Biopsychology Flashcards
What’s the human nervous system
a body wide systen of nerve cells that collects information from the world, processes this information and then takes action by directing body organs and muscles via the transmission of electro chemical messages
What are the two sections of the nervous system
• The central nervous system
• The peripheral nervous system
What does the central nervous system do
Provides complex processing and consists of the brain and the spinal chord; the brain’s responsible for all conscious and most unconscious processing and is involved in all psychological processes, the spinal chord facilitates the transferral of messages to and from the brain to the peripheral nervous systen and is involved in reflex actions.
What are the 4 main regions of the brain
- Frontal lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Occipital lobe
What’s the role of the frontal lobe
Higher order functioning. Eg. Planning, abstract thinking, reasoning
What’s the function of the parietal lobe
Integrates information from the senses and plays an important role in spatial navigation (perception)
What’s the function of the temporal lobe
Auditory information
What’s the function of the occipital lobe
Visual information
What’s the function of the brain stem
The brain stem controls involuntary processes Eg, breathing/digestion
What are the two sections of the peripheral nervous system
• The somatic nervous system
• The autonomic nervous system
What’s the role of the somatic nervous system
Responsible for voluntary movements, controlling skeletal muscles for movement
What’s the role of the autonomic nervous system
Responsible for involuntary actions controlling internal organs and glands (homeostasis)
What are the two sections of the autonomic nervous system
• The sympathetic nervous system
• The parasympathetic nervous system
What’s the role of the sympathetic nervous system
Fight or flight; increases bodily activities to prepare the body to face danger and releases adrenaline and noradrenaline
What’s the role of the parasympathetic nervous system (3)
- Returns the body to rest.
- Decreases bodily activities
- Releases acetylcholine (a-see-tile-co-lean)
What bodily responses are caused by the autonomic nervous system (5)
- Dilated pupils
- Increased heart rate
- Increased breathing rate,
- Slows down less important processes eg, digestion (vasoconstriction),
- Vasodilation of blood vessels towards active muscles
How many neurones are in the brain
100 billion
How many neurones are in the spinal chord
1 billion
What do neurones do
Receive information and transmit it to other cells
What are the three types of neurones
- Sensory (afferent) neurones
- Relay (interneurone) neurones
- Motor neurones
What’s the function of the cell body in a neurone (3)
- Controls centre and structure of the neurone
- Protects the nucleus
- Electrical impulses travel away from the cell body
What’s the function of dendrites in a neurone
• Receive electrical impulses from nearby neurones or sensory receptor cells
How are dendrites in neurones adapted
They cover a large surface area
What’s the function of the myelin sheath in a neurone (2)
- Protects the axon
- Increases the speed of electrical impulses that travel down from the cell body