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A - Level Psychology > Biopsychology > Flashcards

Biopsychology Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 2 main functions of the her vous system (2)

A
  1. Collect, process + respond to info in our environment
  2. Co-ordinate working of different organs + cells in body
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2
Q

What is the human nervous system briefly made up of (2)

A

1 peripheral nervous system
2. Central nervous system

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3
Q

Explain the components of the peripheral nervous system (2)

A

• made of the autonomic nervous system and somatic nervous system
. Autonomic nervous system made up sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system

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4
Q

Describe the components of the central nervous system(2)

A

•Brain
• spinal cord

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5
Q

Describe the function of the peripheral nervous system (2)

A

• Made up of the neurons
- that control central nervous system to nest of body

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6
Q

Describe the function of the autonomic nervous system (2)

A

• Controls unconscious activities
- eg digestion

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7
Q

Describe the function of the somatic nervous system (3)

A

. Controls conscious activities
. Eg running
• carry sensory info from environment to brain

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8
Q

• Describe function of sympathetic nervous system (2)

A
  • Gets body ready for action
  • Fight or flight system
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9
Q

• Describe The function of the parasympathetic nervous system ( 2)

A
  • Relaxes body returning it to normal rate
  • rest and digest system
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10
Q

Describe the process of the fight or flight response (8)

A

• Controlled by sympathetic nervous system
• brain detects fear or stress
• sends nervous impulse to adrenal gland
• release adrenaline = increase mechanisms that increase oxygen supply to cells + tissue
- Eg increased heart rate, blood pressure t breathing rate
- suppresses less important functions he salvation and digestion
- Parasympathetic nervous system reduces heart rate,blood pressure and breathing
- speeds up previously slowed, down functions eg digestion

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11
Q

How is the sensory nervous system adapted for it’s function (2)

A

• Made up of sensory receptors that carry info to spinal cord + brain
. And motor pathways that allow brain to control movement

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12
Q

Give examples of what the autonomy nervous system can control (5)

A

• Breathing
• heart rate
Digestion
• sexual arousal
• stress responses

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13
Q

’ What is the ans made up of (1)

A

Only motor pathways

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14
Q

What are neurons (3)

A

• nerves cells
• that process and transmit messages
• through electrical and chemical signals

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15
Q

Describe the function and structure of sensory neurone (2)

A

• Carry messages from peripheral nervous system to central nervous system
• have long dendrites and short axons

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16
Q

What are the 3 types of neurons (3)

A
  • Sensory
    -Relay
    -Motor
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17
Q

Describe the function and structure of motor nuvrons (2)

A

• Connects central nervous system to effectors like muscles and glands
• have short dendrites and long axons

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18
Q

Describe the function and structure of relay neurons (2)

A

• Transmit electrical impulses between sensory and motor neurons
- have short dendrites and short - axons

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19
Q

State the features that make up the generalstructure of a neuron (5)

A
  • dendrites
  • cell body
  • axon
  • Myelin sheath
  • nodes of ranvier
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20
Q

What is the function of the cell body (1)

A
  • Includes a nucleus which contains genetic materials of cells
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21
Q

Describe the function of dendrites (1)

A

• carry nerve impulses from neighbouring cells towards cell body

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22
Q

Describe the function of the axon (2)

A

• Carries impulses away from cell body
- down length of neuron

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23
Q

Describe the function of the myelin sheath (2)

A

• Protects axon
. Insulates axon to speed up nervous transmission

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24
Q

Describe the function of nodes of ranvier, and explain now it carries out its function

A

• speeds up transmission of impulse
- by forcing it to jump across gaps in axon

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25
State the stages of the transmission of info to and from the central nervous system (5)
• Stimulus • receptors • central nervous system • effectors • response
26
• What are reflexes (3)
- Fast - automatic responses - to certain stimuli
27
How do reflexes help us avoid damage (3)
• They bypass your conscious brain completely • instead they go through spinal cord or unconscious part of brown • these rapid responses = avoid damage
28
What are neurotransmitters (1)
• chemicals released from synaptic knob
29
what is a synapse ? (2)
- junction between neuron and another neuron - or between neuron + effector cell
30
describe the structure of a synapse (5)
- tiny gap between caells at synapse = synaptoic cleft - neuron before synapse = presynaptic neuoron - neuron after synapse = postsynaptic neuron - presynaptic neuron has synaptic knob - synaptic knob contains synaptic vesivles filled w neurotransmitters
31
describe the journey of an electrical impulse across a synapse (4)
- when electrical impulse reaches end of neuron neurotransmitters are released into synaptic cleft - diffuse across postsynaptic memb - + bind to receptors = trigger an electrical impulse - causing muscle contraction or hormone secretion
32
how is it ensured that the impulse can only travel in 1 direction (2)
- receptors are onky on postsynaptic memb - synapse makes sure impulses = undirectional
33
explain how the synapse ensures that responses do not keep happening once they have occured once (3)
- neurotransmitters are removed from cleft - eg taken back into presynatic neuron - or broken down by enzymes
34
what are the 2 types of neurotransmitters (2)
- excitatory - inhibitory
35
what are excitatory neurotransmitters (3)
- increase likelihood - that electrical impulse will be triggered in postsynaptic neuron - = increase likelihood of action potential
36
what are inhibitory neurotransmitters (3)
- decrease likelihood - that electrical impuls will be triggered in postynaptic neurone - = decrease likelihood of action potential
37
name 5 different neurotransmitters (5)
- acetylcholine - dopamine - noradrenaline - serotonin - GABA
38
what functions is acetylcholine involved in (4)
- voluntary movements - memory - learning - sleep
39
what type of neurotransmitter is acetylcholine ?
- excitatory
40
describe the effect of too much and too little acetylcholine (2)
- too much = depression - too little = dementia
41
describe the fucntion of noradrenaline (1)
- assosiated w fight or flight response
42
describe the effect of too much or too little noradrenaline (2)
- too much = schitz - too little = depression
43
what does the neurotransmitter dopamine help with (3)
- movement - attention - learning
44
what effect can too much and too little dopamine have (3)
too much = schitz too little = depression + parkinsons disease
45
what is serotonin involved in (4)
- emotion - mood - sleeping - eating
46
what effect can too little serotonin have ? (1)
- depression
47
what type of neurotransmitter is GABA ? (1)
inhibitory
48
what effect can too little GABA have ? (1)
anxiety disorders
49
what is an action potential and when does it occur (2)
- explosion of electrical activity - occurs when neuron sends info down axon from cell body
50
describe how an action potential is caused (2)
- neuron at resting state = -ively charged - when neuron activated by stimuluys it breifly becomes +ive then back to -ive - causing action pot
51
what type of neurotransmitter is adrenaline ?
- excitatory
52
what type of neurotransmitter is serotonin ?
inhibitory
53
what is summation ? (3)
- addition of +ively charged nd -ively charged post synaptic potentials - if net effect on post synaptic neuron = inhibitory = reduced action potential - if net effect = excitatory = increased action pot
54
what does normal brain function depend on ? (1)
- regulated balance between inhibitory + excitatory influences
55
what does the endocrine system involve ? (2)
- glands - hormones
56
what is a gland ? (2)
- group of hormones - specialised to secrete a useful substance eg hormone
57
what are hormones ? (2)
- chemical messengers - many are proteins or peptides
58
when are hormones secreted ? (1)
when glands are stimulated
59
how can glands be stimulated ? (2)
- change in conc of specific substance - or by electrical impulses
60
describe the journey of a hormone in the endocrine system (5)
- diffuse directly into blood - taken around body by circulatory system - diffuse out of blood all over body - bind to specific receptor - trigger response in target cell (effector)
61
describe the stages in the endocrine system (5)
- stimulus - receptors - hormone - effectors - response
62
using regulation of low blood glucose levels explain the specific stages of the endocrine system in this situation (5)
- stimulus - low blood gluc conc - receptors - receptors on pancreas detect low blood gluc conc - hormone - panc releases glucagon - effectors - target cells in liver detect glucagon and convert glycogen into glucose - response - glucose released so blood gluc conc increases
63
state bodily functions which the endocrine system is responsible for regulating (4)
- growth - metabolism - sleep - reprouction
64
name some major glands (9)
- hypothalamus - pituitary gland - pineal gland - thyroid gland - parathyroid glands - thymus gland - adrenal glands - pancreas - gonads ( ovaries + testes)
65
describe the function of the hypothalamus (1)
produces hormones that controle pituitary gland
66
describe function opf the pituitary gland (1)
- releases hormones to control other glands in endocrine system
67
what is pituitary gland also known as ? (1)
master gland
68
describe the function of the pineal gland (2)
- responsible for production of melatonin - plays role in control of sleep patterns
69
describe the role of the thyroid gland (4)
- produces hormone thyroxine - controls bodies metabolic rate - regulates growth - and maturation
70
describe the function of the parathyroid glands (2)
- produces parathyroid hormone - controls miniral levels in body
71
describe the function of the thymus gland (1)
- regulates immune system
72
describe the function of the adrenal glands (2)
- produce adrenaline - responsible for fight or flight response
73
describe the function of the pancreas (2)
- realease insulin and glucagon - which regulate blood sugar level
74
describe the function of the gonads (4)
- produce sex hormones ( eg testosterone + oestrogen) - important in reproduction - and development of sex organs - and secondary sexual characteristics
75
what are gonads ? (1)
- ovaries and testes
76
compare chemical communication and electrical communication (2)
- hormones aret released directly onto target cell - must travelthrough blood = slower than electrical communication - hormones arent broken as fast as neurotransmitters = hormone effect last longer - hormones transported all over bod = response = widespread
77
what is chemical communication controlled by ? (1)
hormones
78
what is electrical communication controlled by ? (1)
- nerves
79
describe the activation of the fight or flight response (3)
- hypothalamus triggers activity in sympathetic branch or autonomic nervous system - stimulating adrenal medulla in adrenal glands - releasing adrenaline + noradrenaline into bloodstream
80
Label this synapse (6)
81
What happens one the threat has passes after the fight or flight response (3)
- parasympathetic nervous system returns body it’s normal resting state - all function that we’re increased (eg HR) are decreased - all functions that were decreased (eg digestion) are increased
82
explain how the hormones released during the activation of the fight or flight response affect the body (7)
- BP + HR increase - get blood quickly to areas it is needed in bod - digestion decreases- all blood directed to brain + muscles - muscles = more tense - body is physically responsive - perspiration increases - body can cool down - BR increases - more O2 sent to muscles - puple size increases - more light enter eye = clearer vision - salivation decreases - digestive system isnt needed

A - Level Psychology (29 decks)

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