Biopsychology Flashcards
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemical messengers within the brain
What is the role of neurotransmitters?
- To transmit information from one neuron to another
- so a person performs an action e.g. movement/emotional response
- Process is called synaptic transmission
Describe the beginning of the synaptic transmission process
1 - Begins in pre-synaptic neuron
- Action potentials/electrical nerve impulses sent down axon
- Until they reach the pre-synaptic terminal
Describe the middle of the synaptic transmission process
2 - Causes the neurotransmitters to be released into synaptic cleft
- Neurotransmitters - stored in vesicles and ONLY located in pre-synaptic neuron
3 - Neurotransmiitters diffuse across synapse (high to low conc)
- bind with their specific receptor sites
- receptor sites - ONLY present on post-synaptic neuron
Describe the end of the synaptic transmission process
4 - there are 2 possible outcomes once enough neurotransmitters have attached to receptor sites
- next neuron ready to fire impulse
- depending on excitatory/inhibitory effect
OR
- neurotransmitters recycled
- to be stored back in vesicles in pre-synaptic neuron
- process = reuptake
Describe the excitatory effect of neurotransmitters (e.g. adrenaline)
- Excitatory N.T binds to post-synaptic receptors - post-synaptic cell becomes positively charged (1)
- More likely for post-synaptic cell to fire - so impulse travels down axon (1)
- Increases brain activity in CNS (1)
Describe the inhibitory effect of neurotransmitters (e.g. serotonin)
- Inhibitory N.T binds to post-synaptic receptors - post-synaptic cell becomes negatively charged (1)
- Prevents/reduces likelihood that post-synaptic cell will fire (1)
- Decreases brain activity in CNS (1)
Describe summation
- Occurs when excitatory and inhibitory influences are added together (1)
- If overall effect is mainly inhibitory, reduces/inhibits likelihood that neuron will fire an impulse down the post-synaptic neuron (1)
- If overall effect is mainly excitatory, neuron will fire an impulse down the post-synaptic neuron (1)
What is a gland?
An organ which releases a specific hormone to regulate bodily functions
What is a hormone?
Chemical messenger released by glands into the bloodstream
What is the function of the endocrine system?
- Provides a chemical system of communication within the bloodstream
- to regulate activity of cells and organs in the body
- slower than nervous system
- but more widespread and powerful
- chemical messengers = hormones
- released by glands within endocrine system
- to regulate many bodily functions
What is the function of the pineal gland?
- Secretes melatonin
- Which is involved in regulating sleep-wake cycle
- By making person tired, therefore ready to sleep
What is the function of the pituitary gland?
- Known as master gland
- Secretes many different hormones
- That control functions of other glands
What is the function of the adrenal gland?
- Releases adrenaline
- Which causes physiological changes involved in F/F response e.g. increased blood flow
- To transport oxygen to the brain
- For rapid response planning
What is the function of the ovaries?
- Anterior pituitary gland releases LH + FSH
- Which encourages ovaries to release oestrogen and progesterone
- Which regulate female menstrual cycle
- Prepares body for reproduction
What is the function of the testes?
- Anterior pituitary gland releases LH + FSH
- Which encourages testes to release testosterone
- Which is involved in creating male characteristics
- And sperm production
What is the fight/flight response?
Intro to essays
- ANS and endocrine system play a major role in the stress response in producing the fight/flight response
- stressor identified by the brain = sympathetic branch of the ANS activated
What is the acronym to remember the F/F response?
Sally - stressor
Has - hypothalamus
Potentially - Pituitary gland
Seen - Sympathetic
A - Adrenaline from adrenal medulla
Piranha - Parasympathetic branch
Describe the process of the F/F response
1 - a STRESSOR is identified by the HYPOTHALAMUS
- activates PITUITARY GLAND
- triggers activity in SYMPATHETIC BRANCH of ANS
2 - ADRENALINE is released by the ADRENAL MEDULLA into the bloodstream
3 - The F/F response is produced which prepares the body for physical action
- Physiological reactions are produced e.g increased heart rate, blood pressure, respiration
- saliva production reduced
- immediate and automatic response
4 - the PARASYMPATHETIC branch returns the body back to normal once the stressor is removed
- homeostasis (e.g. decreased heart rate, respiration, increased digestion)
Outline the role of adrenaline in the F/F response
- Adrenaline is the hormone released from the adrenal medulla
- Travels through the blood stream and activates the heart and circulatory system
- this increases heart rate and blood pressure
- these changes are important in F/F response
- Role of adrenaline in preparing body for F/F:
- Direct effect of adrenaline:
- Increases heart rate, blood flow and blood pressure
- this increases blood flow to brain and skeletal muscles
- Indirect effect of adrenaline:
- prepares body for action e.g. F/F
- increases blood supply to skeletal muscles for physical action
- stops digestion and saliva production
- increases oxygen to brain for rapid response planning
What happens when the stressor removed in the F/F response?
- Once stressor has passed, parasympathetic branch of the ANS takes over
- main function = to activate rest and digest response
- returns body to homeostasis after the F/F response
What is one weakness of the F/F response? AO3
P - Human behaviour not limited to two responses
E - Some psychologists argue that first response to danger is to avoid confrontation ‘freeze’ response
E - Humans consider best course of action for threat they are faced with during this response
L - Suggests that F/F response does not consider other factors e.g. thought processes
What is one weakness of the F/F response? AO3
P - Human behaviour not limited to two responses
E - Some psychologists argue that first response to danger is to avoid confrontation ‘freeze’ response
E - Humans consider best course of action for threat they are faced with during this response
L - Suggests that F/F response does not consider other factors e.g. thought processes
What is one issue with the F/F response? AO3
P - Does not explain stress response in females
E - e.g. research found that women are more likely to protect their offspring (tend) and form alliances with other women (befriend) than to fight/run away
E - Suggests that there is a gender/beta bias
- F/F response assumed that men and women respond in the same way to threatening situation (prior to this research)
L - Limiting explanation of the F/F response
