Chapter 3- The Biology of Behaviour Flashcards
Two main parts of nervous system
1) Central nervous system
2) Peripheral nervous system
Central Nervous System
brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system
- all other nerves in body
- composed of Somatic and autonomic nervous system
Somatic Nervous system
voluntary movement, sensory information
Autonomic Nervous system
-involuntary systems of body
composed of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
Sympathetic nervous system
fight or flight
-increases heart rate, dilates pupils, stops digestion
parasympathetic nervous system
rest and digest
relaxation
relaxes systems aroused by sympathetic NS
Cells of the NS
1) Glial cells
2) neurons
Glial cells
- the glue, support
- holds the CNS and PNS together
- provides structural support, communication, and removes debris
- 90% of cells in brain are glial
Neurons
cells that transmit and process information in the NS
-receive, intergrate and generate messages
Soma
cell body
-soma in post synaptic neuron integrates the graded potentials that the post synaptic neutron receives from its many synapses
Dendrites
finger like projections that receive messages from other neurons
axon
transmits electrical impulses toward receiving neuron
myelin sheath
insulates the axon -made up of two types of glial cells: -oligodendrocytes (CNS) -Schwann cells (PNS) white in colour
Nodes of Ranvier
- allow impulse to travel quickly down the axon
- skips from node to node
White matter
parts of NS that contain myelinated axons
Grey matter
made up of cell bodies, dendrites and small unmyelinated neurons
Multiple Sclerosis
- bodys immune system destroys myelin
- slows down transmission of nerve signals
- muscle weakness, dizziness, problems with vision
Synapse
junction between axon and adjacent neuron
-site of communication between a neuron and its target
Terminal
end of synapse that contains neurotransmitters
-when an electrical impulse reaches terminal, it triggers release of NT’s into the synaptic cleft
Presynaptic neuron
before synaptic cleft
releases NT’s
Post synaptic neuron
after synaptic cleft
- recieves the message
- contains receptors that NT’s bind to
Types of Neurons
1) Sensory neurons
2) Motor neurons
3) Interneurons
Sensory Neurons
receive sensory info via sense organs
-detects changes in internal/external environment-> sends it to CNS
Motor Neurons
takes commands from brain and carries them to the muscles and glands of the body
-hormone release from endocrine glands
Interneurons
connect motor and sensory neurons
- recieve info from sensory neurons, transmit it to motor neurons for action
- most common in the brain