Biopsychology Flashcards
(no ao3)
What is the nervous system?
a specialized network of cells that is the primary mode of communication
What is the nervous system made up of?
The peripheral and central nervous systems
How does the nervous system communicate?
Via electrical impulses
What are the 2 main functions of the nervous system?
-collect, process, and respond to environmental stimuli
-coordinate the working of different organs and systems in the body
What is the function of the central nervous system?
It is the origin of all complex commands and functions
What is the CNS made up of?
The spinal cord and brain
What is the function of the brain?
It is the center of all conscious awareness
What are the 3 functions of the spinal cord?
-It’s responsible for reflex actions
-It passes messages to and from the brain
-It connects the nerves to the PNS
What are the 2 functions of the peripheral nervous system?
-To send info from our outside world to the CNS and then from the CNS to our glands
-To transmit messages to and from CNS through neurons
What are the 2 divisions of the peripheral system?
The autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system
What is the function of the somatic nervous system? and what is it responsible for
It controls voluntary muscle movement
Is responsible for receiving info from our senses and sending it to CNS and transmitting info from CNS to effector organs
What is the function of the autonomic nervous system?
It controls vital functions in the body such as breathing and stress responses that are involuntary
What are 2 divisions of the autonomic nervous system?
The sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
What is the function of the sympathetic nervous system?
It prepares the body for fight or flight mode in the face of stress
What are the symptoms of the sympathetic nervous system activated?
-inc heart rate
-inc breathing rate
-dilated pupils
-inc blood pressure
-digestion stops
What is the function of the parasympathetic nervous system?
It regulates the body’s functions to conserve energy
(rest and digest)
What are the symptoms of the sympathetic nervous system activated?
-dec heart rate
-dec breathing rate
-constricted pupils
-dec blood pressure
-digestion starts
What is the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system?
(to do with which is active when)
antagonistic
(one or the other is active they can’t both be at the same time)
Explain a difference in the autonomic and stomatic nervous system
Our somatic nervous system involves things you can consciously sense and do. Your autonomic nervous system works without you thinking about it
Explain one difference in the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
The sympathetic nervous system carries signals that put your body’s systems on alert, your parasympathetic carries signals that relax those systems.
Explain one difference between the central and peripheral nervous system
The central nervous system is made up of the brain and spinal cord. The peripheral nervous system is made up of nerves that branch off from the spinal cord and extend to all parts of the body.
What is the function of the endocrine system?
It controls vital functions in the body by instructing glands to release hormones into the bloodstream which are carried to the effector organs
What are 2 differences between the endocrine and nervous system?
The endocrine is slower and more widespread than the nervous system, which means it takes longer but the effects last longer
The endocrine system uses chemical signaling (hormones, produced by glands) while the nervous system uses electrical signaling (neural impulses)
Define glands
Organs that produce hormones
Define hormones
Chemical messengers that circulate in the bloodstream to affect target organs
What 4 glands do you need to know?
-Pituitary gland
-Adrenal gland
-Pineal gland
-Ovaries
What is the function of the Pituitary gland?
To control the release of hormones from all other glands
What is the function of the adrenal gland?
To release adrenaline and noradrenaline for activation of fight or flight
What is the function of the pineal gland?
It releases melatonin to help you sleep
What is the function of the ovaries?
It releases estrogen to regulate menstrual cycle
When do the endocrine and. nervous systems work together?
In fight or flight when responding to stressful situations
Outline the functions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems in the fight or flight response
(7 step process)
1-threat
2-hypothalamus
3-activates sympathetic NS
4-Message to adrenal glands
5-Release of adrenaline and noradrenaline
6-Body responses (fight or flight)
7-Once threat decreases, parasympathetic NS is activated
Name the hormones released in the fight or flight response and which gland are they released from.
Adrenaline or noradrenaline which is released from the adrenal gland
What 2 glands form part of the endocrine system?
Hypothalamus
Pituitary
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
It helps produce hormones that regulate heart rate and body temp
What is the function of the pituitary gland?
To control the release of hormones from all other glands
What is the role of sensory neurons?
Registers input from senses and transports them to the CNS (relay neuron)
What is the role of relay neurons?
what do they connect?
They decide what to do and pass the message on to the brain
Connect sensory and motor neurons
Where in the nervous system would you find sensory, relay and motor neurons?
Sensory-PNS
Relay-CNS
Motor-PNS
Which type of neuron’s have short dendrites and long axons?
Motor neuron
Which type of neurons have long dentries and short axons?
Sensory
Which type of neurons has short dentries and short axons?
Relay
Can you draw a sensory relay and motor neuron?
Yes or no
Can you draw and label a synapse?
Yes or no
Can you draw and label a neuron?
Yes or no
What is the role of dendrites in a neuron?
They receive info from other neurons and carry info to the cell body
What is the role of an axon in a neuron?
Carries messages away from the cell body
What is the role of the myelin sheath in a neuron?
An insulating layer that allows electrical impulses to transmit faster
What is the role of the axon terminal in a neuron?
They contain neurotransmitters which transmit the message to other cells at the synapse
Explain the process of synaptic transmission
(5 steps)
- Electrical impulses reach the presynaptic ending
- Electrical impulses trigger the release of neurotransmitters
- The neurotransmitters are released from the vesicles and diffuse across the synaptic cleft
- The neurotransmitters bind with receptors at the post synaptic membrane (neurotransmitters have to meet a threshold at receptor site before they can make an electrical impulse impulse)
- Stimulation of postsynaptic membrane result in either excitation or inhabitation of the posy synaptic membrane
What’s meant by excitation?
Where the neurotransmitters have a positive charge so it increases the chances that the post synaptic neurone will fire an electrical impulse
What is meant by inhibition?
Where the neurotransmitters have a negative charge so it decreases the chances that the post synaptic neuron will fire an electrical impulse
(Stop it)
What is meant by summation?
Where the total number of of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters are added because there’s lots of them at one time and if there’s a threshold then the neuron will fire and continue but is the threshold has not been reached the electrical impulse wont fire.
What is a threshold?
A random number that has to be reached at the receptor site before an electrical impulse can be fired
