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Psychology A-level > Biopsychology > Flashcards

Biopsychology Flashcards

1
Q

Nervous system

A

a specialised network of cells in the human body - our primary communication system

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2
Q

two main functions of nervous system

A
  • collect, process and respond to information in the environment
  • co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body
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3
Q

two main subsystems

A
  • central nervous system (CNS)
  • peripheral nervous system (PNS)
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4
Q

centeral nervous system (CNS)

A
  • considts of brain and spinal chord
  • its the origin of all complex commands and decisions

the brain: centre of conscious awareness, contains the cerebral cortex - the reason we have higher mental functions compared yo other animals

the spinal chord: an extension of the brain responsible for out reflexes (short cuts) passes messages to and from the brain. connects nerves to PNS

  • may causes paralysis, responsible;e for reflexes
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5
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

the rest of the body
- uses millions of nerve cells (neurons) to send messages from the outside world to the brain (CNS) through the use of sensory neurons

  • it also sends messages from the brain (CNS) to muscles and glands
    it has two subdivisions :
  • autonomic nervous system (ANS)
  • somatic nervous system (SNS)
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6
Q

somatic nervous system

A
  • recives information for senses ( sensory receptors) to the CNS (brain)
  • controls muscle movement (brain signals motor movment)

e.g. sensory reseptors on hand (flame on hands)
->
CNS (brain or spinal chord)
->
muscles (move hands)

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7
Q

autonotmic nervous systems (ANS)

A

AKA automatic - system operates involuntarily DONT SAY AUTOMATICALLY
- governs vital functions in the body, involuntary bodily processes NOT MOVMENT
- transmits info to and from organs
has 2 subdivisions:
-systematic
- parasympathetic

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8
Q

Parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems

A
  • their actions are mostly antagnositic - they usually work in opposition to each other
  • sympathetic - prepares the body to expand energy (fight or flight)
  • parasympathetic - conserves energy and activity of bodily functions (homeostasis )

both are very important for the stress response

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9
Q

The endocrine system

A

a bodily system that works alongside the nervous system to control bodily functions
- the main difference is it works much slower than the NS

  • it instructs glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream
  • the hormones are then carried towards organs in the body
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10
Q

glands

A

organs in the body that secrete substances

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11
Q

hormones

A

powerful chemicals that travel through the blood to affect target organs

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12
Q

distinction between nervous and endocrine systems

A

communicati0on via neurotransmitters in neurons (very fast)

communicates via hormones in blood (very slow)

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13
Q

endocrine system

A

pituitary gland : known as the ‘master gland’ controls the release of hormones in all other endocrine glands in the body
adrenal gland: secretes the hormones of adrenaline
pineal gland: secretes melatonin (hormones for sleep)
the most important are in the centre, protected

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14
Q

what makes up the endocrine system

A

pituitary gland
adrenal gland
pineal gland

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15
Q

the role of adrenaline

A

a hormone produced by the adrenal glands
- part of the body’s immediate stress response response system AKA fight or flight
adrenaline is needed to activate the sympathetic nervous system - which then prepares the organs for an appropriate response (increased heart rate, dialted pupils)

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16
Q

Heart

A

SNS - heart rate increases
PNS - heart rate decreases

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17
Q

salivary glands

A

SNS - low salivation
PNS - high salivation

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18
Q

lungs

A

SNS - increase oxygen uptake
PNS - decreased oxygen uptake

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19
Q

Brain

A

An organ that serves as the centre of the nervous system in all vertebrates and most invertibrate animals

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20
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A

Connects the central nervous system to internal organs

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21
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system

A

Works to counteract the body’s response to stress

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22
Q

Somatic nervous system

A

Connects the central nervous system to muscles and sensory receptors

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23
Q

Sympathetic nervous system

A

Controls body’s response to emergency

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24
Q

Centeral nervous system

A

Contains the brain and spinal chord and is the origin of all complex commands

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25
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

The nerves leading to and from the brain and spinal chord

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26
Q

Spinal chord

A

The main pathway for information connecting the brain and peripheral nervous system (involved in reflex actions)

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27
Q

The nervous system

A

A network of all the neurons in the body

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28
Q

Neurons

A

Nerve cell
The basic building blocks of the nervous system
They are the nerve cells that process and transmitt messages through electrical and chemical signals

  • there are 100 billion neurons in the human nervous system, 80% of which are located in the brain
  • they provide the NS with its primary means of communication (almost like mini messages)
  • there are three types of neurons (motor, sensory, relay)
29
Q

Dendrites

A

-the receiving end of the neuron
- dendtrites are branch-like structures that protrude from the cell body

There are many branches so that electrical impulses (messages) can be received from many other neurons at once
-the most important / used neurons tend to have the most dendrites

30
Q

Nucleus

A

As with any cell, the nucleus contains the genetic material of the cell

31
Q

Cell body

A

The nucleus lives inside the cell body (the soma) usually the largest part of the neuron

32
Q

Axon

A

-the longest part of the neuron e.g. 1m
- axon carries the impulses away from the cell body down the length of the neuron
- axons have adapted in two ways to help speed up the transmission of the impulses

33
Q

Myelin sheath

A

-this is a fatty layer that covers the axon to protect its structure
It also speeds up the transmission of the impulse
-however if myelin sheath was continuous across the axon, it would have the reverse effects (slow down)
-therefore the axon has adapted to form gaps between the layers of myelin sheath

34
Q

Gaps between the myelinth sheath

A

Nodes of ranvier

35
Q

Terminal button

A

This is at the end of the neuron (hence terminal)
Once all electrical impulses reach the next terminal button; it is communicated to the next neuron
-this is done across a mall gap between neurons
-known as synapses

36
Q

Terminal button

A

This is at the end of the neuron (hence terminal)
Once all electrical impulses reach the next terminal button; it is communicated to the next neuron
-this is done across a mall gap between neurons
-known as synapses

37
Q

Gaps between neurons

A

Synapses

38
Q

How do neurons communicate

A

-terminal buttons from one neuron, connect to the dendrites of the next neuron
- a neuron will “fire” when positively charged,

the resting state of the cell is negatively charged however when activated by a stimulus, the inside of the cell becomes positively charged (for a split second)

This causes an action potential to occur- this then creates an electrical impulse that travels down the axon to stimulate the next neuron

This is known as an electrical transmission

39
Q

Which type of neuron has longer axons

A

Motor neurons

40
Q

Types of neurons

A

Relay
Motor
Sensory

41
Q

Relay

A

These connect the neurons together

42
Q

Sensory

A

These carry messages from the PNS to the CNS

Cell body is on the outside

43
Q

dendrites/ axons

motor

A

dendrites- short
axon - long

44
Q

dendrites/ axons

sensory

A

dendtrites: long
axons: short

45
Q

dendrites/ axons

relay

A

dendrites: short
axons: short

46
Q

synaptic transmission

A

the transmission (of messages) across the synapse

the process by which neighboring neurons communicate with each other by sending chemical messages across the gap (synapse) that separates them
- signals within neurons are transmitted electrically
- however sgnals between neurons are transmitted chemically across the synapse

  • neuron communicate in groups known as neural networks
47
Q

how does the process change

A
  • the transmittion process changes from electrical to chemical
  • the transmission process changes from electrical to chemical
  • the electrcal impulses (triggered by a posiive charge) travels from the dendrites -> axon -> terminal button
  • once the impulse reaches from terminal button it triggers the release of neurotransmitters
48
Q

neurotransmitters

A

brain chemicals that relay signals across the synapse from one neuron to another

49
Q

neurotransmitters travel across

A

the synapse to the next neuron (chemical transmission)
- this then creates a charge in the next neuron (positive/negative)
- if this charge is positive it will cause electrical transmission to tak place in the next neuron

50
Q

The process at the synapse

A
  • neurotransmitters live tiny sacs called synaptic vesicles fround at the terminal buttons of the pre-synaptic neuron
  • once an action potential (electrical potential) reaches the terminal button, it triggers the release of neurotransmittes
  • the neurotransmitters diffuse across the synapse and bind to the receptor sites on the dendrites f the post synaptic neuron
    once this happens the message is converted back into an electrical impulse and then the process starts again
51
Q

re-uptake (synapse)

A
  • when neurotransmitters are released across to the post synaptic neuron
  • once the post-synaptic neuron is full, its receptor sites will close
  • remaining neurotransmitters recycled back into the original pe-synaptic neuron, where they can be used again - this is called re-uptake
52
Q

A note on neurotransmitters

A
  • different neurotransitters can be found in differen neurons (as they have different fuctions)
  • each neurotransmitter has its own specific molecular structure
  • this is to ensure that neurotransitters fit perfectly ino the receptor sites on the post synaptic neuron
  • this also helps make sure that the wrong chemicals don’t enter the wrong neurons

therefore synaptic transmission uses a ‘lock and key diagram’

53
Q

excitation and inhibition

A

multiple neurons fire at the same time, sometimes at the same neuron

54
Q

excitation

A

when a neurotransmitter increases the positive change of the postsynapic neuron. this increases the likelehood that the neuron will fire and pass on the electrical impulse

55
Q

inhibition

A

when a neurotransiter increases the negative charge of the postsynaptic neuron
This decreases the like

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Psychology A-level (8 decks)

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