Biospychology

Question 1

What is the definition of a neuron?

Answer 1

The cells making up the nervous system which conduct electrical impulses

Question 2

What are some examples of tissues?

Answer 2

Muscle, glands, liver, skin and the nervous system

Question 3

How many electrical impulses occur per second?

Answer 3

250 - 400

Question 4

What is saltatory conduction?

Answer 4

When electrical impulses jump over the myelin sheath to another axon. This occurs much faster then normal conduction.

Question 5

What is a synapse?

Answer 5

A tiny gap between two neurons.

Question 6

What are neurotransmitters?

Answer 6

Chemicals stored within the axon that enable impulses to pass across the synapse.

Question 7

What is the process of chemical release in the synapse?

Answer 7

1) The neurotransmitter binds to the postsynaptic membrane
2) The combination of the transmitter and the post synaptic membrane triggers a release of chemicals
3) This chemical release of neurotransmitter molecules causes the postsynaptic membrane to go beyond its threshold so releases an electrical impulse.

Question 8

What are some examples of neurotransmitters?

Answer 8

Serotonin
Dopamine
Noradrenaline

Question 9

What is excitation?

Answer 9

Activate the postsynaptic neuron increasing neural activation in the CNS

Question 10

What is inhibition?

Answer 10

Inhibition the post synaptic neuron decreasing neural activation in the CNS

Question 11

What is a sensory neuron?

Answer 11

Carries sensory information to the CNS from the body’s sensory receptors

Question 12

What is the motor neuron?

Answer 12

Carries out motor commands from the CNS to the muscles allowing for movement

Question 13

What are relay neurons?

Answer 13

Neuron within the CNS that connects other neurons, most neurones in the body are relay neurons

Question 14

What is the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 14

Includes the SNS and the ANS so controls what is going on inside and outside of the body. The PNS includes millions of pathways making up the CNS.

Question 15

What is the somatic nervous system?

Answer 15

Contains two components
- The sensory neurones, including sensory receptors (eg. Body, touch, pain, temperature)
- The motor neurone, allowing the brain to control bodily movements (eg. Muscle movements)

Question 16

What is the autonomic nervous system?

Answer 16

Distributed throughout the body. Controls out internal environment (eg. Body temp, heart rate, and blood pressure)
Includes the sympathetic and parasympathetic

Question 17

What is the sympathetic nervous system?

Answer 17

Bodily arousal, increased heart rate and blood pressure and a decrease in activity in digestive system.

Question 18

What is the parasympathetic nervous system?

Answer 18

Does the opposite of the sympathetic, it calms the body down lowering heart rate and blood pressure whilst increasing digestion activity.

Question 19

What happens to the sympathetic nervous system when we need more energy?

Answer 19

The hypothalamus triggers an increase in the sympathetic nervous system so heart rate and blood pressure increases, this is needed for fight or flight.

Question 20

What is a hormone?

Answer 20

Chemical messages or substances , released from glands that can regulate the activity of cells or organs in the body.

Question 21

What is adrenaline

Answer 21

A hormone released from the adrenal medulla that increases heart rate and blood pressure. Adrenaline it’s important for fight or flight.

Question 22

What is a gland

Answer 22

A body organ that releases hormones into the bloodstream.

Question 23

What is the endocrine system?

Answer 23

A network of glands throughout the body that release hormones into the blood stream.

Question 24

What hormone comes from the thyroid gland?

Answer 24

Thyroxine

Question 25

What does thyroxine do to the body?

Answer 25

Regulates the body’s metabolic rate

Question 26

What hormone is released from the adrenal medulla?

Answer 26

Adrenaline and noradrenaline

Question 27

What effect does adrenaline have on the body?

Answer 27

Increases heart rate and blood pressure preparing the body for fight or flight

Question 28

What hormone comes from the testes?

Answer 28

Testosterone

Question 29

What does testosterone do?

Answer 29

Development of male sex characteristics, promotes muscle mass and muscle growth

Question 30

What hormone is released from the ovaries?

Answer 30

Oestrogen

Question 31

What does oestrogen do?

Answer 31

Regulates the female reproductive system menstrual cycle and pregnancy

Question 32

What is the pituitary gland known as?

Answer 32

The master gland

Question 33

What does the hypothalamus do?

Answer 33

Detects a change in internalisation eg temperature, stress levels, pH

Question 34

What is the process of hormone release

Answer 34

The hypothalamus detects a change in the body and sends a signal to the pituitary gland. The pituitary gland then decides what hormone needs to be activated and sends a signal to that gland. The gland then secretes the hormone and levels are stabilised.

Question 35

What is the process of negative feedback?

Answer 35

When the hormone levels are too high the body needs to bring it back down it does this by the hypothalamus detecting the change, then this sends a signal to the pituitary gland to stop sending s signal to the gland and then the gland stops producing the hormone.

Question 36

What is fight or flight?

Answer 36

The body’s psychological reaction to threat or danger.

Question 37

What is the HPA system?

Answer 37

The key pituitary stress hormone is ACTH. The hypothalamus releases ATCH from the anterior pituitary gland into the blood stream the hormone passes to the adrenal cortex, this produced the release of glucocorticoids which can reduce stress levels