C1. P1&2 Flashcards
What is the nervous system?
The body’s network of specialized cells, called neurons, which carry information and signals all over the body
What are the three functions of the nervous system?
Translates input about the external world, integrates incoming input with previous input, and organizes interpretations and responses
Which term best describes the nervous system?
Processing
What is biological psychology?
How physical structures and processes relate to psychological processes and behavior
What are neurons?
Cells that make up the nervous system
What three things can neurons do?
Remain at rest, fire to send messages, and receive incoming messages
What is a resting neuron?
A neuron not sending signals
Does a resting neuron have a positive or negative charge?
Negative
Does a neuron have to be positive or negative to fire?
Positive
What are three things resting neurons can do?
Prepare to fire, recover from firing, or creating materials
What are excitatory signals?
A yes fire
What are inhibitory signals?
A no fire
What are the three types of neurons?
Sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons
What are sensory neurons?
Can receive messages signals from the cells of sensory organs and then translate these signals into the language of the nervous system
What are motor neurons?
Specialized cells that can activate the body’s muscles allowing us to move our bodies
Do sensory neurons hear or speak the senses?
They hear the senses and translate it to the neurons
DO motor neurons hear or speak the sense?
Motor neurons hear the translation and speak it
Where are interneurons found?
Brain and spinal cord
Do interneurons speak or hear the senses?
The speak the translation
What do interneurons do?
Speak to other neurons in the nervous system
What structures do all neurons have?
Dendrites, cell body. and the axon
What are dendrites?
Dendrites are the structures branching off the cell. The Dendrite is the part of the neuron the receives input
What is the cell body?
The Cell Body, sometimes called a Soma, contains the nucleus of the cell. It’s main job is to keep the cell alive
What is the axon hillock?
Where the cell body and axon connect. It’s most important function is to control the firing of the neuron
What is the axon?
The Axon refers to the part of the neuron that carries signals away from the cell body and sends them to other cells. This allows the neuron to “speak” to other neurons, muscles, organs, or glands
What are axon terminals?
At the end of axon branches are bulbs called Axon Terminals. Axon terminals contain chemicals that are released when the neuron fires
What are vesicles?
The fluid filled sacks within the axon terminal. The vesicles contain the neurotransmitters
What are neurotransmitters?
The chemical messengers in the brain
What is 90% of the brain?
Glia cells
What are glia cells?
Cells that provide neurons with nutrients, support, protection, myelinate axons, and plays a role in creating new neurons
What does the myelin sheath do?
Insulates axon fibers which increases the speed of the neural signal as it travels along the axon
