Biopsychology And Mind-Brain Problem Flashcards
Dualism vs. Materialism, PNS, neurons, the 🧠
What two basic cell types is a nervous system composed of
Glial cells and neurons
What are glial cells
They play a supportive role to neurons: provide insulation, transport nutrients and waste products, mediate immune responses, provide scaffolding on which the nervous system is built, help neurons line up closely together to allow neuronal communication.
Are glial cells or neurons more abundant
Glial cells are more abundant, they outnumber neurons 10 to 1
Neurons
They serve as interconnected information processors that are essential for all the tasks of the nervous system
What are the main parts of a neuron
Semi-permeable cell membrane, cell body or Soma, axon, dendrites, myelin sheath, terminal buttons that contain synaptic vesicles that house neurotransmitters.
What is a Soma
The cell body of a neuron, signals are transmitted from dendrites across the Soma, contains cell nucleus
What are dendrites
Tree like Branches extending from the Soma of a neuron. They serve as input sites or signals are received from other neurons.
What is the main function of a neuron
It is a small information processor
What is the function of an axon
Signals are transmitted electrically across the Soma and down a major extension of the Soma known as the axon
Where are terminal buttons located
They are extensions from the axon
What do the terminal buttons contain
Synaptic vesicles
What do synaptic vesicles house
Neurotransmitters which are chemical messengers of the nervous system
What is a synapse
A very small space between two neurons and an important site where communication between neurons occurs
What happens once neurotransmitters are released into the synapse
They travel across a small space and bind with corresponding receptors on the dendrite of an adjacent neuron
What are receptors
Proteins on the cell surface where neurotransmitters attach, vary in shape, with different shapes matching different neurotransmitters
How does a neurotransmitter know which receptor to bind to
The neurotransmitter and the receptor have what is referred to as a lock and key relationship
Biological perspective
This is when the focus of a psychological disorder is on the physiological causes of that behavior
Which disorders are biological perspectives used on and why
Disorders such as depression and schizophrenia because they are found to be associated with imbalances and one or more transmitter systems
How do psychotropic medications help disorders like depression and schizophrenia
These are drugs that treat psychiatric symptoms by restoring neurotransmitter balance
What are the two major subdivisions of the nervous system
Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system
What makes up the central nervous system
The brain and spinal cord
What makes up the peripheral nervous system
The PNS is made up of nerves carrying messages back and forth between the central nervous system and the muscles, organs, and senses in the periphery of the body
What are nerves
Thick bundles of axons
What are the two major subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system
The somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system
What is a somatic nervous system
The part of the PNS That controls the body’s skeletal muscles (motor information) and processes sensory information, traditionally thought of as conscious or voluntary
What is the function of motor neurons
They carry instructions from the central nervous system to the muscles, and are also known as efferent fibers.
What is the function of sensory neurons
They carry sensory information to the central nervous system, and are known as afferent fibers, they are activated by chemical and physical stimuli, and illicit sensations such as pain, touch, temperature, itch
Autonomic nervous system
This is a part of the peripheral nervous system that controls involuntary muscles, internal organs and glands and is generally considered to be outside the realm of voluntary control
The autonomic nervous system is subdivided into what 2 divisions
The sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
Involved in preparing the body for stress related activities, prepares the organs for rigorous activity and is involved in psychological arousal
Parasympathetic nervous system
Is associated returning the body to routine, day-to-day operations, slows down bodily functions and is involved in psychological relaxation
If the parasympathetic system is activated does that mean that the sympathetic nervous system is deactivated
Both systems are always on but one is usually more active than the other, dependent on the relative amount of input from either system. Each organ receives efferent nerves from the CNS that consist of opposing parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves
What happens when our sympathetic nervous system is activated
- can result when faced with stressful or higher arousal situations
- dilates pupils, inhibits salivation, increases heart rate dilate bronchi, inhibits digestion, blood pressure increases, bladder relaxes, liver releases glucose, adrenaline (Epi, NE) surges into bloodstream
- also known as fight or flight response
What happens when parasympathetic nervous system is activated
- calms or conserves energy
- pupils constrict, stimulates elevation, heart rate slows, blood pressure returns to normal, bronchi constrict, digestion is stimulated, contracts bladder, liver begins to store glucose in the form of glycogen for future use
Function of spinal cord
It is like a relay station, it routes messages to and from the brain and also has its own system of automatic processes called reflexes
What occurs in the brain stem
Control of breathing and digestion