Biopsychology Flashcards
CNS and it’s functions
Consists of brain and spinal chord
2 main functions
Regulates bodies physiological processes
Controls behaviour
Received impulses from sensory receptors e.g. eye and transmits/sends impulse to effectors e.g. muscles and glands to initiate a response
Brain consists of
Cerebellum - 4 lobes, largest part of the brain, split down the middle to form two hemispheres
Cerebrum - controls motor functioning, balance and fine tunes movements
Diacephalon - consists of thalamus (controls sleep, consciousness and alertness) and hypothalamus (water, stress, temperature)
Brain stem - controls breathing and heart rate involuntary
Spinal chord
Relays info from brain to body
Allows brain to monitor and regulate processes
Spinal chord connected to diff parts or body in pairs of spinal nerves which are connected to muscles and glands
If damaged, body areas connected by nerves below stops working
Peripheral nervous system and function
Everything except brain and spinal chord, all of the nerves
Transmits information via neurones from the cns
The 2 divisions of the PNS
Autonomic
Somatic
Autonomic nervous system
Unconscious control
Only motor systems
Controls internal organs, glands and smooth muscle
Controlled by brain stem
Somatic nervous system
Voluntary actions
Conscious control
Contains motor and sensory pathways
Controls skeletal muscles
Controlled by motor cortex
Divisions of the autonomic nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
FIGHT OF FLIGHT
body is under stress
Gets body prepared
Pupils dilate
Heart rate and breathing increases
Less blood flow to skin
Less salivation
Parasympathetic nervous system
REST AND DIGEST
Body relaxes, conserves energy
Breathing and heart rate decreases
Salivation increases
Digestion increases
pupils relax
What are neurones
Specialised nerve cells that move electrical impulses to and from cns
Parts of a neurone
Cell body - control centre of neuron
Nucleus - contains genetic material
Dendrite - receives impulse, impulse travels towards cell body
Axon - carries impulse from cell body to axon terminal
Myelin sheath - insulating layer, speeds up impulse
Schwann cells - makes up myelin sheath
Nodes of ranvier - gals between mepyekij sheath, impulse jumps here
Sensory neurons
Found in sensory receptors
Carries info to brain via pns
Converts stimulus info from receptors to electrical impulses (transducer)
When reached to brain converted into sensations
Some sensory impulses stop at spinal chord as they are involuntary
Motor neurones
Located in CNS
Projects axons outside of CNS
Sends impulse to glands and muscles (effectors)
Motor neurones release neurotransmitters that bind to receptors on muscles and trigger a response
Relay neurones
Found in CNS
Connect sensory and motor neurones
Used in reflex arc, does not require the brain to process info, relay neurones decide a response
