Biopsychology

Question 1

What are neurons?

Answer 1

The basic building blocks of the nervous system - they process and transmit messages through electrical and chemical signals

Question 2

What are the different functions of the neuron?

Answer 2

• Dendrites: branchlike structures that receive signals from other neurons or sensory receptor cells
• Axon: carries impulses away from cell body down length of neuron
• Myelin sheath: insulates the axon so that the electrical impulses travel faster along the axon
• Terminal button: connects the neuron to other neurons using synaptic transmission

Question 3

What is action potential?

Answer 3

• A tiny electrical impulse that is triggered by a change in the electrical ‘potential’ of the neuron itself
• The inside of the neuron goes from being negatively charged to positively charged

Question 4

What is the structure and function of the 3 types of neurons?

Answer 4

• Motor: found in the CNS, and connects CNS to effectors like muscles and glands, to control muscle movements - short dendrites & long axons
• Sensory: found in receptors cells (e.g. skin) + carry nerve impulses to the spinal cord and brain - when these nerve impulses reach the brain, they are translated into ‘sensations’ (e.g. touch) - longer dendrites & short axons
• Relay: found in between sensory input and motor response + connect sensory neurons to motor or other relay neurons - short dendrites & short axons

Question 5

What is synaptic transmission?

Answer 5

The process by which one neuron communicates with another

Question 6

What are the stages of synaptic transmission?

Answer 6

1) An electrical signal called an action potential arrives at the presynaptic neuron
2) This stimulates vesicles containing neurotransmitters to move down and bind to the wall of the presynaptic neuron
3) Neurotransmitters are released from the vesicles into the synaptic cleft
4) Neurotransmitters are received by receptors on the post-synaptic receptors via a lock and key mechanism