Psychology2,072 views·Updated Jun 15, 2026·3 pages

AQA A-Level Biopsychology Mind Map Overview

Ly@caelestisilva

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Your nervous system is basically your body's electrical wiring and...

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# The Nervous System PNS = transmits messages
via millions of neurons
to and from the CNS

CNS
PNS

Brain Spinal Somatic
cord Nervous
System

The Nervous System and Fight or Flight Response

Think of your nervous system as having two main parts: the CNS (central nervous system) which includes your brain and spinal cord, and the PNS (peripheral nervous system) that carries messages everywhere else. The PNS splits into two branches - one controls voluntary movements like picking up your phone, whilst the other handles automatic functions like breathing.

The autonomic nervous system has two opposing teams: the sympathetic nervous system (your "fight or flight" mode) and the parasympathetic nervous system (your "rest and digest" mode). When you're stressed, your sympathetic system kicks in through the SAM pathway - your amygdala spots danger, tells your hypothalamus, which then triggers your adrenal glands to pump out adrenaline.

During fight or flight, your body becomes a survival machine. Your heart pounds faster, breathing quickens, muscles tense up, and pupils dilate - all so you can either face the threat or leg it. Non-essential systems like digestion get put on hold because who needs to worry about lunch when there's danger about?

Quick Tip: Remember that acute stress $short-term pressure$ can actually help you focus and perform better, but chronic stress $long-term pressure$ is when things get problematic for your health.

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Brain Structure and Research Methods

Your brain isn't just one blob - it's organised into specialised areas that handle different jobs. The motor cortex controls voluntary movement, whilst the somatosensory cortex processes touch sensations. Broca's area handles speech production (damage here makes speaking difficult), and Wernicke's area deals with understanding language (damage creates word salad speech that makes no sense).

Brain plasticity is your brain's superpower - its ability to rewire and adapt throughout your life. During infancy, you've got about 15,000 neural connections per neuron (double what adults have), but through synaptic pruning, unused connections get deleted whilst important ones get strengthened. After brain injury, functional recovery can occur through neuronal unmasking, axon sprouting, and functional compensation.

Researchers study brains using different techniques. Post-mortems examine dead brains to spot abnormalities, whilst fMRI scans show brain activity in real-time by detecting blood flow changes. EEGs measure general brain electrical activity, and ERPs look at brain responses to specific stimuli.

Remember: fMRI has great spatial resolution (shows exactly where activity occurs) but poor temporal resolution (slow to detect changes), whilst EEG and ERPs have excellent temporal resolution but rubbish spatial resolution.

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Biological Rhythms and Sleep

Your body runs on biological clocks called circadian rhythms $roughly 24-hour cycles$ , ultradian rhythms (less than 24 hours), and infradian rhythms (more than 24 hours). The SCN (suprachiasmatic nucleus) in your hypothalamus acts as your master clock, controlling when you feel sleepy or alert.

Sleep happens in cycles with five distinct stages. You start awake with beta waves, then drift into light sleep (N1 with theta waves), deeper into N2 $with sleep spindles and K-complexes$ , then into deep N3 sleep with slow delta waves where your body repairs itself. Finally, REM sleep brings vivid dreams and rapid eye movements whilst your brain buzzes with activity.

Your sleep-wake cycle gets controlled by internal endogenous pacemakers like the SCN and external exogenous zeitgebers like light. The pineal gland releases melatonin when it's dark (making you sleepy), whilst adrenal glands pump out cortisol to wake you up. The raphe nuclei produce serotonin - less serotonin kicks off REM sleep, more serotonin promotes waking.

Top Tip: Light is the most powerful zeitgeber - it suppresses melatonin production, which is why scrolling your phone before bed can mess up your sleep cycle!

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Psychology2,072 views·Updated Jun 15, 2026·3 pages

AQA A-Level Biopsychology Mind Map Overview

Ly@caelestisilva

Add to Google sources

Your nervous system is basically your body's electrical wiring and chemical messaging service rolled into one incredibly sophisticated network. It controls everything from your heartbeat to your thoughts, working alongside your hormonal system to keep you functioning 24/7.

of 3

The Nervous System and Fight or Flight Response

Quick Tip: Remember that acute stress $short-term pressure$ can actually help you focus and perform better, but chronic stress $long-term pressure$ is when things get problematic for your health.

of 3

Brain Structure and Research Methods

Remember: fMRI has great spatial resolution (shows exactly where activity occurs) but poor temporal resolution (slow to detect changes), whilst EEG and ERPs have excellent temporal resolution but rubbish spatial resolution.

of 3

Biological Rhythms and Sleep

Top Tip: Light is the most powerful zeitgeber - it suppresses melatonin production, which is why scrolling your phone before bed can mess up your sleep cycle!