Biopsychology Flashcards
What is the function of the nervous system?
Your nervous system allows you to respond to changes in your environment, known as stimuli.
It also allows you to coordinate your actions.
What does a receptor detect?
Stimuli
What do effectors do in a nervous system?
They bring about a response to a stimulus.
How do receptors and effectors communicate between each other to bring about an action?
They communicate with each other via the nervous or endocrine system, sometimes both.
List all stages of the human nervous system.
Central Peripheral Somatic Autonomic Parasympathetic Sympathetic
Describe the function and features of the CNS.
The Central Nervous System consists of the brain and the spinal cord.
It controls all functions of the body and mind.
Describe the function and features of the PNS.
The Peripheral Nervous System connects the CNS to the outside world, and the rest of the body.
It has 2 subdivisions, autonomic and somatic.
Describe the function and features of the Somatic NS.
The Somatic Nervous System is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system and controls our voluntary movement, controlling conscious activities such as running.
Describe the function and features of the ANS.
The Autonomic Nervous System is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system, which is required for maintaining our unconscious activities, such as our homeostasis.
It has two subdivisions, being Parasympathetic and Sympathetic.
Describe the function and features of the Parasympathetic NS.
The Parasympathetic Nervous System is a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system and is responsible for bringing, and maintaining, our body’s optimal function at a resting state, known to bring about ‘rest and digest’.
Describe the function and features of the Sympathetic NS.
The Sympathetic Nervous System is a division of the autonomic nervous system, that, when activated due to the presence of a life threatening stimulus, such as a predator, prepares the body for what is known as ‘fight or flight’, by stimulating the release of a considerable quantity of certain hormones, such as Adrenaline.
Name A to F:
https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/352951793187029005/842124156589965372/unknown.png?width=692&height=563
B may be a little hard to figure out, but it’s what you think it is.
What type of neuron is this?
A = Dendrite B = Soma C = Node of Ranvier D = Myelin Sheath E = Axon Terminal, or Synaptic Knob F = Axon
Motor Neuron
What is the cell body of a neuron called?
Soma
Where is the genetic information of a neuron stored?
Nucleus
Describe the structure of a motor neuron.
At the start of the neuron where the dendrites are, motor neurons have a large cell body, also known as a soma. The nucleus is located in this large cell body as well.
The axon on a motor neuron is long, and is insulated by myelin sheaths which are segmented with small gaps called nodes of Ranvier.
From the length of the axon, it branches out to form multiple axon terminals.
Describe the structure of a sensory neuron.
The receptor cells, the cells that the sensory neuron picks up a stimulus from, are generally visible. Though they are not actually part of the sensory neuron, this is where they are located as to pick up a physical or sensory stimulus from the eyes or skin.
The start of a sensory neuron contains dendrites which have sprouted off to scatter along the receptor cells to pick up a stimulus. There is also a long axon that is also insulated by Myelin sheaths, segmented to form small gaps called nodes of Ranvier.
The sensory neuron also has a small accumulation of it’s cell body, called soma, which sprouts off a bit from the axon to form the location of it’s nucleus.
Down the length of the axon, it branches out until they end to form axon terminals.
Describe the structure of a relay neuron.
Relay neurons are the smallest of the neurons.
At the start of a relay neurons, where the dendrites are located, it has a large cell body which contains it’s nucleus. From there, it has a very short axon, thus no myelin sheath is required for relay neurons.
Down the length of the axon, it branches off, eventually stopping to form axon terminals.
Describe the transmission of information to, and from, the CNS.
Firstly, a stimulus is presented.
A receptor picks it up and an electrical impulse is then sent to the CNS (brain or spinal cord in a reflex arc).
The impulse then goes from the CNS (sensory -> relay -> motor to go from CNS to show response) to travel to the effector cells, which usually are muscles.
They then generate a response:
- Stimulus presented
- Receptors pick up
- Signal goes to CNS
- Signals goes from CNS to effectors
- Response is initiated
During the transmission of information to, and from, the CNS, the stimulus travels through all three neurons.
Explain when the information reaches each neuron.
Firstly, when a stimulus is represented, a receptor cell picks it up which then sends an impulse to a sensory neuron, which is tasked to send the electrical impulse to the CNS.
In the CNS, relay neurons are found between the sensory and motor neurons, and so relay neurons must transfer their impulse to relay neurons before going to motors, and so then relay neurons can transfer their impulse to motor neurons.
Motor neurons then go from the CNS to effectors to configure a response.
Describe the function of the sensory neuron.
The start of sensory neurons, which are their dendrites, are found on the surface of receptor cells.
Their responsibility is to transmit signals, caused by a stimulus (caused to the cell) to the CNS.
Describe the function of the motor neuron.
Motor neurons are responsible for the transferring of information from the CNS to the effector cells, such as the muscles, to cause a response to occur.
Describe the function of the relay neuron.
Relay neurons are found in the CNS, directly between sensory and motor neurons.
Relay neurons are responsible for relaying information from the sensory neurons to the motor neurons.
What is a reflex?
A reflex is a fast, automatic response to certain stimuli.
They bypass your conscious brain completely, and instead, they go through the spinal cord.
Give an example of a receptor cell.
Skin
Eyes
Tongue
Give an example of an effector cell.
Muscle
What is a Synapse?
A synapse is a junction between a neuron and the next neuron or tissue.
What is an axon terminal?
Axon terminals are swellings which contain neurotransmitters stored in synaptic vesicles.
They are responsible for the process of synaptic transmission, which is how neurons communicate between each other.
Describe the process of synaptic transmission.
Information is passed down the axon of the neuron as an electrical impulse known as action potential.
Once the action potential reaches the end of the axon it needs to be transferred to another neuron or tissue. It must cross over a gap between the pre-synaptic neuron and post-synaptic neuron – which is known as the synaptic gap. At the end of the neuron (in the axon terminal) are the synaptic vesicles which contains chemical messengers, known as neurotransmitters.
When the electrical impulse (action potential) reaches these synaptic vesicles, they release their contents of neurotransmitters.
Neurotransmitters then carry the signal across the synaptic gap. They bind to receptor sites on the post-synaptic cell that then become activated. Once the receptors have been activated, they either produce excitatory or inhibitory effects on the post-synaptic cell.
Some neurotransmitters are excitatory and some are inhibitory. Excitatory neurotransmitters (e.g. noradrenaline) make the post-synaptic cell more likely to fire, whereas inhibitory neurotransmitters (e.g. GABA) make them less likely to fire.
Neurotransmitters can emit 2 different charges, negative or positive.
Name the type of neurotransmitter associated with each charge.
Excitatory - Positive
Inhibitory - Negative
What does an excitatory neurotransmitter do?
Excitatory neurotransmitters, when they bind onto a complementary receptor on the dendrite of the post synaptic neuron, emit a positive charge that makes it more likely for the neuron to pass on and fire the electrical impulse.
What does an inhibitory neurotransmitters do?
Inhibitory neurotransmitters, when they bind onto a complementary receptor on the dendrite of the post synaptic neuron, emit a negative charge that makes it less likely for the neuron to pass on and fire the electrical impulse.
Some Neurotransmitters come up a lot in Psychology.
Name three.
GABA Acetylcholine Dopamine Serotonin Noradrenaline Epinephrine (Adrenaline)
Name two excitatory neurotransmitters.
Acetylcholine
Noradrenaline
Adrenaline
Dopamine
Name two inhibitory neurotransmitters.
Serotonin
GABA
Describe Dopamine.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps with movement, attention and learning.
Too much is linked to schizophrenia, while too little could result to depression or Parkinson’s Disease.
Describe Serotonin.
Serotonin is an inhibitory neurotransmitter involved in emotion, mood, sleeping and eating.
Too little is associated with depression.
What is the endocrine system also known as?
The Hormonal System
What are hormones?
Hormones are chemical messengers, which are usually proteins.
They travel in the bloodstream and are complementary to certain cells as to stimulate them to act in certain ways, known as target cells.
What is a gland?
A gland is a crop of cells that are specialized to secrete a substance, such as a hormone.
List 5 glands.
Thyroid Gland Thymus Gland Pancreas Adrenal Gland Pituitary Gland The Gonads (Ovaries & Testes) Pineal Gland
What is the function of the Thymus Gland?
The Thymus Gland is involved and responsible in the stimulation of the immune system, mainly the maturing of certain lymphocytes.
What is the function of the gonads?
The gonads, being the ovaries and the testes, are responsible for the production of functional sex organs required for reproduction.
