Biopsychology year 1 Flashcards
What is biopsychology
All about how biology influences behaviour
Nervous system
What does it let you do
Allows you to respond to changes in your environment
Allows you to coordinate your actions
What is a receptor
Detect stimuli
Communicate with effectors via the nervous or endocrine system
What is an effector
Brings about a response to a stimulus
Includes muscle cells and cells found in the glands
What are the two main parts of the nervous system
Central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
What is the central nervous system
Made up of the brain and spinal cord
What is the peripheral nervous system and what does it split into
Made up of the neutrons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body
Autonomic nervous system
Somantic nervous system
What is the somantic nervous system
Controls conscious activities
Connects the CNS with the senses
What is the autonomic nervous system and what does it split into
- controls unconscious activities
- has two divisions that have opposite effects
- sympathetic
- parasympathetic
What is the sympathetic nervous system
Gets the body ready for action
Fight or flight
What is the parasympathetic nervous system
Calms the body down
It’s the rest and digest system
What are the cells of the nervous system called
Neurons
Describe a neuron
- transmits information as electrical impulses
- the cell body has dendrites that receive information from other neurons
- the info passes along the axon in the form of an electrical impulse along to the axon terminal
Define a synapse
The small gap between two neurons
What is a neurotransmitter
- chemicals that are released from the axon terminal that get passed along the synapse to pass the signal on to the dendrites of the next neuron
Describe sensory neurons
The nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses from receptors to the CNS
Describe relay neurons
The nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses between sensory and motor neurons
Describe motor neurons
The nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses from the CNS to the effectors
What are reflexes
- fast automatic responses to certain stimuli
- they bypass your conscious brain completely
- and instead they go through the spinal cord
- rapid responses help us to avoid damage
Synapse- the journey of the neurotransmitter
- junction between a neuron and another neuron
- the presynaptic neuron has the axon terminal which contains synaptic vesicles filled with neurotransmitters
- when a electrical impulse reaches the end of a neuron it causes neurotransmitters to be released
- they diffuse across to the postsynaptic membrane and bind to specific receptors
- neurotransmitters bind to receptors they trigger an electrical impulse which causes muscle contraction or cause a hormone to be secreted
What happens after the initial transmission
Synaptic transmission
- receptors are only on the postsynaptic membranes- synapses make sure impulses are unidirectional
- neurotransmitters are removed from the gap after the transmission so the response doesn’t keep happening
What are excitatory neurotransmitters
- increase the likelyhood that an electrical impulse will be triggered in the postsynaptic neuron
What are inhibitory neurotransmitters
Decrease the likelihood that an electrical impulse will be triggered in the postsynaptic neuron
Name some neurotransmitters
- dopamine
- serotonin
What is the endocrine system
- also known as the hormonal system
- involves glands and hormones
- responsible for regulating a large number of bodily functions
What is a gland
A group of cells that are specialised to secrete a useful substance such as a hormone
What are hormones
- chemical messengers
- they diffuse directly into the blood , then are taken around the body by the circulatory system
- they diffuse out of the blood all over the body, but each hormone will only bind to a specific receptor for that hormone
- the hormones trigger a response in the target cells
What are the major glands in the endocrine system
P- pituitary gland- known as the master gland because it releases hormones to control other glands
A- adrenal gland- produces hormones such as adrenaline. Responsible for fight or flight
T- testes- produce sex hormones (testosterone) responsible for reproduction
O- ovaries- produce sex hormones (oestrogen) responsible for reproduction
Why are the endocrine systems communication slower, long-lasting and more widespread compared to nervous system
- hormones aren’t released directly onto their target, must travel in the blood to get there
- this results in a slower communication
- they aren’t broken down as fast as neurotransmitters so the effects of hormones can last for much longer
- hormones are transported all over the body so are more widespread
How does the body prepare you for flight or fight
- when the body is threatened it responds by preparing for action
- the hypothalamus helps coordinate this response
The activation of the fight or flight response
- initial shock response, the hypothalamus triggers activity in the sympathetic branch of the autonomic system
- this stimulates the adrenal medulla within the adrenal glands which releases adrenaline into the bloodstream
How do the hormones releases from the flight or fight affect the body
- blood pressure and heart rate increase to get blood quickly to areas of the body where it’s needed for activity
- perspiration increases so that the body can cool down
- breathing rate increases so that more oxygen can be sent to the muscles
- pupil size increases so more lighten can enter the eye to allow for clearer vision
What happens after the changes from the fight or flight
- makes the body ready with energy to deal with the stressful situation eg running away from the rhino that has escaped the zoo
