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Psych > DP 1-5 CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM > Flashcards

DP 1-5 CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM Flashcards

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1
Q

CNS

A 
The human nervous system is a complex, highly organised network of specialised cells that enables the brain to receive information from the body's internal and external environments. 
Its three main functions are to:
- Receive information (from PNS)
- Process information
- Coordinate a response to information
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2
Q

Brain

A
  • Regulates vital body functions - breathing, heart rate, digestion
  • Receiving information from the outside world via the senses and coordinating appropriate response
  • Organises, integrates and interprets information
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3
Q

Spinal cord

A
  • A cable like column of nerve fibres that extend from the base of the brain to the lower back
    Two direction highway
  • Receives sensory information from the PNS to the brain for processing
  • Receives motor information from the brain to the PNS
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4
Q

PNS

A
  • The complete network of neurons located outside the central nervous system comprising of muscles, organs and glands
  • Carries information to the CNS from the body’s muscles, organs and glands
  • Carries information from the CNS to the body’s muscles, organs and glands
    Somatic and autonomic division
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5
Q

Somatic division

A
  • Responsible for conscious, voluntary movement of skeletal muscles
  • Carries motor information from the CNS to skeletal muscles signalling them to expand or contract.
  • Carries sensory information from the sensory receptor sites to the CNS
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6
Q

Autonomic division

A
  • Regulates automatic/involuntary operations of non-skeletal muscles concerned with internal bodily functioning.
  • is relatively self-regulating.
    Sympathetic and parasympathetic division
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7
Q

Sympathetic division

A
  • Activates the internal muscles, organs and glands to prepare the body for vigorous activity or to deal with a stressful or threatening situation
  • The sympathetic nervous system releases adrenaline and increases responsiveness. To allow this to happen other physiological functions are suppressed
  • Is the emergency or arousal system.
  • Activated the fight-flight-freeze response
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8
Q

Parasympathetic division

A
  • Is responsible for maintaining autonomic day to day bodily functions (digestion, heart rate. breathing rate etc)
  • It counterbalances the sympathetic nervous system by returning the body to a state of calm, once the cause of stress of threat is no longer present
  • It maintains homeostasis in times of low stress.
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9
Q

Flight - flight - freeze

A
  • The fight-flight-freeze response is initiated by the sympathetic nervous system and prepares the body to confront a stressful situation to optimise the chance of survival
  • Which mechanism is adopted is depends on the likelihood of survival in each situation; fight - stay and attack, flight - run, freeze - go unnoticed or detected
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10
Q

Conscious response

A
  • A reaction that involves awareness
  • Usually a voluntary or intentional reaction
  • Usually goal-directed or purposeful
    Eg. when you go outside and feel the air temp, you’ll make a conscious decision whether to put on a jacket
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11
Q

Unconscious response

A
  • A reaction that does not involves awareness
  • It is involuntary, unintentional, automatic and we cannot ordinarily control its occurrence
    Eg. heart beating, eyes blink
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12
Q

Reflex arc

A
  • Is an unconscious, involuntary and automatically occurring response to certain stimuli initiated within the spinal cord without any involvement of the brain
  • Whilst a spinal reflex arc is initiated, sensoy messages continue to the brain. Pain can not be felt until the messages reach the brain, although the motor response has already occurred. This ensures we learn from past experiences
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13
Q

Dendrite

A
  • The dendrite is a short, thin, widely branching nerve fibre that is specialised to detect and receive neural information in a chemical form from other neurons
  • Each branch has a receptor site where a neuron can bind with and receive information from
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14
Q

Axon (send)

A
  • An axon is a single, tube-like fluid filled extension that transmits neural information to other neuron in the form of an electrical impulse
  • The pathway down which the neural message travels
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15
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

Is a white fatty substance that encases the axon that helps speed up transmission
→ acts as an electrical insulator
→ increase the rate at which this information travels
This protects the neural message and increases the speed at which it can travel

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16
Q

Axon Terminal

A
  • At the end of each axon are branches called axon terminals.
  • They form a synapse with the next neuron.
  • This is where neurotransmitters are released.
17
Q

Synapse

A
  • Is the site where communication occurs between adjacent neurons
  • Includes the terminal buttons of the presynaptic (sending) neuron and the dendrites of the postsynaptic (receiving) neuron
18
Q

Excitatory neurotransmitters

A

Stimulate or activate postsynaptic neurons to perform their function

19
Q

Glutamate

A

Essential for memory formation and learning

20
Q

Inhibitory neurotransmitters

A

Block or prevent postsynaptic neurons from firing

21
Q

GABA

A

Essential for motor control, vision and decreasing anxiety

22
Q

Lock and key process

A
  • Like a key in the lock, a neurotransmitter’s shape (key) must precisely match the shape of the receptor site (lock) on the postsynaptic neuron’s dendrites in order to bind to its receptors
  • The binding ‘unlocks’ the postsynaptic neuron’s response so that the neurotransmitter causes changes to the neuron, resulting in an excitatory or inhibitory effect
23
Q

Parkinson’s Disease

A

Parkinson’s disease is progressive degenerative neurological condition that affects both motor and non-motor functions. It is caused by low levels of dopamine

24
Q

Dopamine

A
  • Dopamine is an excitatory neuron involved smooth motor movement.
  • Neurons in the substantia nigra produce the neurotransmitter dopamine, so when the substantia nigra is diseased, the amount of dopamine available is reduced.
    Dopamine carries messages that allow smooth, coordinated function of the body’s muscles and movements, when at rest and during periods of activity.
25
Q

Symptoms

A 
Motor symptoms 
- Resting tremors 
- Bradykinesia (slowness of voluntary movement)
- Muscle rigidity 
- Postural instability 
Non-motor symptoms 
- Loss of sense of smell (anosmia)
- Depression
- Anxiety
26
Q

Agonist

A

A drug that binds to the receptor as it has a similar size and shape to the neurotransmitter so it can act as a neurotransmitter.
Used for loss of neurotransmitter

27
Q

Antagonist

A

A drug that binds to the receptor as it has a similar size and shape but not enough to activate the neuron.
Used for excess neurotransmitter

Psych (16 decks)

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