Biopsychology: The Nervous And Endocrine System Flashcards
What is the role of the nervous system
- specialised network of cells in the human body
- it is our primary internal communication system + has 2 main functions:
- to collect, process and respond to information in the environment
- the co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body
What are the two subsections of the nervous system
- central nervous system (CNS)
- peripheral nervous system (PNS)
What is the Central nervous system made up of
- the brain
- the spinal cord
What is ‘the brain’
- the centre of all conscious awareness
- the outer layer (cerebral cortex) is highly developed in humans
- the brain is divided into 2 hemispheres
What is the ‘spinal cord’
- an extension of the brain
- responsible for reflex actions
- passes messages to and from the brain and connects nerves to the PNS
What is the role of the peripheral nervous system
- PNS transmits messages via million of neurons to and from the CNC
- the peripheral nervous system is subdivided into:
- Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
- Somatic nervous system (SNS)
What is the autonomic nervous system
- governs vital functions in the body
- e.g. breathing, heart rate etc
What is the somatic nervous system
- controls muscle movement + receives info from sensory receptors
What is a gland
An organ in the body that synthesises substances such as hormones
What is the endocrine system
- one of the body’s major information systems
- instructs glands to release hormones directly into bloodstream
- these hormones are Carried towards target organs in the body
How does the endocrine system work
- works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions in body
- a lot slower than the nervous system but had wider spread + powerful effects
How do hormones work
- secreted into the blood stream and affects any cell in the body that has a receptor for the particular hormone
- e.g. thyroid gland produces the hormone thyroxine
What are the main glands of the endocrine system
- hypothalamus
- pituitary - ‘master gland’ - controls hormone release from all other glands
- thyroid
- adrenals
- pancreas
- ovaries/testes
What is a hormone
- chemical substance that circulate in the bloodstream
- produced in large quantities but disappear quickly
Outline the fight or flight response
- endocrine and autonomic nervous system work together:an example of this is the fight or flight response
- when a stressor is perceived, the hypothalamus triggers activity in the sympathetic part of our autonomic nervous system
- ANS changes from a parasympathetic state to the sympathetic state
- stress hormone is realised (adrenaline) which triggers physiological changes in the body
What happens after a fight or flight response
- the parasympathetic system returns the body to its resting state
- it acts as a ‘brake’ + reduces the activities of the body that were increased
- this is sometimes referred to as the ‘rest and digest response’
Outline biological changes associated with the sympathetic nervous system
- increases heart rate
- increases breathing rate
- dilates pupils
Outline biological changes associated with the parasympathetic nervous system
- decreases heart rate
- stimulates digestion
