Biological structures A level Biological psychology Starter Rita

Biological structures A level: Biological psychology

Starter Rita and Holly are identical twins who were separated at birth. When they finally met each other at the age of 35, they were surprised at how different their personalities were. Rita is much more social and out-going than Holly. Use your knowledge of genotypes and phenotypes to explain this difference in their personalities (4 marks)

Mark scheme • Holly and Rita have identical genotype as they are MZ twins. • They have the predisposition to develop the same personalities as each other unless another factor(s) intervenes. • For them to have developed different personalities over time, this must have been influenced by being in different environments. • Their phenotypes – personalities achieved – are different, presumably because Rita was encouraged to be sociable and lively and Holly was not.

What we need to know 1. Biological Structures • Division of Nervous system • Function of Endocrine system • Fight or Flight • The Role of adrenalin 2. Neurotransmitters • Structure and function of sensory relay and motor neurons • Process of synaptic transmission (neurotransmitters)

Activity: Where on the body? • Get into pairs. • Person A closes their eyes. • Person B has to touch Person A gently in different areas of the body. • Person A has to identify which part of their body was being touched. Question: How do you know which area was being touched when nothing was said?

The Brain: facts • The average adult brain weighs about 3 pounds (13001400 grams) • Like snowflakes, no two human brains are exactly alike, although they do have common structures and configurations. • The brain is made up of many different structures. • the cerebrum (top part of the brain) is divided in two hemispheres (hemisphere means ‘half a circle’ in latin) • The left hemisphere and the right hemisphere • There are 4 lobes (frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital) each with their own function.

• The left hemisphere in most people, is dominant for language, speech, writing, mathematics, and logical reasoning. • The right hemisphere is dominant for music, spatial awareness, art, intuitive thought, and imagination. A bridge-shaped band of nerve fibers called the corpus callosum (which means ‘body of hardness’ in Latin) connects the two hemispheres. • There are millions of nerve fibers in the adult human corpus callosum that send messages back and forth between the hemispheres. • The nerve fibers in the corpus callosum allow the hemispheres to communicate with each other. • Since the two hemispheres have different and complementary functions, it is important for them to communicate for optimal mental performance.

Brain APP Find the following on the App and provide an overview of its role • Occipital • Temporal lobe • Parietal lobe. • Frontal lobe

The cortex is divided into four different lobes • Occipital lobe is primarily to do with the function of vision and is often referred to as the visual cortex. • Temporal lobe is primarily to do with the function of hearing and is often referred to as the auditory cortex. • Parietal lobe processes sensations from the skin and different muscles throughout the body. • Frontal lobe is concerned with higher thought processes such as reasoning and abstract thinking.

The Brain can affect Behaviour • Phineas Gage: hard to evidence that the brain plays a part in behaviour without case studies of individuals who have suffered a brain injury. • Phineas Gage suffered an accident where a large rod was blasted through his skull and brain. • He survived this ordeal but it was reported that his behaviour changed after the event. He became antisocial and ill-mannered. • His friends said “Gage was no longer Gage. ”

Activity 1 • Complete Activity 1 on the worksheet • Extension: For the individual that finishes first: create a cut of the brain and label. • Create spinal cord and place on the outline to represent the central nervous system.

Nervous system Provides the biological basis of psychological experience All our thoughts, movements, sensations and emotions are controlled by the nervous system. Central Nervous system: Brain and spinal cord Peripheral nervous system: Transmits information to and from the central nervous system

Central nervous system Concerned with all life functions and psychological processes • Consists of the brain and the spinal cord • Pivotal in transferring messages to and from their environment. • Centre at which all the physiology of the individual is controlled • The Central Nervous System (CNS) is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. The vertebrae of the spine encase and protect the soft neural tissue of the spinal cord, just like the skull protects the brain. Biological psychologists look to the brain for behaviour as most actions and reactions are generated from the CNS

Peripheral nervous system Transmits information to and from the central nervous system The motor and sensory nerves running throughout the body make up the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS). The PNS sends message to and from the CNS. The CNS controls the body by sending messages that flow through the motor nerves to control muscles. Sensory nerves relay messages about touch, pressure, temperature, pain, sound, vision, smell, and taste to the CNS. Thus, motor nerve messages travel from the CNS out to the muscles in the body and sensory nerve messages travel from nerve endings in the body back in to the CNS.

Divisions of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) • Two major divisions: – somatic nervous system – autonomic nervous system

Somatic nervous system • Interacts with the external environment • Conducts sensory signals to the CNS from external sensory receptors, e. g. from: – – eyes ears touch receptors in the skin sensory receptors in joints and skeletal muscles • It conducts motor signals from the CNS to skeletal muscles

Autonomic nervous system • Participates in the regulation of the body’s internal environment. • Conducts signals from sensory receptors in internal organs, e. g. – liver – Stomach to the CNS

Activity 2 • Using two different coloured pens, draw and label on the diagram the motor and sensory pathways of the peripheral nervous system. • Extension: On the human outline use two coloured pens, representing the motor and sensory nerves, to create motor and sensory pathways of the peripheral nervous system.

Activity 3 The Endocrine System Read page 115 of the Green haired girl book Make notes on the Endocrine system Complete the handout questions

The nervous system Activity 4 The peripheral nervous system The central nervous system Somatic nervous system Transmits information to and from senses and to and from central nervous system Autonomic nervous system Transmits information to and from internal organs to sustain life processes Sympathetic nervous system Generally increases bodily activities Spinal cord Receives and transmits information to and from the brain Brain Maintains life, involved in higher functions and psychological processes Parasympathetic nervous system Generally maintains or decreases bodily activities

Inside the Brain - Neurons

Neuron (nerve cell) • These neurons carry signals electrically along their axon and chemically across a synapse. • A synapse is a gap between two neurons. • Neurons never touch so to communicate they send chemicals across the synapse and these are picked up by the other neuron.

Activity: create a neuron • Hold out your arm and spread your fingers. Your hand represents the "cell body" (also called the "soma”) • Your fingers represent "dendrites" bringing information to the cell body. • Your arm represents the "axon" taking information away from the cell body. • Your jumper/shirt represents the myelin sheath that facilitates the transmission of nerve impulses

Activity 5 Label the diagram and state what each part of the neuron does.

Answers • Synapses: Send electrical impulses to neighbouring neurons. • Myelin sheaths: Cover the axon and work like insulation to help keep electrical signals inside the cell, which allows them to move more quickly. • Axon: Transfers electrical impulse signals from the cell body to the synapse. • Soma: The cell body which contains most of the cell’s organelles • Nucleus: Contains the cell’s DNA • Dendrites: Receive electrical impulses from neighbouring neurons.

The Firing of a neuron and Synapse Neuron sending the chemical signal Chemicals being released into the synapse Neuron picking up the chemical signal Using the whiteboards explain what is happening in this diagram

Watch the video • Complete activity 6 • Label the synaptic transmission diagram • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Whow. H 0 kb 7 n 0 Extn- Check the diagram

Plenary: quiz • Get into teams of 4/5 • Choose a team name (has to be biological related) • First team to shout their team name gets to answer the question • 10 questions