Biological Psych - Systems in the body Flashcards
Nature and nurture
- Impossible to separate genetic influences from environmental influences
- They can work together to determine human behaviour
Ex. Caspi et al
MAO-A gene
Epigenetics
Changes in gene expression that are due to non-genetic (‘epi’=outer) influences
Heredity
The genetic transmission of characteristics from parents to offspring
Heritability
- An estimate of the genetic proportion of the variation in some specific trait
- Within a particular population, not an individual
Peripheral nervous system
- Somatic nervous system
- Automatic nervous system
-> Sympathetic nervous system
-> Parasympathetic nervous system
Central nervous system
Brain and spinal cord
Neurons
- The basic unit of the nervous system
- Operate through electrical impulses
- Communicate with other neurons through chemical signals
Types of neurons
- Sensory neurons (afferent neurons)
- Motor neurons (efferent neurons)
- Interneurons
How do neurons communicate?
- Via the action potential
- The neural impulse that passes along the axon and subsequently causes the release of chemicals from the terminal buttons
Resting potential
Polarized state (more negative inside the cell, approximately -70mV)
Excitatory signals
Increase the likelihood that the neuron will fire
Inhibitory signals
Decrease the likelihood that the neuron will fire
How do neurons fire?
By affecting the polarization of the cell
All-or-none principle
- A neuron fires with the same magnitude each time (it either fires or does not fire)
- But how frequently the neuron fires can vary
When do neurons generate an action potential?
If the excitatory input (depolarization) reaches a certain threshold (ex. -55mV)
Resting state (resting potential)
- Neurons are polarized at rest (resting membrane potential ~70mV)
- The inside of the cell is more negative than the outside
- Also, relatively more sodium (Na+) outside and more potassium (K+) inside
Depolarization
- If the neuron reaches its excitatory threshold, it will fully depolarize (generate an action potential)
- All or none principle
- Na+ channels open and the charge across the membrane reverses -> becomes more positive inside the cell, due to influx of Na+
Peak action potential and hyperpolarization
- At the peak of the action potential, Na+ channels will close and K+ channels will open, allowing K+ to leave the cell -> this outflowing of K+ actually leads to a temporary hyperpolarization, during which the cell cannot fire (refractory period)
- K+ channels close, and the cell returns to its (Polarized) resting state