Biopsychology - Lesson 1 Flashcards
The CNS consists of…
The brain and spinal chord
What are the two main functions of the CNS?
Control of behaviour and the regulation of the body’s physiological processes
What is the brain divided into?
4 main areas
What does the cerebrum look like?
It has 4 lobes and is split down the middle into two hemispheres
What is the cerebellum responsible for?
Motor skills, balance and muscle coordination
The diencephalon contains…
The thalamus and hypothalamus
What does the thalamus regulate?
Consciousness, sleep and alertness
What does the brain stem regulate?
Breathing and heart rate
What is the spinal chord and it’s function?
An extension of the brain that relays messages between the brain and the rest of the body
The PNS consists of…
The nervous system throughout the rest of the body
What is a neuron?
A nerve cell
What does the PNS do?
It transmits messages via neurons to and from the CNS
How many divisions does the PNS have and what are they?
It has 2 divisions:
• Somatic nervous system
• Autonomic nervous system
What does the ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) do?
Controls smooth muscles and internal organs and glands of the body
What is the ANS controlled by?
The brain stem
It is involuntary
The ANS involves…
Motor pathways only
Why is the ANS automatic and unconscious?
It regulates itself and is responsible for digestion, heart rate and breathing
What are the 2 divisions of the ANS?
‘Sympathetic Nervous System’ and the ‘Parasympathetic Nervous System’
The Sympathetic Nervous System is activated when…
…a person is stressed
What happens when a person is stressed?
- Heart rate and breathing increases
- Digestion stops
- Salivation reduces
- Pupils dilate • Flow of blood is diverted away from the skin’s surface
• Fight or flight response activated
The Parasympathetic Nervous System is activated when…
…a person is relaxing and therefore conserving energy
What happens when the body is relaxing?
- Heart rate and breathing reduce
- Digestion starts
- Salivation increases
- Pupils constrict
What does the hypothalamus regulate?
Body temperature, stress response and hunger and thirst
What does the somatic nervous system control?
Voluntary movements and skeletal muscles
What is the somatic nervous system controlled by?
The motor cortex
It is under conscious control
What pathways does the somatic nervous system have?
Sensory AND motor pathways
