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🧠 > Biopsychology: L1-5 > Flashcards

Biopsychology: L1-5 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the nervous system?

A

Specialised network of cells that is our primary internal communication system. It’s two main functions are;
- To collect, process and respond to information in the environment
- To coordinate the working of different organs and cells within the body

It is divided into two sub-systems;
- Central nervous system (CNS)
- Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

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2
Q

Central nervous system (CNS) in detail - Brain

A

Cerebrum: Largest part of the brain, divided into four lobes (Occipital, frontal, temporal and parietal) as well as plot into hemispheres - each is specialised and communicates via the corpus callosum

Cerebellum: Back of the cerebrum, controls motor skills & balance, and precise movements

Diencephalon: Central location, above the brain stem. Four main structures (Hypothalamus, thalamus, epithalamus and subthalamus) Involved in coordinating endocrine system, relaying sensory/motor information to the cerebral cortex and regulating circadian rhythms

Brain stem: Regulates automatic functions essential for living & allows impulses to pass between the brain and spinal cord

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3
Q

Central nervous system (CNS) in detail - Spinal cord

A
  • Relay information between brain & the rest of the body
  • Allows the brain to monitor and regulate bodily processes and coordinate voluntary movement
  • Able to connect to specific muscles and glands (via spinal nerves)
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4
Q

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) in detail - Somatic nervous system (SNS)

A
  • 12 pairs of cranial nerves & 31 pairs of spinal nerves
  • Involved in reflex actions
  • Facilitates communication between the CNS and the environment
  • Sensory and motor pathways
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5
Q

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) in detail - Autonomic nervous system (ANS)

A
  • Regulates involuntary actions such as heart rate — Responsible for automatic internal bodily responses
  • Role in homeostasis
    Two parts:
  • Sympathetic nervous system
  • Parasympathetic nervous system
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6
Q

Sympathetic nervous system (SNS)

A
  • Deal with emergencies — fight or flight response
  • Can cause the body to release stored energy
  • Helps prepare for action by increasing processes such as heart rate & breathing, while suppressing functions such as digestion and salivation
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7
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)

A
  • Relax the body to a ‘normal’ resting state
  • Slows heart rate and breathing, and restarts any functions that were suppressed during fight or flight
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8
Q

Neurons

A
  • 80% located in the brain
  • Transmits signals electrically and chemically
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9
Q

Structure of a neuron

A

Soma: Cell body, contains genetic material
Dendrites: Branch line structures that hang out the cell body. These carry nerve impulses from neighbouring neurons to the cell body
Axon: carries the impulse away from the cell body
Myelin sheath: Protects the axon and speeds up the electrical transmission
Nodes of Ranvier: Speed up transmission by forcing the impulse to ‘jump’ across the gaps
Axon terminal: Communicate across synapses

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10
Q

Sensory neurons

A
  • Found in receptors eg eyes
  • Carry nerve impulses that are interpreted as sensations
  • Carry messages from the PNS to CNS
  • Long dendrites and short axons
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11
Q

Relay neurons

A
  • Connect sensory neurons to motor neurons or other relay neurons
  • Short dendrites and Short axons
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12
Q

Motor neurons

A
  • Connect the CNS to effectors (muscles/glands) — Release neurotransmitters to simulate receptors
  • Short dendrites and long axons
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13
Q

Synaptic transmission

A

The process by which nerve impulses passes across the synaptic cleft from the presynaptic neuron to the post synaptic neuron

Presynaptic neuron:
- Activated by a stimulus
- Causes action potential -> Creates electrical impulse

At the axon terminal:
Electrical impulse -> Chemical (Neurotransmitters) released via exocytosis
- Diffuses across the synaptic cleft to the post synaptic neuron
- ‘Unneeded’ are reuptaken by the presynaptic neurons

At the post synaptic neuron:
Chemical (neurotransmitters) -> Electrical impulses

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14
Q

Excitatory neurotransmitter

A
  • Activates/increases chances of carrying out a behaviour
  • Eg; Adrenaline, dopamine
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15
Q

Inhibitory neurotransmitter

A
  • Generally responsible for calming the mind & body, and filtering out excitatory signals
  • Eg; Serotonin, GABA
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16
Q

What is summation

A

The calculation that determines the likelihood a cell will fire, by adding the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic input

17
Q

The endocrine system

A

Works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions in the body
- Slower and more widespread than the nervous system

Major endocrine gland: Pituitary gland, controls the release of hormones from other endocrine glands

18
Q

Thyroid

A

Main hormone released; Thyroxine

Effects of thyroxine:
- Regulates the body’s metabolic rate and protein synthesis

19
Q

Anterior pituitary gland hormone

A

Prolactin - Stimulates milk production & release in mammary glands.

Melanocyte stimulating hormone (MSH) - Stimulates the production and release of melanin in the skin & hair

20
Q

Posterior pituitary gland hormone

A

ADH - Regulates water balance in the body; stimulates water reabsorption by the kidneys

Oxytocin - Promotes uterine contractions during child birth and lactation

21
Q

What happens to the brain during fight or flight

A
  • The amygdala is activated & associates sensory signals with emotions
  • The amygdala sends a signal to the hypothalamus
  • The hypothalamus’s then communicates with the sympathetic nervous system
22
Q

Response to acute stressors

A
  • The sympathetic nervous system is triggered
  • The SNS sends a signal to the adrenal cortex, which releases adrenaline
    Adrenaline;
  • Raises heart rate & breathing
  • Decreasing digestion & saliva production
  • Blood sugars, such as in the form of fats, is released

After the stress has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated
- Heart rate and blood pressure decreases
- Digestion resumes

23
Q

Strengths of fight or flight response

A
  • From an evolutionary standpoint, the fight or flight response makes sense as it would have helped an individual survive
24
Q

Weaknesses of the fight or flight response

A
  • Gray (1998) suggested that the first response to danger is to avoid confrontation (Freeze). During the freeze response humans become hyper vigilant, while they decide the best curse pf actin
  • There are gender differences, as Taylor et al (2000) found that women are more likely to tend and befriend rather than fight or flight, however there may be similarities as men may also tend and befriend, such as during 9/11, when men and women tried to contact love ones & help others (Von Dawans)
  • It was a useful survival mechanism for ancestors, however it is rarely required in modern life and if repeatedly activated, fight or flight can have negative impacts on heath, such as damaging the cardiovascular system due to high blood pressure

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