Biopsychology Flashcards
What is the central nervous system?
1) brain + spinal cord
2) controls behaviour + regulation of body’s physiological processes
3) receives information from sensory receptors
4) sends messages to muscles + glands
What areas is the brain divided into?
1) cerebrum
2) cerebellum
3) diencephalon
4) brain stem
What is the cerebrum?
1) largest part of the brain
2) 4 lobes
3) split down middle into two halves - hemispheres
What is the cerebellum?
Responsible for motor skill/balance/coordinating muscles to allow precise movement
What is the diencephalon?
Contains the thalamus + hypothalamus
What is the thalamus?
Regulates consciousness/sleep/alertness
What is the hypothalamus?
Regulates body temperature/stress response/hunger + thirst
What is the brain stem?
Regulates breathing + heart rate
What is the function of the spinal cord?
1) relays information between brain + rest of body
2) allows brain to monitor/ regulate bodily processes (digestion + breathing)/coordinate voluntary movement
What is the spinal cord connected to?
1) different parts of the body by pairs of spinal nerves - connected to specific muscles + glands
2) areas connected to spinal cord will be cut off + stop functioning if spinal cord is damaged
What is the peripheral nervous system?
1) nervous system (not brain + spinal cord)
2) transmits messages via neurons to and from central nervous system
3) somatic nervous system/autonomic nervous system
What is the peripheral nervous system divided into?
1) somatic nervous system
2) autonomic nervous system
What is the somatic nervous system?
1) connects senses with central nervous system
2) sensory + motor pathways
3) controls skeletal muscles + movement
4) controlled by motor cortex
5) conscious activities
What is the autonomic nervous system?
1) motor pathways only
2) controls organs + glands
3) controlled by brain stem
4) unconscious nervous system
5) sympathetic nervous system/parasympathetic nervous system
What is the autonomic nervous system divided into?
1) sympathetic nervous system
2) parasympathetic nervous system
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
1) activated when stressed
2) increases heart + breathing rate
3) stops digestion
4) reduces salivation
5) dilates pupils
6) diverts flow of blood from surface of the skin
7) fight or flight response
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
1) activated when relaxing
2) conserves energy
3) reduces heart + breathing rate
4) starts digestion
5) increases salivation
6) constricts pupils
What is biopsychology?
How biology influences behaviour
What do receptors do?
1) detect stimuli
2) communicate with effectors via nervous/endocrine systems
What do effectors do?
Bring about a response to a stimulus
What are neurons?
1) specialised nerve cells
2) transmit information as electrical impulses around body
What is the cell body?
Control centre of neuron
What is the nucleus?
Contains genetic material
What are dendrites?
Receive information from other neurons
What is the axon?
Carries electrical impulse from cell body to axon terminal
What is the myelin sheath?
Insulating layer that protects axon + speeds up transmission of electrical impulse
What are Schwann cells?
Make up myelin sheath
What are Nodes of Ranvier?
Gaps in myelin sheath that speed up electrical impulse along axon