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Biological Approach - Psychology > Content - Central Nervous System > Flashcards

Content - Central Nervous System Flashcards

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1
Q

What do Bio-psychologists assume that behaviour is caused by?

A

experiences in the nervous system

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2
Q

Define the nervous system

A

a specialised network of cells in the human body and is our primary internal communication system

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3
Q

Name the 2 main functions of the CNS (2)

A

1) To collect, process and respond to information in the environment.
2) To co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells

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4
Q

Define the CNS

A

made up of the brain and spinal cord and is the origin of all complex commands and decisions

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5
Q

Name 3 facts about the brain (3)

A
  1. This is the centre of all conscious awareness.
  2. The brain’s outer layer, the cerebral cortex, is highly developed in humans.
  3. The brain is divided into two hemispheres
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6
Q

Name 3 facts about the spinal chord (3)

A
  1. The spinal cord is an extension of the brain.
  2. One thing it is responsible for is reflex actions such as pulling your hand away from a hot plate.
  3. Passes messages to and from the brain and connects nerves to the PNS.
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7
Q

Define the Peripheral Nervous System

A

The PNS transmits messages via millions of neurons (nerve cells), to and from the central
nervous system

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8
Q

What’s the PNS further subdivided into? (2)

A
  1. the somatic nervous system (SNS)

2. the autonomic nervous system (ANS)

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9
Q

Define the somatic nervous system

A

This is the part of the PNS that is responsible for

carrying sensory and motor information to and from the spinal cord. It is involved in skeletal muscle contraction

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10
Q

Define the autonomic nervous system

A

This governs vital functions in the body such as
breathing, heart rate, digestion, sexual arousal
and stress responses

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11
Q

Name the 2 main divisions of the ANS (2)

A
  1. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS)

2. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)

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12
Q

What do the SNS and PNS control?

A

Fight of flight response

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13
Q

What happens to your gut?

A

Digestion slows/increases

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14
Q

What happens to the salivary glands?

A

Saliva production inhibits/increases

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15
Q

What happens to the heart?

A

Heart rate increases/decreases

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16
Q

What happens to the liver?

A

Glucose production stimulated/bile production stimulated

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17
Q

What happens to the bladder?

A

Urination stimulated/inhibits

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18
Q

What happens to the eye?

A

Pupils dilate/constrict

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19
Q

What happens to the lungs?

A

Bronchi dilates/constricts

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20
Q

What’s another name for nerve cells?

A

Neurons

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21
Q

Define neurons

A

a unit of nervous tissue

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22
Q

How many neurons are in the nervous system?

A

100 billion

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23
Q

What percentage of neurons are located in the brain?

A

80%

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24
Q

How do neurons allow the nervous system to communicate by?

A

transmitting an electro-chemical signal (i.e. part of it is electrical and part of it is chemical)

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25
Q

Define cell body?

A

Contains the nucleus (DNA) and mitochondria (provides energy).

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26
Q

Define dendrite

A

Branches on the cell body of each neuron that receive information from neighbouring neurons to trigger an action potential

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27
Q

Define axon hillock

A

Where the nerve impulse is triggered from

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28
Q

Define axon

A

A tube-like structure; carries impulses away from the cell body down the length of the neuron

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29
Q

Define myelin sheath

A

Layers of fatty deposits that provide insulation for protection and help speed up the rate of message transmission. Formed from
special cells called glial cells

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30
Q

Define axon terminal

A

End of the axon, separated from other neurons by a tiny gap (known as the synapse)

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31
Q

Define neurotransmitter

A

Chemical messengers that act between the neurons

32
Q

Define node of ranvier

A

Gaps in the myelin sheath that force the impulse to ‘jump’ across the gaps along the axon, to help speed up the impulse

33
Q

Define nerve impulse

A

Within a neuron, an electrical message is sent through it

34
Q

How does the nerve impulse travel

A

from the dendrites towards the axon terminal buttons

35
Q

What’s the gap called between neurons

A

Synaptic gap/synaptic cleft

36
Q

What’s between synaptic gaps?

A

neurotransmitters

37
Q

Name 3 types of neuron (3)

A
  1. Sensory neurons
  2. Motor neurons
  3. Relay neurons
38
Q

Define sensory neurons

A

these carry messages to the CNS from sensory receptors (e.g. in the skin) along nerves in the peripheral nervous system

39
Q

Define motor neurons

A

these carry messages from the CNS along nerves in the peripheral nervous system, to ‘effectors’ in the body such as muscles and glands

40
Q

Define relay neurons

A

these connect sensory and motor neurons together, and also connect to other relay neurons. They are only found in the CNS, with many being in the spinal cord

41
Q

Define neurotransmission

A

what gets a signal (or a message) from one neuron to another

42
Q

Name 2 things neurotransmission involves (2)

A
  1. An action potential

2. Synaptic transmission

43
Q

Define action potential

A

an electrical message being transmitted within the neuron

44
Q

Define synaptic transmission

A

a chemical message being passed between neurons, from one to another

45
Q

What happens when the action potential reaches the terminal buttons?

A

will cause the vesicles to release neurotransmitters into the synapse

46
Q

What resting potential do neurons have?

A

-70mV

47
Q

How is the action potential transmitted? (5)

A
  1. When a neuron receives a message from another, the
    chemical message results in either excitation or inhibition of the postsynaptic neuron.
  2. Excitation means it will slightly depolarise the neuron, increasing its charge (becomes more positive).
  3. Inhibition means it will hyperpolarise the neuron
    decreasing its charge and stimulating an inhibitory
    postsynaptic potential.
  4. When a neuron has received enough excitatory
    messages (usually when the charge has reached the
    threshold of -55mV), an action potential is triggered in the postsynaptic neuron.
  5. The action potential sends an impulse along the axon of
    the neuron towards the axon terminal
48
Q

What does the all or nothing principle suggest?

A

that the threshold of -55mv must be reached in order for an action potential to fire

49
Q

Define synaptic transmission

A

the process by which neighbouring neurons communicate with each other by sending chemical messages across the tiny gap (the synapse) that separates neurons

50
Q

How does synaptic transmission take place?

A
  1. An action potential (electrical impulse) reaches the axon terminal (terminal buttons)
  2. Following this electrical impulse, calcium ions (Ca2+) flow into the neuron through calcium ion channels on the pre-synaptic neuron’s membrane
  3. The Ca2+ ions coming in through the ion channels cause the vesicles in
    the terminal buttons to migrate to the cell membrane and release neurotransmitter into the synapse
  4. The neurotransmitter travels through the synapses/synaptic cleft and
    binds to receptors on the post-synaptic neuron
  5. Depending on which receptor type the neurotransmitter binds to or how many of the correct receptors it binds to, the result is usually either
    excitation or inhibition of the post-synaptic neuron (Excitation = causes
    an electrical impulse; inhibition = does not cause an electrical impulse)
  6. Neurotransmitter molecules in the synaptic cleft are then either deactivated by reuptake (taken back up into the pre-synaptic neuron via
    transporter proteins) or they are degraded by enzymes in the synaptic cleft.
51
Q

What are neurotransmitters?

A

Chemical messengers that transmit information across a synapse from one neuron to another

52
Q

Name 2 causes and effects of changing neurotransmitter levels (2)

A
  1. Low levels of serotonin can lead to depression

2. High levels of dopamine can live to schizophrenia

53
Q

Name 2 examples of neurotransmitter levels being affected by things we consume and do (2)

A
  1. Chocolate increases level of endorphines in the brain (affects dopamine)
  2. Cocaine increases levels of dopamine
54
Q

Describe the function of aletylcholine (3)

A
  1. Stimulates muscle contractions and has a key function in motor control
    and movement.
  2. Also necessary for memory and other cognitive functions such as attention and alertness/wakefulness.
  3. Also involved in expressions of some emotions such as anger and sexuality
55
Q

Describe the function of noadrenaline

A

Associated with emotion. Involved in sleeping, dreaming and learning.

56
Q

Describe the function of dopamine (3)

A
  1. Similar function to noradrenaline. Related to emotion and cognitive
    function, posture and control of movement.
  2. Associated with
    reinforcement in learning as well as dependency such as addictions.
  3. Also used in hormonal regulation such as control of the menstrual cycle
57
Q

Describe the function of serotonin (2)

A
  1. Most commonly associated with mood control.
  2. Also involved in functions such as feeling pain, sleep,
    regulating body temperature and hunger
58
Q

Name the 4 key neurotransmitters (4)

A
  1. Aletylcholine
  2. Noadrenaline
  3. Dopamine
  4. Sortonin
59
Q

Describe the Jovanovic supporting study

A

(using PET scanning) found differences in the synaptic receptors related to serotonin of women with pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder

60
Q

Link the Jovanovic study back to A01

A

This supports the role of neurotransmitters in behaviour because we know that serotonin is most commonly associated with mood which would explain the feelings of sadness

61
Q

Describe the McNeal & Cimbolic (1986) supporting study

A 
found that people with
depression have a lower
level of 5-H1AA (formed
when serotonin is broken
down), suggesting that
there must be lower levels
of serotonin in their brains
62
Q

Link the McNeal & Cimbolic (1986) back to A01

A

This supports the role of neurotransmitters in behaviour because we know that serotonin plays a role in mood control which would explain why decreased levels could cause disorders such as depression

63
Q

Describe the Martinez & Kesner (1991) supporting study

A 
investigated the effects of
acetylcholine on rats’ ability
to remember their way
through a maze. It was
found that the rats injected
with chemicals affecting
reception, degrading and/or
reuptake of acetylcholine
made more wrong turns in
the maze than a control
group of rats that were in
their natural state
64
Q

Link the Martinez & Kesner (1991) back to A01

A

This experiment therefore
demonstrates the significant influence of synaptic transmission and, more specifically, acetylcholine on memory. Acetylcholine is necessary for a range if cognitive functions such as memory and attention explaining the rats ability to remember

65
Q

Describe the Allen and Stevens contradicting study

A 
Allen & Stevens found that
less than half the NT in
transmission in the
hippocampus arriving from
the pre-synaptic neuron
were picked up by the postsynaptic neuron
66
Q

Link the Allen and Stevens study back to A01

A

This goes against what goes on during synaptic transmission because this process is characterised by the binding of many NTS receptors like a lock and key but this study suggests that there may be other factors responsible for behaviour if only few NTS bind

67
Q

Describe the Martinez & Kesner contradicting study

A 
As in the study by Martinez
and Kesner (1991), much
research is done on animals
68
Q

Link the Martinez and Kesner contradicting study back to A01

A

Therefore, we can’t easily generalise findings to humans because the CNS and neurotransmission in humans is more complex

69
Q

Describe another theory which shows that neurotransmission is not the only thing found to be linked to certain behaviour

A

Social learning theory suggests that we actually learn new behaviours through the imitation of role models and reinforcement/punishment

70
Q

Link the other theory back to A01

A

Therefore to say that it is just electrical and chemical messages within and between neurons is not fully accurate

71
Q

Describe how neurotransmission is useful?

A 
Drug treatments have been
developed such as
antidepressants and
antipsychotics, to enable
those with faulty neurotransmitters and
therefore mental illness
(such as depression and
schizophrenia) to function in
society better
72
Q

Link the usefulness of neurotransmission back to A01

A

Therefore it is useful that we know that serotonic levels can affect mood and dopamine can affect the development of schizophrenia as these explanations have paved the way for treatments. People less likely to blame themselves for their illness and seek help

73
Q

Describe how neurotransmission is reductionist

A 
More objective/easier to
measure cause and effect
because of the component
parts this explanation of
behaviour is simplified to
74
Q

Give an example of neurotransmission reductionism

A

For example noradrenaline affects behaviour like sleeping and dreaming

75
Q

Describe how neurotransmission is not reductionist

A

lots of other important factors that play a role in behaviour are ignored

76
Q

Link the non-reductionist view to A01

A

To get a better understanding of human behaviour, these other factors must be considered alongside what we already know about the affects of NTS (eg dopamine) on behaviours such as addiction

Biological Approach - Psychology (2 decks)

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