Biopsychology Flashcards
What does the nervous system do?
collects, processes and responds to info from the body, coordinates different organs and cells
whats the cerebral cortex?
outer layer of the brain which distinguishes human mental function compared to animals.
some animals dont have a brain such as sponges and jellyfish.
what does the spinal cord and PNS do?
spinal cord controls reflex actions(e.f remove finger from hot object) and PNS transmits msgs to and from the CNS
what is the endocrine system?
works alongside the nervous system, its slower but is in charge of vital functions
what are hormones?
are sectreted in the blood stream and go to the target area.
what is the pituitary gland?
This is the master gland (in the brain) which controls many vital functions in the body and the secretion of hormones from glands including endocrine glands
What is fight or flight?
response in a stressful situation, a mechanism for survival, which turns parasympathetic state in sympathetic state,also experencing physiological changes
whats the parasympathetic state known as?
the rest and digest/ the brake
whats the adrenal medulla do?
realeses the hormone adrenaline in the sympathetic state
functions of the thyroid gland?
it releases thyroxine which controls the metabolic rates e.g heart rate
what does the pancreas do?
realses enzymes to help in digestion and produces insulin and glucagon to help control blood sugar levels
what are some symptoms of the sympathetic state(crenial)
1.increase heart rate
2.increase breathing rate
3.dilates pupils
4.inhibits saliva production
5.inhibit digestion
6.contracts rectum
sympathetic state (sacrial nerves)
1.relax bladder
2.secretes epinephrine(hormone in blood) and norepinephrine (energy release)
the parasympathetic state(thermic nerves)
1.decrease heart rate
2.decrease breathing rate
3.stimulates digestion
4.stimulates saliva
5.relaxes rectum
6.constricts pupils
parasympathetic (lumber nerves)
1.contracts the bladder
2.erection of genital
When impulses are within neurons
electrical
impulses between neurons
chemical
where do neuro transmitters get released from?
synaptic vesicles
neurotransmitters functions
either chemically or electrically and the electrochemical events trigger thoughts, actions and behaviours
sensory neuron function
transmits msgs from PNS to cns (long dendrites and short axons)
relay neuron function
transmits info from sensory to motor(short dendrites and axons)
motor neuron function
transmits msgs from CNS to effectors which are muscles and glands to produce a response( short dendrites and long axons)
synaptic transmission
1.impulse travels down the neuron
2. reaches the terminal buttons
3.neurotransmitters fired into the gap via synaptic vescicles
4.taken up by adajcent neuron by binding to receptors
5.electrical impulse travels down the axon
neurotransmitters functions
realased from syaptic vesciles, reuptake(going back up terminal buttons) or digested by enzymes.
neurotransmitters DIFFUSE along the synpase
function of hypothalamus
controls 8 major hormones
-the body temp
-water intake
pituitary gland
controls the functions of endocrine glands
thyroid/parathyroid
-controls metabolism
-growth
-maturation
parathyroid
behind the thyroid and pea sized
adrenal
lies behind the kidney
-reacts to stressors
-controls fat
-blood sugar
adrenals glands release….
cortisol and aldostrone
pancreas function
realeases insulin,
-glycogon
-somatosatin
ovaries…
2 small organs at child birth
testes
control spem production and testerone
pituitary gland…
master gland pea sized in brain= controls -
-growth
-blood sugar
-hormones
-release water
-thyroid
-blood pressure
difference between anterior and posterior
anterior- related to the hypothalamus
posterior- secretes oxytocin and ADH
what is a hormone?
chemical secreted into the bloodstream for communication
What does the autonomic control?
controls metabolism e.g breathing rate and heart rate
what does somatic control?
controls the muscles and response by reflexes. Recieves sensory info from receptors.
What are the CNS and PNS?
-specialized group of cells in the human body
-main internal communication system
Process of flight or fight?
1.there is a change in stimuli in the environment
2.sensory receptors receive the change
3.body changes from parasympathetic to sympathetic
4.pituitary gland releases ADH
5.this causes adrenal gland to release adrenaline into the blood stream
6. this arouses physiological changes such as fast heart rate and breathing rate
7. once the stressors has passed the bodys activity reduces and goes back to parasympathetic which is the rest and digest brake.
Performance and fight or flight…
When performing fight or flight and the release of adrenaline is good because it increases the performance of tasks we are good at.
But,
in tasks we not good at it can give a poor outcome due to the stress feeling.
what is action potential?
explosion of electrical activity (the resting potential moves forward)
function of a neuron
the neuron sends info down the axon away from the cell body
What is inhibition?
Negatively charged so less likely to fire e.g serotonin and GABA
What is excitory?
Positively charged more likely to fire e.g adrenaline and acetycholine
What happens when you touch a hot object?
-The sensory neurons detect this
-information is passed along the neuron as an electrical impulse .
-Chemicals cross the synapse
-trigger elec impulse along inner neuron
travels to motor neuron
-goes to the effectors e,g muscle, glands to produce response
-remove finger
knee jerk
1.stimulus hits the knee
2.sense organs in PNS convey message along sensory neuron
3.message reaches CNS and connects to relay
4.transfers to motor to carry msg to effector e.g muscle contracts so knee jerks
purpose of nucleus?
-contains gentic info
purpose of dendrites?
-carry nerve impulses towards cell body from neigbouring neurons
purpose of axons?
-carry nerve impulses away from cell body
purpose of myelin sheath?
-fatty layer protecting axons
-speed up electrical impulse
purpose of nodes of ranvier?
-speed up transmission
-forcing it to jump across gaps along axon
purpose of terminal buttons?
-communicate with next neuron across the synapse
what is summation
-excitory and inhibtory and summed
-e.g net effect on post is inhib then post synp is less likely to fire
-action potential only triggered if sum of excitory and inhib reaches threshold at one time.
