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PSYCH > Biopsychology > Flashcards

Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

nervous system overview (family tree)

A

Spinal Cord
Central NS
Brain

Nervous system

                            Somatic NS

                Peripheral NS

                                             Sympathetic NS
                           Autonomic NS
                                              Parasympathetic NS
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2
Q

What happens when the spinal cord is damaged

A

Anything below the damaged point is cut off from the brain and stops functioning

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3
Q

Somatic Nervous system:

A
  • a division of the PNS
  • found on the underside of brain and spinal cord
  • uses motor neurons and sensory neurons
  • receives information from CNS that controls muscle movement
  • central to voluntary action
  • also involved in reflex action
  • transmits information to the CNS
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4
Q

Autonomic nervous system:

A
  • a division of the PNS
  • central to involuntary action
  • eg heart beating, digestion, sexual arousal and stress response
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5
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A
  • transmits messages via neurons to and from the CNS.

- divided into somatic NS and autonomic NS

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6
Q

Sympathetic branch

A
  • a division of the autonomic NS
  • main neurotransmitter is noradrenaline
  • stimulating effects
  • involved in situations needing energy / arousal
  • fight or flight response
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7
Q

Parasympathetic branch

A
  • a division of the autonomic NS
  • main neurotransmitter is acetylcholine
  • inhibiting effects
  • relaxation after emergency
  • ‘rest and digest’ system
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8
Q

biological changes associated with sympathetic and parasympathetic branches

A

sympathetic: parasympathetic
- increases heart rate - decreases heart rate
- increases breathing rate - decreases breathing rate
- dilates pupils -constricts pupils
- inhibits digestion - stimulates digestion
- inhibits saliva production- stimulates saliva production
- contracts rectum - relaxes rectum

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9
Q

what are neurons, what are the 3 types

  • where do they connect from and to
  • length of dendrites and axons of each type
A

neurons are nerve cells that process and transmit messages through chemical and electrical signals

sensory neurons

  • from the PNS to CNS
  • long dendrites and short axons

motor neurons

  • from CNS to PNS (to effectors - muscles and glands)
  • short dendrites and long axons

relay/inter neurons

  • from everywhere to everywhere
  • short dendrites and short axons
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10
Q

structure of neurons

A
  • cell body, includes a nucleus
  • dendrites receive info
  • axon carries impulses away
  • axon covered in a protective layer called a myelin sheath
  • myelin sheath is separated into sections by nodes od Ranvier
  • these speed up transmission
  • at the end of the axon are terminal buttons which communicate with the next neuron across a gap called a synapse
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11
Q

what is action potential and how does it occur

A

in resting state, a cell is negatively charged

  • when a neuron is activated by a stimulus, the cell quickly becomes positively charged
  • this causes action potential
  • this creates an electrical impulse which travels down the axon towards the end of the neuron (the terminal button)
  • at the synapse, transmission becomes chemical
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12
Q

presynaptic nerve and postsynaptic nerve

A

presynaptic - the nerve before the synapse

postsynaptic - the nerve after the synapse

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13
Q

excitatory vs inhibitory effects

A

neurotransmitters can be both excitatory and inhibitory

excitatory

  • makes neuron more positively charged
  • increases action potential
  • post synaptic neuron more likely to fire
  • eg adrenaline, dopamine
  • excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)

inhibitory

  • makes neuron more negatively charged
  • reduces action potential
  • post synaptic neuron less likely to fire
  • eg serotonine, GABA
  • inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)
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14
Q

endocrine system overview

A
  • informational system
  • network of glands which make and secrete hormones
  • involves negative feedback
  • hypothalamus triggers hormone production when it is required and stops when sufficient levels of a hormone are in the bloodstream
  • works slowly and has a widespread effect
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15
Q

what are the endocrine glands`

A
  • group of cells within system
  • they produce and secrete hormones
  • main glands are the
    pituitary - found in the brain
  • regulates activity of other endocrine glands
  • oxytocin for attachment, anxiety
    -ADH to retain water

adrenal - found at the top of the kidneys

  • ‘fight or flight’, stress response
  • cortisol, adrenaline

ovaries/testes

  • secondary sexual characteristics
  • testosterone and oestrogen
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16
Q

Direct effects of adrenaline (physiological)

A
  • from adrenal medulla
  • increase heart rate
  • constricts blood vessels
  • diverts blood away from skin, kidneys and digestive system
  • increases blood flow to brain and skeletal muscles
  • increases respiration and sweating
17
Q

general effects of adrenaline (behavioural)

A
  • prepare body for fight or flight
  • increase blood supply to muscles for physical action
  • increase oxygen to brain for rapid response planning
18
Q

short and long term behavioural effects of SAM

A

short term

  • run faster
  • react quicker
  • helps in emergencies

long term

  • increased blood pressure
  • heart disease
19
Q

short and long term behavioural effects of HPA

A

short term

  • copes with long term stress
  • reduces effect of initial shock response

long term
- too much cortisol creates a suppressed immune system

20
Q

fight or flight response overview

A
  • a dual stress response involving both the ANS and the endocrine system
  • involves SAM and HPA
21
Q

SAM fight or flight response

A
  • SAM - sympathetic adrenal medullary system
  • fast response
  • involves autonomic nervous system (involuntary movement)
  • stimulates sympathetic nervous system (energy and arousal)
  • activates adrenal gland. the adrenal medulla releases both adrenaline and noradrenaline
  • this leads to the short and long term, behavioural and physiological effects of SAM
  • after response is finished, parasympathetic nervous system is triggered (conserve energy)
22
Q

HPA fight or flight response

A
  • HPA - hypothalamic pituitary adrenocortical system
  • slow response
  • involves endocrine system
  • releases hormones from pituitary gland
  • activates adrenal gland. the adrenal cortex releases cortisol (stress hormone)
  • this causes the short and long term, behavioural and physiological effects of the HPA.

PSYCH (8 decks)

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