain: Travels a distinct path through the medulla, to the thalamus, and then to the amygdala, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and anterior cingulate cortex for processing.

    Chemical Senses

    • Gustatory System (sense of taste).
    • Olfactory System (sense of smell).
    • Pheromones (chemical signals for behaviors).

    Sensorimotor System

    • Motor Output: The brain signals the body to react to external stimuli.
    • Muscles: Skeletal, smooth and cardiac.
    • Neuromuscular Junction: This is where motor neurons connect to muscle tissue and communicate.

    Hierarchical organization of sensorimotor function and sensory pathways

    • Association cortex, including areas like secondary sensory and motor cortices, receive data from sensory and motor areas
    • Information is routed from sensory receptors (skin, eyes, ears) in a series of relay points, such as thalamus and brain stem nuclei, before arriving at the primary sensory and motor cortices.

    Sensorimotor Association Cortex

    • Posterior Parietal Association Cortex: Receives information from various sensory systems.
    • Dorsolateral prefrontal association cortex: Processes information from posterior parietal cortex and relays this information to motor control areas.

    Secondary Motor Cortex

    • Receives information from higher-level areas (e.g., association cortex).
    • Involved in pre-programmed movements determined via instructions from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Includes parts like supplementary motor area and pre-motor cortex

    Primary Motor Cortex

    • An area where many sensory signals converge to initiate instructions sent to the muscles.

    Cerebellum and Basal Ganglia

    • Cerebellum: Contains many neurons (involved in motor learning and coordination).
    • Receives information from the primary and supplementary motor cortices and somatosensory System.
    • Basal Ganglia: Facilitates and inhibits movements.

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    Physiological Psychology 2024 PDF

    Description

    This quiz explores the fundamentals of biopsychology, focusing on the biological aspects of behavior and brain function. Topics include physiological psychology, the development of behavior, and the impact of biological factors on mental processes. Perfect for students learning about the intersection of biology and psychology.

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