Biological Perspective Flashcards
What is the neurotransmitter GABA?
Major inhibitory, involved in sleep, inhibits movement and calms anxiety.
What is the Nero transmitter acetylcholine?
Excitatory, involves memory and stimulates movement
Alcohol is an agonist for what neurotransmitter?
GABA
What is the neurotransmitter serotonin?
Excitatory or inhibitory, mood, sleep, appetite. Low levels are associated with depression.
What are the effects of endorphins?
Inhibitory, pain relief/control, and pleasure.
What are the effects of dopamine?
Excitatory, movement and sensation of pleasure. Two little is related to Parkinson’s, high levels are related to schizophrenia.
What are the effects of norepinephrine?
Excitatory, involved in arousal and mood.
What branches are within the central nervous system?
The brain and spinal cord.
What two main branches lay within the peripheral nervous system?
Autonomic and somatic.
What is the autonomic nervous system?
Automatically regulates glands, internal organs, blood vessels etc.
What two branches are within the autonomic nervous system?
The parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions.
What is the role of the parasympathetic division?
Maintained body functions under normal conditions.
What is the role of the sympathetic division?
Reactions to stress.
What are the two systems of the somatic nervous system?
The sensory system, and the motor system.
What is the role of the sensory system?
Carries messages from the senses to the CNS.
What is the role of the motor system?
Carries messages from the CNS to muscles and glands.
What is the medulla’s role?
Controls life-sustaining functions.
What is the pons’ role?
Left/right body coordination, sleep, dreaming.
What is the reticular formation, and what does it do?
A network of neurons running though the medulla and pons. Selective attention, awareness, arousal.
What is the cerebellum?
Little brain, controls fine, involuntary movement, walking, writing, sitting.
What is glutamate?
Major excitatory, learning, memory, NS development, synaptic plasticity.
What is the hippocampus’ role?
Forming new memories
What is the amygdala’s role?
Emotions, assessing threat, fear response.
What does the thalamus’ do?
Relay station for senses, except for smell.
