A Level Psychology Biopsychology Notes

24 pages of detailed notes covering the whole of the biopsychology topic (aimed at AQA)

Includes the following:

The divisions of the nervous system: central and peripheral (somatic and autonomic).

The structure and function of sensory, relay and motor neurons. The process of synaptic
transmission, including reference to neurotransmitters, excitation and inhibition.

The function of the endocrine system: glands and hormones.

The fight or flight response including the role of adrenaline.

Localisation of function in the brain and hemispheric lateralisation: motor, somatosensory,
visual, auditory and language centres; Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas, split brain research.
Plasticity and functional recovery of the brain after trauma.

Ways of studying the brain: scanning techniques, including functional magnetic resonance
imaging (fMRI); electroencephalogram (EEGs) and event-related potentials (ERPs); postmortem examinations.

Biological rhythms: circadian, infradian and ultradian and the difference between these
rhythms. The effect of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers on the sleep/
wake cycle.

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