Brain and neuropsychology Flashcards
nervous system functions
1) to collect and respond to sensory information from the environment.
2) to control the working of different organs and cells in the body
Central nervous system consists of:
brain and the spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system consists of:
Somatic and autonomic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system splits into:
the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous sytem
function of the central nervous sytem
coordinates incoming information and uses the brain to make decisions about movements or how to act.
- store of all our knowledge (memory)
function of the peripheral nervous system
Supports the actions of the CNS, recieving emssages from the CNS and sending messages to it.
Autonomic nervous system function
Network of special nerves which takes info to and from the CNS
- Cannot control it.
- Coordinates important life functions such as breathing, heart rate and digestion.
- controls homeostasis (where body maintains stable internal environment), like level of CO2 or body temp
Somatic nervous system function
Passes sensory information to the CNS using sensory neurons and transports info from the CNS to muscles using motor neurons.
- voluntary system which we can control, leading to movement
- is responsible for one involuntary action: form of reflex
(OVERALL ALLOWS FEELING AND MOVEMENT)
Sympathetic nervous system function
Is the accelerator that leads to physiological arousal,
Increases heart rate, breathing rate, sweat rate to prepare the body for fight or flight
Flight or fight response stages
- the hypothalamus detects a stressor
- Sends a nerve impulse to the adrenal glands
- adrenaline is released from adrenal glands
- adrenaline causes the heart to beat faster, pupils dilate, breath faster, stops digestion and saliva production
Results in muscles having a better supply of oxygen and helps us have the energy for fighting or flighting
Parasympathetic function
returns the body to resting state by doing the opposite of the effects of the sympathetic NS - acts as a brake.
Decreases bpm, improves blood supply for digestion and there is a higher production of saliva
Reflex arc
sensory neurone –> relay neurone –> motor neurone –> effector –> response
reflex arc in terms of touching/being near a hot surface
Heat is sensed on the surface of the SKIN. This is detected by a SENSORY neurone. which transports the information to the CNS. When it reaches the SPINAL CORD it connects with a relay neuron which passes the information to a MOTOR neurone.
The motor nueron is connected to an EFFECTOR or muscle which is then instructed to ACT (e.g. removing the hand from the heat)
how are messages sent to form reponses (SNS)
Stimulus –> receptor (sense organ) –> CNS –> effector (muscle/glands) –> response
James lange theory
EVENT –> AROUSAL –> INTERPRETATION –> EMOTION
emotion are caused by the way we interpret bodily reactions
Example of james lange theory
Bear in forest:
1. seeing the bear would cause the SNS to be activated
2. muscles would tense and heart will pound
3. After the changes have occured, the person would interpret this as fear (emotion)
no physical changes meaning (in terms of James-Lange theory)
No physical changes = no emotion. E.g. you gave a speech to an audience and you didn’t sweat or have an increase heart rate, you would feel as though you aren’t nervous
Advantages of James-Lange theory
Real life examples (application). Emotional states seem to follow arousal in phobis or panic disorders. E.g. a person may trip in public which leads to them feeling anxiety/embarrasement. Leading them to avoiding public situations as a link has formed between the situation and the emotion.
