Biopsychology Flashcards
What is the CNS and what does it consist of?
Consists of brain and spinal cord and is the origin of all complex commands and decisions
What is the PNS? (Peripheral nervous system)
Transmits messages via neurons to and from the central nervous system.
What are the two subdivisions of the PNS
Autonomic nervous system
Somatic nervous system
What are the two subdivisions of the ANS?
Sympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic Nervous System
What is the somatic nervous system
Receives information from sensory receptors and governs voluntary muscle movement
Consists of sensory and motor neurones to carry sensory and motor information to and from the CNS
What is the Autonomic nervous system?
Governs vital involuntary functions in the body. Transmits information to and from the internal bodily organs.
What is the endocrine system and how is it different to the nervous system?
It instructs glands to release hormones into the bloodstream. These hormones are carried toward target organs. It acts slower than the nervous system but has widespread and long lasting effects.
What is the difference between the sympathetic action and the parasympathetic action?
Sympathetic- prepares the body for fight or flight by increasing heart rate, increased breathing rate and diverts away from digestion to more vital processes like glucose production for respiration.
Parasympathetic- returns body to its resting state, ‘rest and digest’ where it reduces the activities that were increased by the sympathetic. For example slows heartbeat.
What is a neurone?
They are nerve cells that process and transmit messages through electrical and chemical signals.
What is the structure and function of a sensory neuron?
Carry nerve impulses from sensory receptors in the PNS to the CNS. They have long dendrites and short axons.
What is the structure and function of a motor neurones?
They connect the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands. They have short dendrites and long axons.
What is a relay neurone?
Connect the sensory neurones to motor neurones or other relay neurones. They have short dendrites and short axons.
What do dendrites do?
They stick out from the cell body and carry nerve impulses from neighbouring neurones to the cell body.
What does the axon do?
Carries impulses away from the cell body down the length of the neuron.
What is the myelin sheath?
Protects the axon and speeds up electrical transmission of the impulse.
What is the nodes of ranvier
Small gaps which break up the myelin sheath and speeds up transmission of impulses by forcing it to jump across gaps along the axon.
What is the nodes of ranvier
Small gaps which break up the myelin sheath and speeds up transmission of impulses by forcing it to jump across gaps along the axon.
What is the gap between neurons?
Synapse
What is the presynaptic terminal?
The end of a neurone
What triggers the release of neurotransmitters?
When the electrical impulse reaches the end of the neurone
Where are neurotransmitters released from?
Synaptic vesicles
Explain the process of synaptic transmission
The electrical impulse travels down the neuron where it reaches the pre-synaptic vesicles. the electrical impulse triggers the release of neurotransmitters that flow across the synapse after being released. these neurotransmitters reach the receptors on the postsynaptic vesicle and it transforms back into an electrical impulse
What are the effects of adrenaline?
Prepare the body for fight or flight increases blood supply to skeletal muscle for physical action, increased oxygen to brain for rapid response planning
What is the hypothalamus?
Part of the brain that triggers activity in the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, it triggers other glands
