Biopsychology Flashcards
What is the nervous system?
Primary internal communication system based on electrical and chemical signals
-helps all the parts of the body to communicate with each other
- send and receive messages to the environment
What are all the parts of the nervous system?
Split into two parts:
- Central NS
- Peripheral NS = Somatic NS
Autonomic NS
What is the role of the Central nervous system?
Made up of the brain and spinal cord and is the origin of all complex decisions:
What is the role of the Peripheral nervous system?
Transmits messages via neurons to and from the central nervous system
-divided into the somatic and autonomic NS
What is the role of the somatic nervous system?
Governs muscle movement and receives information from sensory receptors
(part of the Peripheral NS)
What is the role of the Autonomic nervous system?
Governs vital functions in the body such as breathing, heart rate, digestion, arousal, stress
What is the endocrine system?
Instructs glands to release hormones into the bloodstream
-These hormones are carried to organs
What are the main glands in the endocrine system
Pituitary gland (master gland, controls the release of hormones from all the other glands in the system)
Thyroid gland (Produces hormones)
Hypothalamus ( releases hormones from the pituitary gland.)
What is the endocrine systems role in fight or flight
The endocrine system works in parallel with autonomic NS
-When a stressor is perceived the amygdala alerts the hypothalamus
-This triggers activity in the autonomic NS
-The ANS changes its normal resting state (parasympathetic state) to the aroused sympathetic state
Adrenaline = A stress hormone, is released from the adrenal medulla
-This creates the arousal needed for the fight or flight response
What is a neuron?
The basic building blocks of the nervous system
-They are nerve cells that process and transmit messages through electric and chemical signals.
What are the 3 types of neurons
Sensory
Relay
Motor
What is the structure of a neuron (all 3 share the same basic structure)
The cell body = Includes a nucleus which contains genetic material of the cell
Dendrites = Carry nerve impulses from neighbouring neurons to cell body
The axon = Carries impulses away from the cell body down the neuron
-It is covered in a fatty layer of Myelin sheath
Myelin sheath = protects the axon and speeds up electrical transmission of impulse
Nodes of Ranvier = if the Myelin sheath was continuous it would a reverse effect, slowing it down thus its segmented by gaps called nodes of Ranvier
-They speed up transmission forcing it to jump across the gaps of the axon
Terminal buttons = at the end of the axon that communicates with the next neuron across a gap called the synapse
What is the role of the cell body in the neuron
Includes a nucleus which contains genetic material of the cell
What is the role the Dendrites in the neuron
Carry nerve impulses from neighbouring neurons to cell body
What is the role the axon in the neuron
Carries impulses from the cell body down the neuron
-It is covered in a fatty layer of Myelin sheath
What is the role of the Myelin Sheath in the neuron
protects the axon and speeds up electrical transmission of impulse
What is the role of the Nodes of Ranvier in the neuron
if the Myelin sheath was continuous it would cause a reverse effect, slowing it down thus its segmented by gaps called nodes of Ranvier
-They speed up transmission forcing it to jump across the gaps of the axon
What is the role of terminal buttons
at the end of the axon that communicates with the next neuron across a gap called the synapse
How many parts are in the structure of the neuron
The cell body
The axon
Dendrites
Myelin Sheath
Nodes of Ranvier
Terminal buttons
Where are each of the 3 neurons located in the nervous system
Sensory = PNS in clusters known as ganglia
Relay = In the brain and spinal cord
Motor = In the CNS
What is the role of Motor neurons
Connect the CNS to effectors such as muscle and glands
What is the role Relay neurons
allow sensory and motor neurons to communicate.
What is the role of the Sensory neurons
Carry messages from the PNS to the CNS
What is synaptic transmission
Neurons communicate within groups known as neural networks
-Each neuron separated by an extremely small gap called synapse
-Signals within neurons are transmitted electrically
-Signals between neurons are transmitted chemically across the synapse