Brain & Neuropsychology Flashcards
what is the nervous system?
-network of cells
-main communication system
-collects and responds to information
coordinates organs including the brain
what is the structure of the central nervous system?
- brain
- spinal cord
what is the structure of the peripheral nervous system?
- autonomic nervous system
- somatic nervous system
what is the structure of the autonomic nervous system?
- parasympathetic branch
- sympathetic branch
what is the function of the central nervous system?
- right hemisphere controls left side of the body and vice versa
- brain: conscious awareness and decision making
- brain stem: autonomic functions, some reflex responses and consciousness
- spinal cord: carries incoming and outgoing messages between the brain and the rest of the body
what is the function of the peripheral nervous system?
- supports the actions of the PNS
- receives messages from the CNS and sends messages to it
what is the function of the autonomic nervous system?
- coordinates important functions that are important/vital for life (breathing, heart rate and digestion)
- involuntary
- involved in the body’s response to stress
what is the function of the somatic nervous system?
- controls voluntary movement of our muscles
- voluntary/under our control
- reflex responses
- sends messages to muscles and takes in info from sensory organs
what is homeostasis?
-maintains a balanced internal state by monitoring activity of the body organs (37* body temp)
what does the sympathetic nervous system represent?
- physiological arousal (breathing rate gets faster, heart beats rapidly, sweating)
- prepares the body for the fight or flight response to cope with stress
what does the parasympathetic nervous system represent?
- opposite to sympathetic
- rest and digest response
- returns the body to it’s normal resting state after the threat or stress has passed
what happens when the brain detects a threat?
- hypothalamus identifies a threat (stressor)
- sympathetic division of the ANS is triggered, fight or flight
what happens when the body releases adrenaline?
-ANS changes from parasympathetic (rest) state to (arousal) sympathetic state
what is flight or fight?
- immediate and automatic
- physiological changes due to action of adrenaline (eg. increased heart rate, decreased digestion)
how do physiological changes help us?
-these changes are designed to help us confront the threat (fight) or give us the energy to run away (flight)
what happens when the threat has passed?
- the parasympathetic division returns the body to a resting state
- “rest and digest”
what are a few examples of the body returning to a resting state?
- increased heart rate=decreased heart rate
- dilates pupils=constricts pupils
- inhibits digestion=stimulates digestion
outline the James-Lange theory of emotion (9t)
EVENT-AROUSAL-INTERPRETATION-EMOTION
-event occurs
-hypothalamus arouses sympathetic division of ANS, adrenaline gets released (physiological arousal)
-brain interprets physiological activity and causes emotion
no physical change=no emotion
what is a strength of the James-Lange theory of emotion (9t)
*real life
P- real life examples of when emotions follow after physiological arousal
E-emotional states come after physiological arousal in the case of phobias
L- supports the theory
what is a weakness of the James-Lange theory of emotion (9t)
*Cannon-Bard
P- challenged by the Cannon-Bard theory
E- some emotions occur at the same time (embarrassment) as physiological arousal (we blush simultaneously), some physiological changes don’t lead to emotion as the James-Lange theory would predict
L- the Cannon-Brad theory draws attention to emotional situations the James-Lange theory would struggle to explain
what is a weakness of the James-Lange theory of emotion (9t)
*Two-Factor
P- the Two-Factor theory suggests emotion may be more complex
E- we need social cues to correctly label the emotion we’re feeling (heart racing in dark alley and heart racing kissing crush), can explain how we can interpret the same physical state differently based on the situation
L-shows that the James-Lange theory doesn’t explain how a person “decides” what emotion they’re experiencing
sensory neuron
- from PNS to CNS
- long dendrite
- short axon
relay neuron
- connect sensory to motor
- short dendrite
- short axon
motor neuron
- from CNS to muscles/glands
- short dendrite
- long axon
cell body
nucleus containing DNA
dendrites
carry electrical signals from neighboring neurons to cell
axon
carries signals away from the cell body and down the length of the neuron,
myelin sheath
fatty layer that covers/protects the axon and speeds up the electrical signal
nodes of ranvier
- gap
- makes the signal go faster as it “jumps” across each gap
terminal button
- end of axon
- communicate with the neuron
what is an electric transmission?
- when a neuron is in a resting state the inside of the cell is negatively charged compared to the outside
- when firing, the charge inside the cell changes which creates an action potential
- this creates the electrical signal (impulse) that travels down the axon to the end of the neuron