6. Biopsychology Flashcards
What are the parts of the nervous system?
- CNS
- Brain
- Spinal cord
- Peripheral nervous system
- Somatic nervous system
- Autonomic nervous system
- Sympathetic nervous system
- Parasympathetic nervous system
What is the nervous system?
- Network of nerve cells and fibres
- Helps all parts of the body communicate with each other
What is the peripheral nervous system?
The part of the nervous system that is outside of the brain and spinal cord
What makes up the CNS?
- Brain
- Spinal chord
What is the role of the brain?
The part of the CNS responsible for coordinating sensation, intellectual and nervous activity
What is the role of the Somatic Nervous System?
Responsible for carrying sensory/ motor neurons/ info to/from the CNS
What is the role of the Autonomic Nervous System?
Governs the brains involuntary activities (e.g. heartbeat, stress) and is self-regulating
What is the role of the Sympathetic Nervous System?
Involved in responses that help us deal with emergencies (fight or flight)
What is the role of the Parasympathetic Nervous System?
Calms the body after an emergency state. Involved in energy conservation + digestion
Can the Sympathetic Nervous System and the Parasympathetic Nervous System work at the same time?
No as they are opposites responses to each other, therefore they cannot work at the same time
What does the Amygdala do?
Brain region processing fear/pain
What does CRF do?
Starts production of cortisol
What does the hypothalamus do?
Brain region controlling homeostasis
What does the pituitary gland do?
“master gland”
controls other glands
What does ACTH do?
Starts production of adrenaline
What does the adrenal medulla do?
Produces (nor)adrenaline
What does the adrenal cortex do?
Produces cortisol
What does CFR stand for?
Corticotropin releasing factor
What does ACTH stand for?
Adrenocorticotropic hormone
What does the fight or flight response show?
How psychological + physiological factors are linked
Does modern psychology separate psychological and physiological factors?
No
What happens in the body when cortisol levels are high?
- Fewer T-helper lymphocytes are produced
- More pro-inflammatory cytokines are produced
Because the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems cannot run together, what are they considered?
Antagonistic
What are the 3 stages in the brain during the fight or flight response?
Amygdala –> Hypothalamus –> Pituitary gland
State the acute fight or flight response.
Brain (Amygdala –> Hypothalamus –> Pituitary gland) –> ACTH –> Medulla –> Adrenaline
During the acute fight or flight response, what takes place in the adrenal glands?
ACTH –> Medulla –> Adrenaline
State the Chronic fight or flight response
Brain (Amygdala –> Hypothalamus –> Pituitary gland) –> CRF –> Cortex –> Cortisol (parasympathetic)
What is the Chronic fight or flight response considered?
Feedback
Increased heart rate is an example of which division of the autonomic nervous system?
Sympathetic
Which nervous system connects to the CNS and the senses?
The somatic nervous system
What types of matter are there in the brain?
White and Grey matter
What are the 3 types of neuron?
- -> sensory
- -> relay
- -> motor
What are neurons considered
The “cables of the body”
What do neurons carry?
Electrical impulses
What receives the electrical impulses from the neurons?
Terminals and the dendrites
Which neuron carries info to the nucleus?
Sensory
Which neuron carries info away form the nucleus?
Motor
What is the site where communication between neurons happens called?
Synapse
What is translated at the synapse?
Electrical messages called action potential are translated into chemical messages called neurotransmitters
What happens at the synapse (6 stages)?
- Action potential or neurotransmitters arrives at terminal from axon
- NT is packaged in vesicles
- Vesicles fuse with cell membrane
- NT diffuses across synaptic gap
- NT binds to receptors
- Surplus NT is broken down or recycled by retakup channels
What is the first thing that happens at the synapse?
- Action potential or neurotransmitters arrives at terminal from axon
What is the second thing that happens at the synapse?
- NT is packaged in vesicles
What is the third thing that happens at the synapse?
- Vesicles fuse with cell membrane
What is the fourth thing that happens at the synapse?
- NT diffuses across synaptic gap
What is the fifth thing that happens at the synapse?
- NT binds to receptors
What is the last thing that happens at the synapse?
- Surplus NT is broken down or recycled by retakup channels
What does EPSP stand for?
Excitatory Postsynaptic Potential
What does IPSP stand for?
Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential
What are the two types of messages that hormones can carry?
Excitatory or Inhibitory
What is an example of an EPSP?
Adrenaline
What is an example of a IPSP?
GABA
The message passed on after the synapse is called a …..
“postsynaptic potential”
What is summation?
Where signals are added up, most powerful signal wins
What are the two types of summation?
Temporal or Spatial
What is temporal summation?
Very quick firing of one presynaptic neuron
What is spatial summation?
Lots of small signals happening at different synapses
What charge do cells have?
Negative
What is the main function of the spinal cord?
To relay info between the brain and the rest of the body
What does the spinal cord allow the brain to do?
To monitor and regulate bodily processes i.e. digestion, breathing and to coordinate voluntary movements
How is the spinal cord connected to the body?
By spinal nerves, which connect with specific muscles and glands
Spinal nerves which branch from the thoracic region of the spinal cord carry messages to and from where?
The chest and parts of the abdomen
What does the spinal cord contain that allows simple reflexes?
Circuits of nerve cells
What do the circuits of nerve cells in the spinal chords allow?
To perform simple reflexes without direct involvement of the brain - i.e. pulling your hand away from something hot
What happens if the spinal cord is damaged?
Areas supplied by spinal nerves below the damaged site will be cut off from the brain and will stop functioning
What are the 4 main of the areas of the brain?
- Cerebrum
- Cerebellum
- Diencephalon
- Brain stem
Which part of the brain is the largest?
The Cerebrum
What are the 4 parts which the Cerebrum is divided into?
- Frontal lobe
- Occipital lobe
- 2 Cerebral hemispheres
How do the two Cerebral hemispheres communicate?
Through the corpus callosum
What is the role of the Frontal lobe?
Thought and the production of speech
What is the role of the Occipital lobe?
The processing of visual images
What is the role of the two two Cerebral hemispheres?
Each hemisphere is specialised for particular behaviours and they are connected by the Corpus Callosum
Where is the Cerebellum positioned in the brain?
It sits beneath the back of the Cerebrum
What is the role of the Cerebellum?
Controlling a person’s motor skills and balance, coordinating the muscles to allow precise movements
What can abnormalities in the Cerebellum result in?
A number of problems:
- Speech and motor problems
- Epilepsy
Where is the Diencephalon positioned in the brain?
It lies beneath the Cerebrum and on top of the brain stem
What are the two structures within the Diencephalon?
The thalamus and hypothalamus
What is the role of the thalamus?
Acts as a relay station for nerve impulses coming from the senses - it routes them to the correct part of the brain where they can be processed
What is the role of the hypothalamus?
- Regulation of body temp, hunger and thirst
- Link between the endocrine and nervous systems –> controlling the release of hormones from the pituitary gland
What is the role of the Brain stem?
Responsible for regulating the automatic functions that are essential for life:
- Breathing
- Heartbeat
- Swallowing
What passes through the Brain stem?
Motor and sensory neurons, allowing impulses to pass between the brain and spinal chord
All the nerves outside the CNS make up the ___a___
Peripheral nervous system
What is the function of the Peripheral nervous system?
To relay nerve impulses from the CNS to the rest of the body and from the body back to the CNS
What are the two main divisions of the Peripheral nervous system?
- Somatic nervous system
- Autonomic nervous system
What is the Somatic made up of?
12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves
These both have sensory and motor neurons
Where do sensory neurons relay messages to?
The CNS
Where do motor neurons relay messages to?
From the CNS to other areas of the body
Which other system is also involved in reflex actions?
The somatic systems - this allows the reflex to happen very quickly
Is the autonomic nervous system voluntary or involuntary?
Involuntary
What is the autonomic nervous system?
Governs brains involuntary activities and is self-regulating
It is divided into they sympathetic branch and the parasympathetic branch
What is the brain?
The part of the central nervous system that is responsible for coordinating sensation, intellectual and nervous activity
What is the central nervous system?
Comprises of the brain and spinal cord
It receives info from the senses and controls the body’s responses
What is the peripheral nervous system?
The part of the nervous system that is outside the brain and the spinal cord
What is the somatic nervous system?
The part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for carrying sensory & motor info to and from the CNS
What is the spinal cord?
A bundle of nerve fibres enclosed within the spinal column & which connects nearly all parts of the body with the brain
Why is the autonomic nervous system necessary?
Vital bodily functions such as heartbeat & digestion would not work so efficiently if you had to think about them
What are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system?
- Sympathetic nervous system
- Parasympathetic nervous system
Which neurotransmitter does the sympathetic nervous system use?
Noradrenaline - it has stimulating effects
Which neurotransmitter does the parasympathetic nervous system use?
Acetylcholine - it has inhibiting effects
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
It is primarily involved in responses that help us to deal with emergencies
GIve some examples of what the sympathetic nervous system changes?
- Increases HR
- Blood pressure
- Dilating blood vessels in the muscles
Where do neurons from the sympathetic nervous system travel to?
Virtually every organ and gland in the body
This prepares the body for the rapid action necessary when the individual is under threat
Which bodily processes does the SNS cause?
- Release stored energy
- Pupils to dilate
- Hair to stand on end
Which bodily processes does the SNS slow?
.Less important ones in emergencies such as:
- Digestion
- Urination
What does the Parasympathetic Nervous System do?
It relaxes the nervous system once the emergency has passed
What does the Parasympathetic Nervous System change in the body?
- Slows the heartbeat
- Reduces blood pressure
- Digestion begins
What is the parasympathetic nervous system also referred to as?
The body’s rest and digest system
What are motor neurons?
Form synapses with muscles & control their contractions
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemical substances that play an important part in the working of the nervous system by transmitting nerve impulses across a synapse
What are relay neurons?
These neurons are the most common in the CNS
They allow sensory & motor neurons to communicate with each other
What are sensory neurons?
Carry nerve impulses from sensory receptors to the spinal cord & brain
What is a synapse?
The conjunction of the end of the axon of one neuron and the dendrite or cell body of another
What is synaptic transmission?
Refers to the process by which a nerve impulse passes across the synaptic cleft from one neuron to another
What is most of the bain made up of?
cells called glial cells and astrocytes
On average, how many neurons are in the average human brain?
100 billion
On avg. each neuron is connected to 1,000 others
What are neurons?
They are cells that are specialised to carry neural info throughout the body
What do neurons typically consist of?
- A cell body
- Dendrites
- Axon
What do dendrites do?
They are at one end of the neuron & receive signals from other neurons or from sensory receptors
Where are dendrites located?
They are connected to the cell body, the control centre of the neuron
What is the layer that forms around the axon of a neuron?
Myelin sheath
It is found in nerves in the brain + spinal cord
What does the myelin sheath allow?
It allows nerve impulses to transmit more rapidly along the axon
What happens if the myelin sheath is damaged?
The impulses transmitted along the axon slow down
What is the range in length of a neuron?
It can vary from a few millimetres up to one metre
Where are sensory receptors found?
- Eyes
- Ears
- Tongue
- Skin
What do sensory neurons do to the info they receive from sensory receptors?
The sensory neurons convert the info into neural impulses
What is the fight-or-flight response?
A sequence of activity within the body that is triggered when the body prepares itself for defending or attacking (fight) or running away to safety (flight)
This involves changes in the nerous system & the secretion of hormones that are necessary to sustain arousal
What is the HPA axis?
Describes the sequence of bodily activity in response to stress that involves the hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal cortex
What are the components of the fight-or-flight response?
- Amygdala, hypothalamus & pituitary gland
- The SNS and PNS
- Adrenal medulla, adrenal cortex
- Feedback system
What does the amygdala do in the fight-or-flight response?
Associates sensory signals with emotions such as anger or fear and sends a ‘distress signal’ to the hypothalamus
What does the hypothalamus do in the fight-or-flight response?
In response to the continued threat, releases CRH into the bloodstream
What does the pituitary gland do in the fight-or-flight response?
Releases ACTH into the bloodstream, and from there to its target sites
Draw the fight-or-flight response on some paper
Check if its correct
What does the SNS do in the fight-or-flight response?
Prepares the body for the rapid action associated with fight or flight
What does the PNS do in the fight-or-flight response?
It dampens down the stress response once the threat has passed
What does the adrenal medulla do in the fight-or-flight response?
Releases adrenaline into the bloodstream, causing physiological changes such as increased heart rate and release of blood sugar
What does the adrenal cortex do in the fight-or-flight response?
Releases stress hormones, including cortisol, in response to stress
What does the feedback system do in the fight-or-flight response?
Cortisol levels are monitored so that CRH & ACTH production is inhibited if cortisol is too high
What does EEG stand for?
Electroencephalogram
What is an EEG?
A method of recording changes in the electrical activity of the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp
What does ERP stand for?
Event-related potential
What is an ERP?
A technique that takes raw EEG data & uses it to investigate cognititve processing of a specific event
It achieves this by taking multiple readings & averaging them in order to filter out all brain activity that is not related to the apperance of the stimulus
What does fMRI?
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
What is an fMRI?
A technique for measuring brain activity
Works by detecting changes in blood oxygenation & flow that indicate increased neural activity
What is a post-mortem examination?
Ways of examining the brains of people who have shown particular psychological abnormalities prior to death in an attempt to establish possibe neurobiological cause for this behaviour
What is “magnetic resonance”?
Different radio wave frequencies affected different atoms
How did chemists discover they could track activity in the brain?
Noticed that atoms behaved diiferently in strong magnetic fields
Combined magnetic field with pulses of radio waves caused atoms (e.g. hydrogen) to “flip”
This is called magneice resonance
How does an fMRI work?
- Ppt performs task in electromagnet tunnel
- Magnetic field aligns hydrogen nuclei (abundant in blood)
- Radio pulse “flips” nuclei, when they re-align, they release energy
- Energy differences mapped using a coil
- Then mapped onto a computer-generated fram to produce images
What is the mapping technique used in fMRI’s called?
Called BOLD
Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent activity
