Edexcel GCSE Psychology (1PS0) · Topic 4 · The brain and neuropsychology
Mini-Lesson
The Brain and Neuropsychology
This mini-lesson covers the Edexcel The Brain and Neuropsychology topic: neurons and synaptic transmission, the central and autonomic nervous systems, the fight-or-flight response, key brain structures, and Penfield's study of the interpretive cortex.
Work through each screen, answer the questions as you go and collect ⭐ stars. Every fact here is anchored to a named study or theory on the Edexcel GCSE Psychology (1PS0) The Brain and Neuropsychology topic. Press Start when you're ready.
Brain · nervous system
The nervous system
The nervous system carries information as electrical impulses:
Central nervous system (CNS) — the brain and spinal cord.
Autonomic nervous system (ANS) — controls automatic functions like heart rate. It has a sympathetic branch (arousal) and a parasympathetic branch (rest and digest).
Quick check
Parts of the nervous system
?The brain and spinal cord together form which part of the nervous system?
Brain · neurons
Neurons & synaptic transmission
Neurons (sensory, relay and motor) carry electrical impulses.
A signal travels electrically along a neuron.
At the synapse (the gap between neurons) the signal is passed chemically by neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters cross the gap and bind to the next neuron; leftover chemical is taken back in by reuptake.
Quick check
Across the synapse
?How does a signal cross the synapse from one neuron to the next?
Brain · fight or flight
The fight-or-flight response
When we perceive a threat the autonomic nervous system triggers fight or flight:
The sympathetic branch activates; adrenal glands release adrenaline.
Heart rate and breathing speed up and the body prepares for action.
Afterwards the parasympathetic branch calms the body back down.
Sort it
Sort the brain and nervous-system terms
Tap a term, then tap the group it belongs to.
🧠 Part of the CNS
⚡ A type of neuron
🌀 A brain region
Quick check
Fight or flight
?Which hormone is released during the fight-or-flight response?
Brain · structures
Key brain structures
Different brain regions have different roles:
Cerebral cortex — thinking, language and higher functions.
Cerebellum — movement, balance and coordination.
Frontal lobe — planning and decision-making; occipital lobe — vision; temporal lobe — hearing and memory.
Brain · Penfield
Penfield's study of the interpretive cortex
Penfield stimulated the brains of conscious epilepsy patients during surgery with a mild electrical probe:
Stimulating the temporal lobe made patients relive vivid memories, sounds and feelings.
This showed that specific brain areas store and interpret experience.
Evaluation: very detailed data from awake patients, but the sample (people with epilepsy) may limit how far it generalises.
Match it
Match the neuroscience idea
Tap a description on the left, then its matching term on the right.
Statement
Answer
Quick check
Penfield's finding
?When Penfield stimulated the temporal lobe of conscious patients, they typically:
Brain · localisation
Localisation of function
Different brain areas handle different jobs:
Frontal lobe — planning and decisions.
Occipital lobe — vision.
Temporal lobe — hearing and memory (Penfield's interpretive cortex).
Brain · plasticity
Neuroplasticity
The brain can change with experience:
Repeated use strengthens neural connections.
After injury, other regions can sometimes take over.
Plasticity underlies learning and recovery.
Recap
The big ideas to know
Nervous system: CNS (brain + spinal cord) + ANS (sympathetic/parasympathetic)
Neurons: electrical within; chemical (neurotransmitters) across the synapse; reuptake
Fight or flight: sympathetic branch + adrenaline; parasympathetic calms down