Biopsychology- Nervous

Question 1

What is the definition of the nervous system?

Answer 1

Network of cells that carry messages to and from the brain/spinal cord to different parts of the body, helping all parts of the body to communicate

Question 2

What is the central nervous system?

Answer 2

Made up of the brain and spinal cord and has 2 main functions. The brain receives information from the body’s sensory receptors and sends messages to the muscles and the glands

Question 3

What is the spinal cord?

Answer 3

Bundle of nerve fibres enclosed within the spinal column which connects all the parts of the body with the brain.

Consists of 31 pairs of spinal nerves which are divided into 2 roots: one root contains sensory neurones which enables the transmission of sensory information to the brain.
Second toot contains Motor neurones which are involved in the transmission of Motor signals to skeletal muscles

Question 4

What is the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 4

Nerve cells leading to and from the CNS which connects the CNS with the body and the outside world.

Consists of the somatic and autonomic system

Question 5

What is the somatic nervous system?

Answer 5

Controls voluntary movement which carries sensory information to and from the CNS

It’s made up of cranial and spinal nerves which both have sensory and motor neurone. The sensory neurones relay information to the CNS and motor neurones relay information from the CNS to other body parts.

Question 6

What is the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 6

Governs involuntary activities of non skeletal muscles.

Consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems

Question 7

What is the sympathetic system?

Answer 7

Produces arousal which enables us to respond quickly and efficiently

This then increases heart rate and releases glucose into the blood stream

Question 8

What is the parasympathetic system?

Answer 8

Reduced around and conserves energy which returns the body to a state of normality.

This then decreases the heart rate and stores glucose

Question 9

What is the function of the spinal cord?

Answer 9

Runs from the base of the brain down to the coccyx which relays information between the brain and the body

Enables the brain to regulate and monitor internal bodily processes

Enables us to perform simple reflexes without direct involvement eg: moving your hand away when you touch something hot

Question 10

What are the 4 main areas of the brain?

Answer 10

Cerebrum, cerebellum, diencephalon and the brain stem

Question 11

What is the cerebrum divided into?

Answer 11

Frontal lobe- which is involved in thought speech production and learning

Parietal lobe- processes sensory information such as touch and pain

Occipital lobe- processes visual information

Temporal lobe-involved with hearing and memory

Question 12

What is the diencephalon?

Answer 12

Situated on top of the brain stem and contains 2 important structures:

The thalamus acts as a relay station for nerve impulses from the coming senses. It involves several functions eg sleep.

The hypothalamus- regulates body temperature and acts as alone between the CNS And the endocrine system

Question 13

What is the brain stem?

Answer 13

Responsible for regulating automatic functions which are essential for life

Consists of motor and sensory neurones which travel through the brain stem allowing for impulses to pas between the brain and spinal cord

Question 14

What is the cerebellum?

Answer 14

Sits beneath the back of the cerebrum and involved in controlling motor skills and coordinating muscles

Question 15

What are neurones?

Answer 15

The cells making up the nervous system which conducts electrical impulses

Question 16

What is the structure of a neurone?

Answer 16

Consists of:

Dendrites- receive signals from other neurones to sensory receptors

Cell body- which controls the centre of the neuron

Axon- conducts nerve impulses away from the cell body and towards other neurones

Question 17

How much percent do neurones make up of the brain?

Answer 17

10%

Question 18

What is the function of the sensory neurone?

Answer 18

Carries sensory information from the body’s sensory receptors such as skin and tongue and sensory organs such as eyes and ears to the CNS.

Carry information to the spinal cord and the brain to then convert information from the sensory receptors to neural impulses.

These impulses travel to the brain where they are translated into sensations so we can respond appropriately.

However some sensory information only travels as far as the spinal cord before the information is conveyed to motor neurones through relay neurones which allows for reflex actions to occur

Question 19

What is the function of the motor neurone?

Answer 19

Carry motor commands from the CNS to skeletal muscles or glands which allows the control of movement.

Motor neurones are located in the CNS, they form the synapses with muscles and control their contractions.

When stimulates neurotransmitters are released to bind to receptors on the muscle and trigger a response which results in muscle movement to relax muscles

Question 20

What is the function of relay neurones?

Answer 20

Neurones within the CNS that interconnect with different parts of the CNS allowing for sensory and motor neurones to communicate with each other.

The function if to carry signals between sensory and motor neurones and other relay neurones

Question 21

What is another word for sensory neurones?

Answer 21

Afferent

Question 22

What is another word for Motor neurones?

Answer 22

Efferent

Question 23

What is action potential?

Answer 23

When neurones transmit information from one neurone to the other.

Begins with the dendrites which receive information from sensory receptors.

Information then travels across the cell body and then along the axon terminal towards other neurones.

Question 24

What does synaptic transmission do?

Answer 24

The process by which a nerve impulse passes across the synaptic cleft from the pre synaptic neurone to the post synaptic neurone

Question 25

What is the synapse?

Answer 25

Small gap between neurones in which neurotransmitters are released, permitting nerve impulses to be transmitted between neurones which include:

End of the presumptive neurone
Membrane of the postsynaptic neurone
Synaptic cleft gap

Question 26

What are neurotransmitters?

Answer 26

Chemical substances that transmit nerve impulses across a synapse

Question 27

What is the process of synaptic transmission?

Answer 27

Synaptic vesicles which contain neurotransmitters are stored at the end of the axon.

Action potential travels down the axon to the axon terminal Which then stimulates vesicles to release neurotransmitters into the synapse

The neurotransmitters diffuse across the gap over to the postsynaptic membrane to bind to specialised receptors which are then activated by that particular neurotransmitter

The process produces either excitatory or inhibitory effects on the postsynaptic neurone

Question 28

What happens after synaptic transmission?

Answer 28

Neurotransmitters is released back into the synaptic space and then cleared from the synaptic cleft through:

Diffusion- neurotransmitters drift away
Break down-neurotransmitter broken down by enzymes
Re-uptake- some neurotransmitters are taken back up into the pre synaptic neurone and stored for later release. The quicker the reuptake the shorter the effects on the postsynaptic neurone.

Question 29

What is meant by excitatory neurones?

Answer 29

Makes it more likely to fire
Increases neural activation in the CNS
Example:noradrenaline

Question 30

What happens when an excitatory neurotransmitter binds with a postsynaptic receptor?

Answer 30

Causes an electrical change in the cell membrane which results in an excitatory postsynaptic potential which makes it more likely to fire

Question 31

What is an inhibitory neurotransmitter?

Answer 31

Makes it less likely to fire as it decreases the neural activation in the CNS having a calming effect in the mind and body.

Example: GABA