Biopsychology

Question 1

What is the nervous system?

Answer 1

A complex network of nerve cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal chord to different parts of the body to COMMUNICATE with each other

Question 2

What are the divisions of the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 2

Autonomic —-> sympathetic and parasympathetic

And

Somatic

Question 3

What are the four main areas of the brain called?

Answer 3

The cerebrum
The cerebellum
The diencephalon
The brain stem

Question 4

The cerebrum-

Answer 4

• Largest portion of the brain
• Perception, judgement, imagination/ thought occurs here
• Divided into right and left halves (hemispheres) connected by a tightly packed mass of nerve fibres- “corpus callosum”

Question 5

The cerebellum-

Answer 5

• The “little brain” or cerebellum helps to provide smooth, co ordinated body movement
• Inferior to cerebrum and posterior to brain stem
• Separated from cerebrum by the transverse fissure

Question 6

The diencephalon-

Answer 6

Made up of thalamus (relay and processing centres for sensory information)

and

hypothalamus (centres controlling autonomic functions and hormone productions)

Question 7

The Brain stem-

Answer 7

• Controls breathing, heartbeat and articulate speech
• 3 parts: Midbrain, Medulla and Pons
• Regulates blood pressure, swallowing, digestion

Question 8

All of the nerves outside of the ______ make up the ______ nervous system.

Answer 8

CNS, Peripheral

Question 9

What is the function of the PNS?

Answer 9

To relay nerve impulses from the CNS to the rest of the body.

Question 10

The SNS-

Answer 10

• Made up of cranial nerves and spinal nerves
• Involved in transmission to and from the CNS
• Also involved in reflex actions

Question 11

The ANS-

Answer 11

• Regulates involuntary actions:

Sympathetic branch INCREASES bodily activities

Parasympathetic branch MAINTAINS or DECREASES bodily activities

Question 12

What are neurones?

Answer 12

Cells that receive information and transmit it to other cells

Question 13

Name six parts of a neurone.

Answer 13

1) Nucleus
2) Dendrites
3) Axon
4) Cell body/ some
5) Terminal buttons
6) Action potential

Question 14

The Nucleus-

Answer 14

Spherical DNA- containing structure

Question 15

The Dendrites-

Answer 15

Branching extensions of a neurone which receive messages and conduct impulses

Question 16

The Axon-

Answer 16

Tube-like structures that send signals to other neurones, muscles or organs

Question 17

The Cell body/ soma-

Answer 17

The metabolic centre of the neurone

Question 18

The terminal buttons-

Answer 18

Button- like endings to the Axon branches which release chemicals into the synapses.

Question 19

Action potential-

Answer 19

The change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane

Question 20

What does unipolar mean?

Answer 20

Only transmits towards the brain (e.g. Sensory neurone)

Question 21

What is multipolar?

Answer 21

Capable of sending and receiving messages (e.g. Relay and motor neurones)

Question 22

What is muscle relaxation caused by?

Answer 22

The inhibition of the motor neurone