Biopsychology Flashcards
What is the peripheral nervous system divided into?
The autonomic nervous system which controls vital automatic functions in the body and the somatic nervous system which controls muscle movements and receives info from sensory receptors.
What is the nervous system divided into?
Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.
What does the central nervous system consist of?
Brain and spinal cord- origin of all the complex commands and decisions.
What does the peripheral nervous system do?
Send info to the CNS from the outside world and transmits messages from the CNS to muscles and glands in the body.
What does the somatic nervous system do?
Transmits info from receptor cells in the sense organs to the CNS. Also receives information from the CNS that directs muscles to act.
What does the autonomic nervous system do?
Transmit info to and from internal bodily organs. It is autonomic as the system operates involuntarily. (Automatic) has two main divisions.
What is the autonomic nervous system divided into?
Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
What does the endocrine system do?
Works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions in the body. Acts more slowly than the nervous system but has widespread effects.
Endocrine system
One of the body’s major information system that instructs glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream. These are then carried towards target organs in the body.
A gland
Organ in the body that synthesises substances such as hormones
Hormones
Chemical substances that circulate in the bloodstream and only affect target organs. Produced in large quantities and have powerful effects but disappear very quickly. [
Fight or flight response
The way an animal or human responds when stressed. Body becomes physiologically aroused in readiness to fight an aggressor or in some cases- flee.
Adrenaline
Hormone produced by the adrenal gland which is part of the bodies immediate stress response system. It stimulates the heart rate, contracts blood vessels and dilating air passages.
Neuron
The building blocks of the nervous system- nerve cells that process and transmit messages through electrical and chemical signals.
Sensory neurons
Carry messages from the PNS to the CNS. Have long dendrites and short axons.
Relay neurons
Connect sensory neurones to the motor or other relay neurons. They have short dendrites and short axons.
Motor neurons
Connect the CNS to effectors like muscles and glands. Have short dendrites and long axons.
The structure of a neuron
Cell body includes a nucleus, and dendrites protrude from the cell body. Axon which is covered in myelin sheath carries impulses away from cell body down the length of the neuron. Myelin sheath is segmented by gaps called nodes of ranvier that speed up transmission. At the end of the axon there are terminal buttons which communicate with the next neuron using the synapse.
Excitation
When a neurotransmitter increases the positive charge of the post synaptic neuron. Increases the likelihood that the neuron will fire and pass on electrical impulse.
Inhibition
When a neurotransmitter increases the negative charge of the post synaptic neuron. Decreases the chance that the neuron will fire and pass on electrical impulse.
Briefly explain the process of synaptic transmission
Neuron transmit chemical signals across each synaptic gap, but electrical impulses are transmitted within. When the electrical impulse reaches the end of the neuron it triggers the release of neurotransmitters from the synaptic vesicles which are tiny sacs.
Distinguish between a sensory neuron and a relay neuron.
Sensory neurons carry messages from PNS to CNS, but relay neurons connect them to other neurons. Also, sensory have long dendrites but relay have short dendrites.
