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AS level Psychology > 6.A1 Biopsychology > Flashcards

6.A1 Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the two divisions of the nervous system?

A
  • central nervous system (CNS)
  • peripheral nervous system (PNS).
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2
Q

What does CNS stand for?

A

Central Nervous system

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3
Q

What are the divisions of the CNS?

A

Spinal cord

Brain

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4
Q

What does PNS stand for?

A

Peripheral nervous system

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5
Q

What are the divisions of the PNS?

A

Somatic Nervous System

Autonomic Nervous System

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6
Q

Which division of the PNS divides further?

A

The Autonomic Nervous System

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7
Q

What are the divisions of the Autonomic Nervous System?

A

Sympathetic Nervous System

Parasympathetic Nervous System

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8
Q

What does the brain do?

A

The brain provides conscious awareness and is involved in all psychological processes.

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9
Q

State the different lobes in the brain

A
  • Frontal lobe
  • Parietal lobe
  • Temporal lobe
  • Occipital lobe.
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10
Q

What does the Frontal Lobe do?

A

Processes visual information

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11
Q

What does the Parietal lobe do?

A

Integrates information from the different senses and therefore plays an important role in spatial navigation

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12
Q

What does the Temporal lobe do?

A

Processes auditory information

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13
Q

Where does the Frontal lobe associate with?

A

Associated with higher order functions including planning, abstract reasoning and logic

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14
Q

Define - Spatial navigation

A

The process by which organisms use multiple cue sources such as path integration, magnetic cues, landmarks, and beacons to determine the route to a goal and then travel that route.

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15
Q

What connects the brain and spinal cord?

A

Brain stem

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16
Q

What does the brain stem do?

A

Connects the brain and spinal cord and controls involuntary processes, including our heartbeat, breathing and consciousness.

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17
Q

What is the role of the spinal cord?

A

To transfer messages to and from the brain, and the rest of the body.

Also responsible for simple reflex actions that do not involve the brain, for example jumping out of your chair if you sit on a drawing pin.

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18
Q

What is the role of the PNS?

A

To relay messages (nerve impulses) from the CNS (brain and spinal cord) to the rest of the body.

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19
Q

What does the somatic nervous system do?

A

Facilitates communication between the CNS and the outside world.

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20
Q

What is the somatic nervous system made up of?

A

Sensory receptors that carry information to the spinal cord and brain and motor pathways that allow the brain to control movement.

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21
Q

What is the role of the somatic nervous system?

A

To carry sensory information from the outside world to the brain and provide muscle responses via the motor pathways.

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22
Q

What does the autonomic nervous system play an important role in?

A

Homeostasis

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23
Q

What does Homeostasis do?

A

Maintains internal processes like body temperature, heart rate and blood pressure.

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24
Q

What does the autonomic nervous system consist of?

A

Motor pathways

Has two components:

  1. the sympathetic nervous system
  2. the parasympathetic nervous system.
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25
Q

What does the sympathetic nervous system involve?

A

Typically involved in responses that prepare the body for fight or flight.

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26
Q

How does the sympathetic nervous system work?

A

Impulses travel from the sympathetic nervous system to organs in the body to help us prepare for action when we are faced with a dangerous situation.

For example, our heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate increase, while less important functions like digestion, salivation and the desire to urinate are suppressed.

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27
Q

What are examples of sympathetic nervous system actions?

A

Our heart rate, blood pressure and breathing rate increase, while less important functions like digestion, salivation and the desire to urinate are suppressed.

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28
Q

SNS or PNS?

Increased Heart Rate

A

SNS

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29
Q

SNS or PNS?

Increased blood pressure

A

SNS

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30
Q

SNS or PNS?

Increased breathing rate

A

SNS

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31
Q

SNS or PNS?

Suppressed Digestion

A

SNS

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32
Q

SNS or PNS?

Suppressed salivation

A

SNS

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33
Q

SNS or PNS?

A suppressed desire of urination

A

SNS

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34
Q

What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Return us to our ‘normal’ resting state.

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35
Q

SNS or PNS?

Slowed heart rate

A

PNS

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36
Q

SNS or PNS?

Slowed Breathing rate

A

PNS

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37
Q

SNS or PNS?

Reduced blood pressure

A

PNS

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38
Q

What are the similarities between the brain and spinal cord?

A

The brain stem and spinal cord both control involuntary processes

(e.g. the brain stem controls breathing and the spinal cord controls involuntary reflexes).

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39
Q

What are the similarities between the somatic/ autonomic and sympathetic / parasympathetic?

A

The sympathetic nervous system (part of the autonomic nervous system) and the somatic nervous system respond to external stimuli.

The sympathetic nervous system responds to external stimuli by preparing the body for fight or flight and the somatic nervous system responds to external stimuli (by carrying information from sensory receptors to the spinal cord and brain).

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40
Q

What are the differences between the somatic/ autonomic and sympathetic / parasympathetic?

A
  1. The autonomic nervous system consists of two sub components, whereas the somatic nervous system only has one.
  2. The somatic nervous system has sensory and motor pathways, whereas the autonomic nervous system only has motor pathways.
  3. The autonomic nervous system controls internal organs and glands, while the somatic nervous system controls muscles and movement.
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41
Q

What are the three main types of neurons?

A

Sensory

Relay

Motor

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42
Q

What makes up a sensory neuron?

A

Receptor cell

Myelin sheath

Axon

Cell body

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43
Q

What makes up a relay neuron?

A

Dendrite

Cell body

Axon

Pre-synaptic terminal

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44
Q

What makes up a motor neuron?

A
  • Dendrite
  • Cell body
  • Myelin
  • Axon
  • Neurofibril node (node of Renvier)
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45
Q

Where are sensory neurons found?

A

Found in receptors such as the eyes, ears, tongue and skin, and carry nerve impulses to the spinal cord and brain.

When these nerve impulses reach the brain, they are translated into ‘sensations’, such as vision, hearing, taste and touch.

However, not all sensory neurons reach the brain, as some neurons stop at the spinal cord, allowing for quick reflex actions.

46
Q

Where are relay neurons found?

A

Found between sensory input and motor output/response.

Relay neurons are found in the brain and spinal cord and allow sensory and motor neurons to communicate.

47
Q

Where are motor neurons found?

A

Found in the central nervous system (CNS) and control muscle movements.

When motor neurons are stimulated they release neurotransmitters that bind to the receptors on muscles to trigger a response, which lead to movement.

48
Q

What do dendrites do?

A

receive signals from other neurons or from sensory receptor cells.

49
Q

What are dendrites attached to?

A

typically connected to the cell body, which is often referred to as the ‘control centre’ of the neuron, as it’s contains the nucleus.

50
Q

What is given the name control centre of the neuron?

A

The body cell as it contains the nucleus

51
Q

What is the axon?

A

long slender fibre that carries nerve impulses, in the form of an electrical signal known as action potential, away from the cell body towards the axon terminals, where the neuron ends.

52
Q

Define - action potential

A

Part of the process that occurs during the firing of a neuron. During the action potential, part of the neural membrane opens to allow positively charged ions inside the cell and negatively charged ions out

53
Q

What are most axons surrounded by?

A

A myelin sheath

54
Q

Which neuron’s axon ins’t surrounded by a myelin sheath?

A

Relay neuron

55
Q

What does the myelin sheath do?

A

Insulates the axon so that the electrical impulses travel faster along the axon.

56
Q

What does the axon terminal do?

A

Connects the neuron to other neurons (or directly to organs), using a process called synaptic transmission.

57
Q

How is information passed down the axon of the neuron?

A

As electrical impulses known as action potential.

58
Q

What do excitatory neurotransmitters do?

A

Make the post-synaptic cell more likely to fire

59
Q

What do inhibitory neurotransmitters do?

A

Make them less likely to fire

60
Q

Give an example of an excitatory neurotransmitter

A

Noradrenaline

61
Q

Give an example of an inhibitory neurotransmitter

A

GABA

62
Q

Explain how noradrenaline works

A

If an excitatory neurotransmitter like noradrenaline binds to the post-synaptic receptors it will cause an electrical charge in the cell membrane which results in an excitatory post-synaptic potential (EPSP), which makes the post synaptic cell more likely to fire.

63
Q

Explain how GABA works

A

If an inhibitory neurotransmitter like GABA binds to the post-synaptic receptors it will result in an inhibitory post-synaptic potential (IPSP), which makes the post-synaptic cell less likely to fire.

64
Q

What is a synaptic gap?

A

A gap between the pre-synaptic neuron and post-synaptic neuron

65
Q

What are neurotransmitters ?

A

At the end of the neuron (in the axon terminal) are the synaptic vesicles which contains chemical messengers

66
Q

What is the axon terminal?

A

The end of the neuron

67
Q

What is at the end of the axon terminal?

A

synaptic vesicles

68
Q

What works along side the nervous system?

A

The endocrine system

69
Q

What is the endocrine system?

A

A network of glands across the body that secrete chemical messages called hormones.

Instead of using nerves (sensory and motor neurons) to transmit information, this system uses blood vessels.

Different hormones produce different effects (behaviours).

70
Q

What chemicals do the endocrine systems secrete?

A

Hormones

71
Q

How does the endocrine system transmit information?

A

Using blood vessels

72
Q

State all the glands that make up the endocrine system

A
  • Hypothalamus
  • Pituitary gland
  • Pineal gland
  • Thyroid and parathyroid gland
  • Pancreas
  • Thymus
  • Adrenal glands
  • Ovary (female)
  • Placenta (during pregnancy)
  • Testicle (male)
73
Q

What is connected to the hypothalamus?

A

Pituitary gland

74
Q

What is the hypothalamus responsible for?

A

Stimulating or controlling the release of hormones from the pituitary gland.

It is the control system which regulates the endocrine system.

75
Q

What is another name fro the pituitary gland?

A

Master gland

76
Q

What does the pituitary gland do?

A

The hormones released by the pituitary gland control and stimulate the release of hormones from other glands in the endocrine system.

77
Q

What is the main hormone released by the pineal gland?

A

melatonin

78
Q

What does the hormone melatonin do?

A

responsible for important biological rhythms, including the sleep-wake cycle.

79
Q

What does the thyroid gland release?

A

thyroxine

80
Q

What does thyroxine do?

A

Regulating metabolism.

People who have a fast metabolism typically struggle to put on weight, as metabolism is involved in the chemical process of converting food into energy.

81
Q

What does the adrenal gland divide into?

A
  • adrenal medulla
  • adrenal cortex.
82
Q

What does the adrenal medulla do?

A

releasing adrenaline and noradrenaline, which play a key role in the fight or flight response.

83
Q

What do adrenaline and noradrenaline do?

A

play a key role in the fight or flight response.

84
Q

What does the adrenal cortex do?

A

releases cortisol which stimulates the release of glucose to provide the body with energy while suppressing the immune system.

85
Q

What does cortisol do?

A

stimulates the release of glucose to provide the body with energy while suppressing the immune system.

86
Q

What are the sex organs in a male?

A

Testes

87
Q

What hormone do the testes produce?

A

Androgen - Inc testosterone

88
Q

What is testosterone responsible for?

A

The development of male sex characteristics during puberty while also promoting muscle growth.

89
Q

What is the female sex organ?

A

Ovaries

90
Q

What do the ovaries release?

A

Oestrogen

91
Q

What does oestrogen do?

A

Controls the regulation of the female reproductive system, including the menstrual cycle and pregnancy.

92
Q

What happens is someone enters a potentially stressful situation?

A

amygdala is activated

93
Q

What does amygdala do?

A

Responds to sensory input and connects sensory input with emotions associated with the fight or flight response.

If the situation is deemed as stressful/dangerous, the amygdala sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus,

94
Q

Where is the amygdala a part of?

A

Limbic system

95
Q

What does the hypothalamus do in the fight and flight response?

A

communicates with the body through the sympathetic nervous system.

96
Q

Where does the response go if the fight and flight response requires a short-term response?

A

Sympathomedullary pathway is activated

Triggers the fight or flight response

97
Q

What is the SAM pathway?

A

Sympathomedullary pathway

98
Q

Explain the fight and flight response

LONG

A
  1. A person enters a stressful/dangerous situation.
  2. The amygdala (part of the limbic system) is activated which send a distress signal to the hypothalamus.
  3. The hypothalamus activates the sympathomedullary pathway (SAM pathway) – the pathway running to the adrenal medulla and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS).
  4. The SNS stimulates the adrenal medulla, part of the adrenal gland.
  5. The adrenal medulla secretes the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline into the bloodstream.
  6. Adrenaline causes a number of physiological changes to prepare the body for fight or flight.
99
Q

What is the reason for an increased heart rate in the flight and fight response?

A

To increase blood flow to organs and increase the movement of adrenaline around the body.

100
Q

What is the reason for an increased breathing rate in the flight and fight response?

A

To increase oxygen intake.

101
Q

What is the reason for pupil dilation in the flight and fight response?

A

To increase light entry into the eye and enhance vision (especially in the dark).

102
Q

What is the reason for sweat production in the flight and fight response?

A

To regulate temperature.

103
Q

What is the reason for the Reduction of non-essential functions in the flight and fight response?

A

To increase energy for other essential functions.

104
Q

Give three examples of non-essential functions

A
  • digestive system
  • urination
  • salivation
105
Q

What follows to fight or flight response?

A

parasympathetic nervous system

106
Q

What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?

A

return the body back to its ‘normal’ resting state.

107
Q

Give some examples of what the parasympathetic nervous system does

A

Slows down our heart rate and breathing rate and reduces our blood pressure.

Starts up digestive system, urination and salivation

108
Q

What effect does the HPA axis have on the immune system?

A

Causes inflammation (colds and flus)

109
Q

What effect does the HPA axis have on the cardiovascular system?

A

Causes scabbing in the blood that leads to heart attacks.

110
Q

What is a chronic stress response?

A

The long term loop of the HPA axis.

AS level Psychology (8 decks)

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