Apporaches- Biopsychology- the divisions of the nervous system Flashcards
What does the nervous system consist of ?
The brain
Spinal cord
Complex network of neutrons.
What is the nervous system responsible for ?
Sending and receiving and interpreting information from all parts of the body.
The nervous system monitors and coordinates internal organ function and responds to changes in the external environments.
What are the two parts of the nervous system ?
The central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
What is the central nervous system (CNS)?
The processing centre for the nervous system. It receives information from and sends information to the peripheral nervous system.
What are the two main organs in the CNS?
The brain and spinal cord
The brain processes and interprets sensory information sent from the spinal cord.
Within the central nervous system is a system of hollow cavities called what ?
Ventricles.
The ventricles are filled with cerebrospinal fluid which surrounds, cushions, and protects the brain and spinal cord from trauma.
It also assists in the circulation of nutrients to the brain.
What is the brain ?
The control centre of he body. It consists of 3 main components The forebrain The brainstem And the hindbrain
Why is the forebrain responsible for ?
A variety of functions including receiving and processing sensory information, thinking, perceiving, producing, and understanding language and controlling motors function.
Bio psychology explains behaviour through what?
Biological processes such as genetics, brain physiology and biochemistry.
What structures do the forebrain contain ?
The thalamus, hypothalamus (diencephalon) which are responsible for such functions as motor control, relaying sensory information, and controlling autonomic functions.
It also contains the largest part of the brain, the cerebrum, comprised of the neocortex (higher functions), basal ganglia (movement control) and limbic system (learning/ memory/ emotion).
Most of the actual information processing in the brain takes place in the cerebral cortex (most recently evolved brain area: distinguishes humans from other species: highest cognitive functions such as planning/ reasoning/ personality/ perception).
What makes up the brainstem?
The midbrain, and hindbrain.
The midbrain is the portion of the of the brainstem that connects the hindbrain and the forebrain. This region of the brain is involved in auditory and visual responses as well as motor function.
The hindbrain extends from the spinal cord and contains structures such as the pons and cerebellum. These regions assist in maintain balance and equilibrium, movement coordination, and the conduction of sensory information. The hindbrain also contains the medulla oblongata which is responsible for controlling such autonomic functions as breathing, heart rate, and digestion.
What is the spinal cord?
The spinal cord is a cylindrical shaped bundle of nerve fibres that is connected to the brain. The spinal cord runs down the centre of the protective spinal column extending from the neck to the lower back.
Spinal cord nerves transmit information from body organs and external stimuli to the brain and send information from the brain to other areas of the body. The nerves of the spinal cord are grouped into bundles of nerve fibres that travel in two pathways.
Ascending nerve tracts carry sensory information from the body to the brain.
Descending nerve tracts send information pertaining to motor function from the brain to the rest of the body.
What are neurons?
Neurons are the basic unit of the nervous system. All cells of the nervous system are comprised of neurons. Neurons contain nerve processes which are “finger-like” projections that extend from the nerve cell body.
The nerve processes consist of axons and dendrites which are able to conduct and transmit signals.
Axons typically carry signals away from the cell body. They are long nerve processes that may that may branch out to convey signals to various areas.
Dendrites typically carry signals toward the cell body. They are usually more numerous, shorter and more branched than axons.
Axons and dendrites are bundled together into what are called nerves. These nerves send signals between the brain, spinal cord, and other body organs via nerve impulses.
