Module 2 (biopsychology) Flashcards
What is Biopsychology
Biopsychology explores the biological mechanisms that underlie behaviors and unseen mental processes
- the structure and function of the nervous system
- how the nervous system interacts with the endocrine system
What is a neuron?
It is a specialized cell that has a job to conduct impulse throughout our body specifically the nervous system
- it is the basic cell that makes up the nervous system and receives and sends messages within that system
What is the nervous system?
A network of cells that carries information to and from all parts of the body
What are the three types of neurons
sensory, interneurons and moto
what does the sensory neuron do?
relays messages from sense organs receptors to brain or spinal code
- transmits messages into the system
what does the motor neuron do?
signals from brain, spinal cord to glands, muscles, movement
- in control of the movement
what does the interneurons do?
carry information and transmits between neurons in brain and neurons in spinal cord
what are the three parts of the neuron?
cell body, dendrites, axon
what is the cell body?
nucleus with chromosomes - carries out metabolic/maintaining functions
what are dendrites?
branch like extensions of neuron
- receive information from other neurons
what are axons?
slender, tail-like extension of neuron- transmits information to other neurons, muscles and glands
- axon terminals are rounded areas at the end of the branches at the end of the axon - communicate with other nerve cells
what is the myelin sheath?
made of a fatty substance that insulates axons and allows the signal to travel down the axon quicker
- is the protective coating over axons that speeds up the electrical transmissions
what are terminal buttons?
they are located at the end of the axons which contain synaptic vessels
- storage sites for chemical messengers called neurotransmitters
What are glial cells?
- hold neurons together
- remove waste products ( dead neurons)
- handle metabolic risks
- make myelin for cell transmission tasks (pain transmission)
What are the two parts to neurotransmission?
synapse and receptor cites
what is a synapse?
microscopic fluid-filled space between the rounded areas on the end of the axon terminals of one cell and the dendrites or surface of the next cell
what are the receptor sites?
three dimensional proteins on the surface of dendrites or certain cells of the muscles and glands, which are shaped to fit only certain neuro transmitters
what is the synaptic cleft?
fluid-filled gaps between axon terminals
what is the synapse
-junction where axon terminal of a sending neuron communicates with
- the receiving dendrites of the neuron across the synaptic cleft
What are the two parts of neurotransmission?
excitatory synapse and inhabitory synapse
what is the excitatory synapse?
neurotransmitter that causes the receiving cell to fire
what is the inhibitory synapse?
neurotransmitter that causes the receiving cell to stop firing
what is resting potential?
The state of the neuron when not firing a neural impulse
what is the threshold of excitation?
level of charge in the membrane that causes the neuron to become active
what is the action potential
- is an electrical signal
- act on an all-or-none principle- the incoming signal is either sufficient to reach the threshold of excitation or it is now
what is reuptake?
involves moving a neurotransmitter from the synapse back into the axon terminal from which it was released
- reuptake involves moving a neurotransmitter from the synapse back into the axon terminal from which it was released
What are neurotransmitter?
they are chemical messenger of the nervous system. Different neurons release different types of neurotransmitters that have many different functions
What are the five kinds of neurotransmitters?
acetycholine, beta-endorphin, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin
What are three types of neurotransmitters and drugs?
psychotropic medication, agonist and antagonist
What is agonist?
drug that mimics or strengthens the effects of a neurotransmitters
what are antagonist?
drug that blocks or impedes the normal activity of a given neurotransmitter