Biopsychology - 1) The Nervous System

Question 1

What is the nervous system?

Answer 1

A complex network of nerve cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal chord to different parts of the body

Question 2

What does the nervous system help to do?

Answer 2

Coordinate different organs and cells in the body

Question 3

How is the nervous system divided?

Answer 3

Into the Central Nervous System (CNS) and the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Question 4

What does the CNS consist of?

Answer 4

The brain and spinal chord

Question 5

What takes place in the CNS?

Answer 5

Complex processing of information and decision making

Question 6

What does the peripheral nervous system do?

Answer 6

1. Brings information from senses to the CNS.
2. Then transmits information from CNS to muscles and glands

Question 7

Why do we have more abilities than any other animal?

Answer 7

Because the cortex of our brain is more developed in humans

Question 8

What is the brain the centre of?

Answer 8

Awareness

Question 9

What is the brain divided into?

Answer 9

Two hemispheres

Question 10

What is the spinal chord an extension of?

Answer 10

The brain

Question 11

What does the spinal chord transport?

Answer 11

Messages to and from the brain to the PNS

Question 12

What is the spinal chord responsible for?

Answer 12

Reflexes

Question 13

What are the two main functions of the CNS?

Answer 13

Control of behaviour
Regulation of body’s physiological processes

Question 14

Where does the brain receive information from?

Answer 14

Sensory receptors

Question 15

Where does the brain send messages to?

Answer 15

Muscle glands in the body

Question 16

Example of how the brain works

Answer 16

1. It gets a message from your eyes to say the sun is bright
2. It coordinates your arms and hands to put on sunglasses

Question 17

What does the peripheral nervous system consist of?

Answer 17

All other nerves which are not part of CNS

Question 18

Where does the peripheral nervous system reach out to?

Answer 18

Other parts of the body all the way down to the tips of your toes as well as internal organs

Question 19

What does the peripheral nervous system relay?

Answer 19

Information via nerve impulses from the rest of the body to the CNS

Question 20

What is the peripheral nervous system further divided into?

Answer 20

Somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system

Question 21

What do peripheral nerves surround?

Answer 21

All the organs, muscles and tissues

Question 22

What do outside nerves do?

Answer 22

Receive messages from the brain and control the heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing and all of the bodily functions

Question 23

SNS

Answer 23

Somatic nervous system

Question 24

What does the somatic nervous system connect?

Answer 24

Connects external sensory organs through the brain to the muscles

Question 25

What does the somatic nervous system control?

Answer 25

Skeletal muscles and movement

Question 26

How is the somatic nervous system voluntary?

Answer 26

It’s under conscious control

Question 27

What does the somatic nervous system receive information from?

Answer 27

Senses and transits it to CNS

Question 28

What pathways does the somatic nervous system have?

Answer 28

Sensory and motor pathways

Question 29

ANS

Answer 29

Autonomic nervous system

Question 30

What is the autonomic nervous system responsible for?

Answer 30

Vital functions (e.g. heartbeat, breathing and digestion)

Question 31

What does the autonomic nervous system transmit information to and from?

Answer 31

Internal organs

Question 32

How is the autonomic nervous system involuntary?

Answer 32

It’s operated automatically

Question 33

What does the autonomic nervous system control?

Answer 33

Smooth muscles and glands

Question 34

What does the autonomic nervous system generally form?

Answer 34

Supporting tissue of blood vessels and hollow internal organs

Question 35

Where are the controls of the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 35

In the brain stem

Question 36

What sections is the autonomic nervous system divided into?

Answer 36

Sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous symptom

Question 37

What does the sympathetic nervous system get us ready for?

Answer 37

Emergencies (involved in fight or flight response)

Question 38

What does the parasympathetic nervous system restore?

Answer 38

Natural order, relaxing us after an emergency

Question 39

What does the fight or flight response help us deal with?

Answer 39

Short term problems by fighting or fleeing

Question 40

What does the amygdala send to the hypothalamus during the fight or flight response?

Answer 40

Hypothalamus which recognises the stress is small so it activates the SAM

Question 41

What does the amygdala associate sensory signals with?

Answer 41

Emotions associated with fight or flight

Question 42

What are sensory signals?

Answer 42

What we see, hear or smell

Question 43

What puts us into the fight or flight response?

Answer 43

Release of adrenaline

Question 44

Where is adrenaline released from?

Answer 44

Adrenal medulla in stressful situations

Question 45

What does the release of adrenaline trigger?

Answer 45

Sympathetic activity

Question 46

What does sympathetic activity increase?

Answer 46

Heart rate which increases blood flow and blood pressure which increases blood to brain and skeletal muscles for physical response

Question 47

What physically happens during the release of adrenaline?

Answer 47

Digestion is stopped, saliva inhibited and pupils dilate

Question 48

What does adrenaline prepare body for?

Answer 48

Fight or flight

Question 49

What does adrenaline do once threat it over?

Answer 49

Adrenaline levels return to normal