Biopsychology Flashcards
What is the structure of most Neurones?
Dendrites -> Cell body -> axon with nylon sheath -> Axon terminals
CNS - Spinal cord
- It is a bundle of nerve fibres
- Main function- relay info between brain and body
- Also enables us to preform simple reflex
CNS function
- control of behaviour
- regulation of the bodies physiological processes
The brain main areas
Cerebrum, cerebellum, diencephalon, and brain stem
What does the Cerebrum do?
Decided into 4 lobes -
- Frontal - involved in speech thought & working memory
- Parietal - processes sensory info e.g touch
- Occipital - processes visual info
- Temporal - involves hearing and language comprehension
What does the cerebellum do?
Involved in controlling motor skills, balance & coordinating muscles
What does the Brain stem do?
- Responsible for regulating automatic functions essential for life
- Allows impulses to pass between brain and spine
What does the Diencephalon do?
-Two parts : Thalamus (acts as relay station and involved in sleep/wakefulness), hypothalamus (regulates body temp, hunger, &thirst. Acts as a link between endocrine system and nervous system)
PNS function
Connects CNS with the body and outside world
Two sections of PNS
Somatic
- Controls voluntary movement of skeletal muscles
- involved in reflex actions
Autonomic
- Governs involuntary activities of non-skeletal muscles and internal body systems
- is Autonomous
- divided into sympathetic and parasympathetic
What is the Sympathetic NS?
- Produces Arousal and energy
- preparing the body for rapid action enabling us to respond quickly and effectively
- E.g increased hr, reduced stomach activity
- Fight or flight
What is the Parasympathetic NS?
- Invloved in reducing arousal and conserving energy, relaxes body again once threat passed
- Returns the body to a state of normality
- E.g Decreases heart rate, Increases stomach activity
- Rest and digest
Sensory Neurone
- Unipolar
- Cell body with two stems either side
- carry info from body to CNS
Motor Neurone
- Multipolar
- Single axon, many dendrites
- Carry motor commands from CNS to Skeletal muscles or glands
Relay Neurone
- Mostly Multipolar
- have cell body surrounded entirely by dendrites
- in between sensory and motor neurones
- Within the CNS
- Allow sensory and motor neurones to communicate
What does the info in neurones travel in?
Travels in the form of an electrical signal known as a Action potential