Biopsychology - Booklet 1 Flashcards
What is the nervous system?
A network of cells in the human, our main internal communication system
What are the two sub-systems in the nervous system?
-Central nervous system
-Peripheral nervous system
Which approach is biopsychology part of?
It’s part of biological structures, from the biological approach
What is the central nervous system (CNS) made up of?
The brain and the spinal cord
What is the function of the CNS?
Its function is to control behaviour and regulate the body’s physiological processes
What is the brains function in the CNS?
It’s the centre of all consciousness and deals with higher order skills such as problem solving
What are the three functions of the spinal cord in the CNS?
-To relay information between brain and body
-To transfer messages to the PNS
-Deal with some reflex responses without the brain
What does the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) do?
It transmits millions of signals vie neurons to and from the CNS
What are the two sub divisions of the PNS?
-Autonomic nervous system
-Somatic nervous system
What are the two branches of the Autonomic nervous system?
-Sympathetic branch
-Parasympathetic branch
What is the function of the autonomic nervous system?
Transmitting and receiving messages from the organs
What does the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system focus on?
Bodily arousal
What does the parasympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system focus on?
Bodily calm
What is the function of the somatic nervous system?
To transmit and receive messages from the senses and control muscle movement.
What are the cells of the nervous system called?
Neurons
What do Neurons do?
They allow the nervous system to communicate by sending information using chemical and electrical signals
How many types of neurons are there?
3
What does the cell body of a neuron include?
A nucleus
What does the nucleus of a neuron contain?
The genetic material of the cell
What are dendrites?
Branch like structures that come away from the cell body
What do dendrites carry?
Nerve impulses from neighbouring neurons towards the cell body
What does the axon do?
Carries impulses away from the cell body down the length of the neuron
What is the axon covered by?
The myelin sheath, which protects the axon and speeds up electrical transmission
How is the myelin sheath structured?
Broken up into chunks so there’s gaps between it, making electrical transmissions even faster
What are the gaps in the myelin sheath named?
Nodes of Ranvier
What is at the end of the axon?
Terminal buttons that communicate with the next neuron in the chain across the synapse
Identify the three types of neurons
-Sensory Neuron
-Relay Neuron
-Motor Neuron
What is the function of the Sensory neuron?
These send signals from sense organs to the brain, from the PNS to the CNS
What is the function of the relay neurons?
They connect the sensory neurons to the motor/relay neurons
What is the function of the motor neurons?
These connect the CNS/the brain to effectors such as muscles and glands
What are the 6 steps of sensory receptors in the nervous system?
-Sensory receptor detects a stimulus
-Electrical impulse is carried along a sensory neuron
-It reaches the CNS
-Brain coordinates large amount of info
-It produces a response and sends it along motor neuron to effector organs
-effector organs produce response
What is the 5 part chain from Sensory receptor to effector organ?
Sensory receptors
↓
Sensory neurons
↓
CNS
↓
Motor neuron
↓
Effector organ
Where do signals cross between neurons?
At the synapse
What is synaptic transmission
It’s how the nervous system transmits information across a synaptic cleft
What are the 4 simplified steps of synaptic transmission?
-Active potential trigger vesicles to move to pre-synaptic cell membrane
-Vesicles fuse with membrane, releasing neurotransmitters into the cleft
-Neurotransmitter diffuses across synapse and binds to receptors on post-synaptic cell membrane
-When enough receptors have neurotransmitters, signal is transmitted
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemicals that diffuse across the synapse to the next neuron
What do neurotransmitters do?
Carry signals across the synaptic cleft to the receptor site
What are the two types of neurotransmitters?
-Excitatory
-Inhibitory
What is a type of neurotransmitter we study in aggression and psychopathology?
Serotonin, it causes inhibition in the receiving neuron
What is a type of neurotransmitter which, unlike serotonin, causes excitation of the neuron?
Adrenalin
If there was an exam question asking “why information only travels in one direction in a synapse”, how must you phrase your answer (3 points)?
-As vesicles containing neurotransmitters are only present in pre-synaptic cell
-Receptor sites are only present on post synaptic cell
-When neurotransmitters bind they then pass the message on to the next neuron
What is the endocrine system?
A network of glands throughout the body that uses blood vessels to deliver hormones to target sites in the body
What do hormones do?
They are secreted into the bloodstream and affect any cell in the body that has a receptor for that hormone
What comparison can be made between the nervous system and endocrine system?
The endocrine system is much slower however has a widespread and powerful effect
What are the major glands in the endocrine system?
-Pituitary gland
-Adrenal gland
-Reproductive organs
What do glands produce?
They produce and release hormones
What is the function of the pituitary gland?
This releases some hormones which are important in regulating the endocrine system. It is known as the “master gland”
What is the function of the adrenal gland?
Important in the fight or flight response, it releases the hormone adrenalin
What is the function of the testes gland?
Releasing the hormone testosterone
What is the function of the ovaries gland?
Releasing Oestrogen and Progesterone
What are hormones?
Chemicals that circulate the bloodstream and are carried to the target site in the body
What is it thought of hormones?
That they influence behaviour, each having a different effect
When is the Fight or flight response activated? (SAM)
In response to a threat or stressor
What does SAM stand for?
Sympathomedullary pathway
What is the sequence of the SAM pathway (fight or flight)? (6 steps)
-When stressor is present the hypothalamus is activated
-This activates autonomic branch of the NS
-Stimulation of the sympathetic branch triggers activation of adrenal gland
-Adrenal medulla activated
-Adrenal medulla produces adrenaline and noradrenaline
-This leads to increased heart rate, breathing and blood flow to muscles. As well as dilated pupils/sweat
What are the 10 simple steps for the fight or flight?
-Threat/Stressor
-Hypothalamus activated
-Autonomic NS
-SAM pathway activated
-Sympathetic NS
-Adrenal Gland
-Adrenal Medulla
-Produce adrenaline/noradrenaline
-Bodily functions e.g. breathing, heart rate, pupils dilate, blood to muscles
-Parasympathetic NS
