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Psychology (2) > 1.1 Biopsychology > Flashcards

1.1 Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the nervous system?

A

A specialized network of cells in the human body that act as our primary internal communication system

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2
Q

What are the 2 subsystems of the nervous system?

A
  • Central nervous system (CNS)
  • Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
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3
Q

What are the 2 main functions of the nervous system?

A
  • To collect, process and respond to information in the environment
  • To co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body
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4
Q

What is the central nervous system (CNS)?

A

Consists of the brain and the spinal cord and is the origin of all complex commands and decisions

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5
Q

What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?

A

Sends information to the CNS from the environment, and transmits messages from the CNS to muscles and glands in the body

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6
Q

What are the 2 subdivisions of the PNS?

A
  • Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
  • Somatic nervous system (SNS)
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7
Q

What is the role of the somatic nervous system (SNS)?

A

Governs muscle movement and receives information from sensory receptors

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8
Q

What is the role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS)?

A

Governs vital functions in the body such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal and stress responses

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9
Q

What is the endocrine system?

A

The body’s major information system that works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions in the body

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10
Q

Name the 8 main glands in the endocrine system

A
  • Hypothalamus
  • Pituitary
  • Thyroid
  • Parathyroid
  • Adrenals
  • Pancreas
  • Ovaries
    -Testes
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11
Q

What is the role of the pituitary gland and where is it located?

A
  • Located in the brain
  • Controls the release of hormones from all other endocrine glands in the body (‘master gland’)
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12
Q

What is the role of the thyroid gland?

A

Releases thyroxine which affects cells in the heart (increases heart rate) and throughout the body (increases metabolic rates), therefore affects growth rates

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13
Q

Describe how the endocrine system and ANS work together

A
  • When a stressor is perceived, the hypothalamus activates the pituitary gland triggering activity in the sympathetic branch of the ANS
  • ANS changes from its normal parasympathetic state to its psychologically aroused state sympathetic
  • ‘Fight or flight’ is triggered
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14
Q

What is the difference between the parasympathetic state and the sympathetic state?

A
  • Parasympathetic is the body’s normal state when it is relaxed, resting or feeding
  • Sympathetic is a state of physiological arousal, preparing the body for fight or flight
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15
Q

What is adrenaline and its purpose?

A
  • A stress hormone (released from the adrenal medulla)
  • Triggers physiological changes in the body e.g heart rate creating the arousal necessary for fight or flight
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16
Q

What is a gland?

A

An organ in the body that synthesises substances such a as hormones

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17
Q

What is a hormone?

A

Chemical messengers released from endocrine glands that circulate the blood but only affect target organs

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18
Q

What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Returns the body to its natural resting state, acting as a brake and reducing the activities of the body that were increased by the sympathetic branch (reset and digest response)

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19
Q

What are 3 features of the parasympathetic state?

A
  • Decreases heart and breathing rate
  • Stimulates digestion
  • Constricts pupils
20
Q

What are 3 features of the sympathetic state?

A
  • Increased heart and breathing rate
  • Inhibits digestion
  • Dilates pupils
21
Q

How does the PNS transmit messages?

A

Via millions of neurons

22
Q

What is the main difference between the nervous system and endocrine system

A

- Nervous system: based on electrical and chemical signals
- Endocrine system: based on hormones

23
Q

What is the function of the spinal cord?

A

An extension of the brain. Passes messages to and from the brain and connects nerves to PNS

24
Q

What is the outer layer of the brain called?

A

Cerebral cortex (only 3mm thick)

25
Q

Describe the role of the endocrine system

A

Instructs glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream. These hormones are carried towards target organs in the body.

26
Q

What are neurons?

A

Nerve cells that process and transmits messages through electrical and chemical signals

27
Q

What are the 3 types of neurons?

A
  • Sensory neuron
  • Relay neuron
  • Motor neuron
28
Q

State the 2 ways neurons transmit signals?

A
  • Signals within neurons transmitted electrically
  • Signals between neurons transmitted chemically
29
Q

Describe the features of a sensory neuron, its role and where its located?

A
  • Long dendrites and short axons
  • Carry messages from the PNS to the CNS
  • Located in receptors such as eyes and ears
30
Q

Describe the features of a relay neuron, its role and where its located?

A
  • Short dendrites and short axons
  • Connect the sensory neurons to the motor and other neurons
  • Located in the brain and spinal cord
31
Q

Describe the features of a motor neuron, its role and where its located?

A
  • Short dendrites and long axons
  • Connects the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands
  • Located in the CNS
32
Q

Name the features of a neuron

A
  • Cell body: Includes a nucleus, genetic material
  • Dendrites: branch-like structures that protrude from the cell body
  • Axon
  • Nodes of Ranvier
  • Terminal buttons
33
Q

What is the role of dendrites?

A

To carry nerve impulses from neighbouring neurons towards the cell body

34
Q

What is the purpose of a myelin sheath?

A

Protects the axon and speeds up electrical transmission of the impulse

35
Q

What is the role of the axon?

A

Carries impulses away from the cell body down the length of the neuron

36
Q

What is the role of the nodes of Ranvier?

A

Speed up the transmission of the impulse by forcing it to ‘jump’ across the gaps along the axon

37
Q

What is the role of terminal buttons?

A

Communicate with the next neuron in the chain across the synapse

38
Q

Describe the process of electrical transmission

A
  • When the inside of the cell is negatively charged compared to the outside (as the neuron is in its resting state)
  • When the neuron is activated by a stimulus, it becomes positively charged causing action potential to occur
  • Creates an electrical impulse that travels towards the end of the neuron
39
Q

What is synaptic transmission?

A

The process by which neighbouring neurons communicate with each other by sending chemical messages across the synapse

40
Q

What is a neurotransmitter?

A

Chemicals that diffuse across the synapse, allowing neurons in the body to communicate with each other

41
Q

What is excitation and what does it lead to?

A
  • When a neurotransmitter increases the positive charge of the postsynaptic neuron
  • Increases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will pass on the electrical impulse
42
Q

What is inhibition and what does it lead to?

A
  • When a neurotransmitter increases the negative charge of the postsynaptic neuron
  • Decreases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will pass on the electrical impulse
43
Q

What happens when an electrical impulse reaches the end of a neuron?

A

It triggers the release of the neurotransmitter from tiny sacks called synaptic vesicles

44
Q

Describe the process of summation

A
  • The excitatory and inhibitory influences are summed, the net effect affects the likelihood of what occurs
  • The action potential is only triggered if the sum of excitatory or inhibitory signals at any one time reaches the threshold
45
Q

Describe the process of synaptic transmission

A
  • When an electrical impulse arrives on the presynaptic neuron, neurotransmitters are released from synaptic vesicles
  • The neurotransmitters diffuse across the synaptic cleft and bind to the postsynaptic receptor sites
  • The chemical message is converted into an electrical impulse and the process begins again

Psychology (2) (12 decks)

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