Biopsychology-The nervous system and The Endocrine system

Question 1

What does nervous system mean?

Answer 1

Consists of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

Question 2

What does CNS mean?

Answer 2

Consists of the brain and spinal cord and is the origin of all complex command and decisions.

Question 3

What does peripheral nervous system (PNS) mean?

Answer 3

Sends information to the CNS from the outside world and transmits message from the CNS to muscles and glands in the body.

Question 4

What is the Somatic nervous system?

Answer 4

Transmits information from receptor cells in the sense organs to the CNS. It also receives information from the CNS that directs muscles to act.

Question 5

What is the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 5

Transmits information to and from internal bodily organs. It is automatic as the system operates involuntarily. It has two main divisions: sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

Question 6

What is the nervous system?

Answer 6

The nervous system is a . It has two main functions:
specialised network of cells in the human body.
it is our primary internal communication system. It has 2 main functions:
-to collect, process and respond to information in the environment
-to co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body

It is divided into 2 sub-systems:

• central nervous system
• peripheral nervous system

Question 7

What is the CNS?

Answer 7

The CNS is made up of the brain and spinal cord.
-The brain is the centre of all conscious awareness. The brain’s outer later, the cerebral cortex is highly developed in humans and is what distinguishes our higher mental functions from those of animals. only few living creatures- sponges, sea squires, jellyfish do not have a brain. The brain is divided into two hemispheres.
-The spinal cord is an extension of the brain. It’s responsible for reflex actions such as pulling your hand away from a hot plate.
It passes messages to and from the brain and connects nerves to the PNS.

Question 8

What is the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 8

The PNS transmits messages, via millions of neurons (nerve cells) to and from the CNS. The PNS is further sub divided into
the:
–the autonomic nervous system which governs vital functions in the body such as breathing heart rate digestion sexual arousal and stress responses
-the somatic nervous system which controls muscles movement and receives information from sensory receptors

Question 9

What does endocrine system mean?

Answer 9

One of the body’s major information system that instructs glands to release hormone directly into the bloodstream. These hormones are carried towards target organs in the body.

Question 10

What does gland mean?

Answer 10

An organ in the body that synthesises substance such as hormones

Question 11

What does hormones mean?

Answer 11

Chemical substances that circulate in the bloodstream ad only affect target organs. They are produced in large quantities but disappear quickly. Their effects are powerful

Question 12

What does fight or flight mean?

Answer 12

The way an animal responds when stressed. The body becomes physiologically aroused in readiness to fight an aggressor or flee.

Question 13

What does adrenaline mean?

Answer 13

A hormone produced by the adrenal glans which is a part of the human body’s immediate stress response system. Adrenaline has strong effect on the cells of cardiovascular system- stimulating the heart rate, contracting blood vessel and dilating air passages.

Question 14

How do the glands and hormones work in the endocrine system?

Answer 14

The endocrine system works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions in the body. The endocrine system acts more slowly than the nervous system but ahs very widespread and powerful effects. Various glands in the body such as the thyroid glands, produce hormones. Hormones are secreted into the bloodstream and affect any cell in the body that has a receptor for that particular hormone.
Most hormones affect cellsin several organas or throughout the entire bidy, leading to many diverse and powerful response.

Question 15

WH=hat does the thyroid gland do?

Answer 15

The thyroid gland produces the hormone thyroxine. this hormone affects cells in the heart (increases heart rate). it also affects cells throughout the body increasing metabolic rates, which affects growth rates

Question 16

What is the main gland?

Answer 16

The major gland is pituitary gland ‘master gland’

located in the brain because it controls the release of hormones from all the other endocrine glands in the body.

Question 17

How does the endocrine and ANS work together in fight or flight?

Answer 17

The endocrine and ANS system work together in stressful situations. When the stressor is perceived (thinking about upcoming exams) the first thing that happens is a part of the brain called the hypothalamus triggers activity in the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. The ANS changes from its normal resting state (parasympathetic state_ to the physiological aroused (sympathetic state). The stress hormone adrenaline is released from the adrenal medulla (part of the gland) into the bloodstream. Adrenaline triggers physiological changes in the body (increased heart rate), which creates the physiological arousal necessary for the fight or flight response.
All of this happens in an instant as soon as the threat is identified- an acute response- and is an automatic reaction in the body.

Question 18

WHat happens once the threat passes?

Answer 18

Once the threat has passed, the parasympathetic nervous system returns the body to its resting state, The parasympathetic branch of the ANS works in oppositions to the sympathetic nervous system- its actions are antagonistic to the sympathetic system. The parasympathetic system acts as a brake and reduces the activities of the body that were increased by the actions of the sympathetic branch. This is sometimes referred to as the rest and digest response.