Biopsychology: The nervous system

Question 1

What are the functions of the nervous system?

Answer 1

1) Collect, process and respond to info in the environment.

2) Co-ordinate working of different organs and cells.

Question 2

What is the nervous system subdivided in to?

Answer 2

• Central Nervous System (CNS)
• Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Question 3

What is the CNS made up of?

Answer 3

The brain and spinal cord. Receives information from the senses and controls the body’s responses.

Question 4

What distinguishes human mental functions from those of animals?

Answer 4

Cerebral cortex

Question 5

In terms of the nervous system, what does the spinal cord do?

Answer 5

• Responsible for reflex actions.
• Passes messages to and from the brain and connects nerves to the PNS.

Question 6

What is the PNS subdivided in to?

Answer 6

• Autonomic Nervous System
• Somatic Nervous System

Question 7

What is the Autonomic Nervous System responsible for?

Answer 7

• Governs vital functions in the body such as breathing, heart rate, digestion etc.
• Involuntary response.

Question 8

What is the Somatic Nervous System responsible for?

Answer 8

Controls muscle movements and receives information from sensory receptors.

Voluntary response

Question 9

What’s the brain and the spinal cord?

Answer 9

The brain is responsible for coordinating sensation, and intellectual and nervous activity. The spinal cord is a bundle of fibres enclosed within the spinal column which connects nearly all the parts of the body to the brain.

Question 10

The endocrine system and ANS work together to administer what?

Answer 10

The Fight or Flight response

Question 11

In terms of the fight or flight response, what happens when a stressor is perceived?

Answer 11

• The hypothalamus triggers activity in the sympathetic branch of the Autonomic Nervous System.

Question 12

What is the ANS responsible for in the fight or flight response?

Answer 12

Changing from its resting state (parasympathetic) to the physiologically aroused, sympathetic state.

Question 13

Give 3 examples of the body in the sympathetic state.

Answer 13

• Increased heart rate.
• Increased breathing rate.
• Dilated pupils

Question 14

Give 3 examples of the body at the parasympathetic state.

Answer 14

• Decreased heart rate
• Decreased breathing rate
• Constricted pupils

Question 15

What are the 4 parts of the brain?

Answer 15

• Cerebrum
• Cerebellum
• Brain stem
• Diencephalon

Question 16

What’s the cerebellum?

Answer 16

Back part of the brain. Controls motor skills/ muscles and balance.

Question 17

What’s the cerebrum?

Answer 17

The largest part of the brain. Contains frontal lobes/ temporal lobes/ occipital lobes/ parietal lobes. The cerebrum is split down the middle into two halves called cerebral hemispheres.

• Frontal lobes: Thoughts, speech and learning
• Temporal lobes: Hearing and memory
• Occipital lobes: Visual information
• Parietal lobes: Sensory information

Question 18

What’s the brain stem?

Answer 18

Allows for nervous impulses to and from the brain and spinal cord.

Question 19

What’s the diencephalon?

Answer 19

Contains the thalamus and hypothalamus.

• Thalamus: Sends signals from the senses to wherever they need to be.
• Hypothalamus: Stimulates the release of hormones from the pituitary gland.