Biopsychology Flashcards
Inter neurons
- Found in visual system, brain or spinal chord
- Received from sensory neurons and pass to motor
Sensory neurons
- Carry messages from receptors to CNS
- Sense organs, muscles, skin and joints detect change and send impulses to CNS
Motor neurons
-Carry messages from the CNS to effectors
Parts of a neuron
Nucleus - contains genetic info
Cell Body - holds the nucleus
Dendrites - receive info from other neurons
Axon - carries messages from the cell body to synapse
Axon ending - sends impulses to dendrites of next neuron
Myelin Sheath - insulator around axon, speeds up transmission of impulses
Nodes of Ranvier - speeds up transmission, allows nutrients to enter neuron and waste to exit
Serotonin
- Relegated to mood
- Too little results in low mood and anxiety
Dopamine
- Relegated to pleasure seeking and emotion
- Too high results in addictive behaviours
Acetylcholine
- Relegated to learning and memory
- Sharpens concentration and perception
- Too little results in memory loss (Alzheimer’s)
Divisions of the nervous system
Central Nervous System / Peripheral Nervous System.
PNS = Autonomic / Somatic
Autonomic = Sympathetic / Parasympathetic
Parts of nervous system
CNS = brain (thoughts, emotions, main activities) and spinal chord (flow of information). Autonomic = involuntary movements (digestion, respiration, heart rate) Somatic = voluntary movements (skeletal movements). Sympathetic = involved in fight or flight response. Parasympathetic = reverses effects of sympathetic.
Stage 1 - Synaptic Transmission
Nerve impulses sent down the axon ending…
…vesicles release NT’s into the synapse.
Stage 2 - Synaptic Transmission
NT’s bind to receptors of the next dendrite.
Stage 3 - Synaptic Transmission
Summation (calculation of excited and inhibited NT’s)
EPSP - excites and boosts body (eg, adrenaline) more likely to be re-fired.
IPSP - relaxes body (eg, serotonin) less likely to be re-fired.
Stage 4 - Synaptic Transmission
NT’s are released back into the synapse after summation. Either reuptaken or diffused into synapse.
The Fight or Flight process
1) receptors in eyes detect threat and sends to hypothalamus
2) hypothalamus communicates message to sympathetic system
3) SNS sends signals to adrenal medulla, to release adrenaline
4) adrenaline increases heart and breathing rate (oxygen to muscles), releases glucose (for energy), inhibits digestion (blood from stomach to muscles)
5) once passed, parasympathetic reverses these effects and restores homeostasis
Gender differences in fight of flight
WORK FROM HERE
