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AP Psychology > Module 2 Lesson 1 - The Nervous System and Neural Communication > Flashcards

Module 2 Lesson 1 - The Nervous System and Neural Communication Flashcards

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1
Q

Biological Psychology

A

A branch of psychology which examines how biology influences behavior.

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2
Q

Neuron

A

The basic unit of the nervous system.

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3
Q

Dendrites

A

The tree-like extension of a neuron that receives messages from another neuron.

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4
Q

Axon

A

The part of a neuron which carries a neural signal to the terminal branches.

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5
Q

Axon terminal buttons

A

Found in the terminal branches to hold neurotransmitters.

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6
Q

Myelin sheath

A

Serves as a layer of fat tissue, producing myelin and increasing the speed of the neural signal.

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7
Q

Action potential

A

An electrical neural impulse.

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8
Q

Threshold

A

The minimum stimulus required to trigger an action potential.

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9
Q

Synapse

A

The space between two neurons, often called the synaptic gap

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10
Q

Reuptake

A

The process of reabsorbing neurotransmitters back into the axon terminal buttons. The charge of a neuron at its resting state - a neuron at rest is -70mV.

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11
Q

Neurotransmitters

A

Chemical messengers responsible for instructing receiving neurons a specific response.

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12
Q

Acetylcholine (ACh)

A

A neurotransmitter responsible for muscle movement and memory.

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13
Q

Dopamine

A

A neurotransmitter responsible for movement, attention, and emotion.

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14
Q

Serotonin

A

A neurotransmitter responsible for mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal.

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15
Q

Norepinephrine

A

A neurotransmitter (and hormone) responsible for alertness and arousal.

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16
Q

GABA

A

An inhibitory neurotransmitter responsible for seizures, tremors, and insomnia if the body fails to produce enough.

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17
Q

Endorphins

A

A neurotransmitter responsible for pain control and stress relief.

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18
Q

Nervous system

A

A system which allows the body to communicate via nerve cells (neurons) between the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

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19
Q

Central nervous system

A

Consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

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20
Q

Peripheral nervous system

A

Motor and sensory neurons connecting the brain and spinal cord to other parts of the body.

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21
Q

Nerves

A

Bundled axons connecting the central nervous system to muscles, glands, and sensory organs.

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22
Q

Sensory (Afferent) neurons

A

Neurons which carry sensory information to the central nervous system.

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23
Q

Interneurons

A

Neurons within the central nervous system that communicate between sensory and motor neurons.

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24
Q

Motor (Efferent) neurons

A

Neurons responsible for carrying outgoing information from the central nervous system to the muscles.

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25
Q

Somatic nervous system

A

A part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for controlling the skeletal muscles.

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26
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A

A part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for controlling the automatic functions of glands and organs.

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27
Q

Sympathetic nervous system

A

A part of the autonomic nervous system which arouses the body and mobilizes it during periods of stress.

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28
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system

A

A part of the autonomic nervous system responsible for calming the body and restoring homeostasis.

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29
Q

Reflex

A

The automatic response to any sensory stimulus.

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30
Q

Neural networks

A

A network of neurons that grow stronger with experience, formed by neurons that make connections to other connections.

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31
Q

Endocrine system

A

Includes glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream.

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32
Q

Hormones

A

Chemical messengers that travel through the bloodstream

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33
Q

Adrenal glands

A

Glands that sit above the kidneys to secrete epinephrine and norepinephrine during stress.

34
Q

Pituitary gland

A

The “Master Gland” - it has control over other glands, and is responsible for growth.

35
Q

What is the basic structure of the nervous system?

A

The neuron!

36
Q

What does the dendrite do?

A

Catch an incoming signal!

37
Q

What does the nucleus do?

A

It contains a blueprint for the cell, and directs its functions!

38
Q

What is the cell body?

A

Called Soma, it keeps the neuron alive.

39
Q

What does the axon do?

A

It carries signals.

40
Q

What does the Myelin sheath do?

A

It protects the axon and produces myelin to speed the signals.

41
Q

What is the Node of Ranvier?

A

It refers to the gaps between the myelin sheaths, causing the signal to jump between the myelin sheaths.

42
Q

What is the Schwann cell?

A

They are glial cells responsible for producing the Myelin sheaths.

43
Q

What is an action potential?

A

The process of a neuron firing.

44
Q

What charge does a neuron at rest (resting potential) have?

A

-70mV with a positive charge on the charge outside the neuron, and a negative charge on the inside of the neuron.

45
Q

What happens during neurotransmission?

A

An electrical signal (action potential) travels down the axon, resulting in a chemical message being sent and passed to the next neuron.

46
Q

What is a threshold?

A

A minimum amount of pressure must be applied for a neuron to fire.

47
Q

What is the all-or-none principle?

A

It is that once a neuron fires, it cannot stop.

48
Q

What happens to the neuron during an action potential?

A

The neuron becomes depolarized, causing channel gates to open and allowing sodium atoms to come in while other gates open to repulse sodium atoms back out - this causes the repolarization of the neuron.

49
Q

Refractory Period.

A

A neuron cannot fire again until it has become repolarized.

50
Q

What are neurotransmitters?

A

Chemical messages cause the body to respond with different reactions. These electrical signals are carried to the axon terminals, causing the synaptic vesicles in the terminal buttons to release neurotransmitters into the synapse.

51
Q

How do neurotransmitters work when binding to other neurons?

A

They work like a “lock and key” when binding to the next neurons, either exciting or inhibiting the neuron.

52
Q

What is the difference between agonists and antagonists?

A

These terms refer to drugs that work by mimicking neurotransmitters. Drugs that cause the next neuron to fire are referred to as agonists. Drugs that prevent the next neuron from firing are referred to as antagonists.

53
Q

What is reuptake?

A

When neurotransmitters that are left in the synapse become absorbed back into the synaptic vesicles.

54
Q

Acetylcholine

A

(AcH) - Enables muscle actions and memory; low AcH is usually associated with Alzheimer’s Disease.

55
Q

Dopamine

A

Influences movement, attention, and emotion; excessive amounts are associated with Schizophrenia; low amounts are associated with Parkinson’s Disease.

56
Q

What is Serotonin, and what happens if there is a lack of it?

A

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal; low amounts are usually associated with depression.

57
Q

What is Norepinephrine and what response does it cause?

A

Controls alertness & arousal; fight or flight response (also a hormone)

58
Q

What is GABA and what happens when there is a lack of it?

A

An inhibitory neurotransmitter; low amounts are usually associated with seizures, tremors, and insomnia.

59
Q

What is Glutamate and what happens when there are excessive amounts of it?

A

An excitatory neurotransmitter that can be found in certain foods with MSG; excessive amounts can be associated with migraines and seizures.

60
Q

What are Endorphins and what are they associated with?

A

Pain killers naturally produced by the body; associated with pain control & pleasure.

61
Q

The Nervous system is responsible for what?

A

They are responsible for the communication that takes place within our bodies.

62
Q

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

A

Responsible for the communication signals between the CNS and the rest of the body.

63
Q

Central Nervous System (CNS)

A

The main part of the nervous system; responsible for communication, includes the brain and spinal cord.

64
Q

Autonomic Nervous System

A

A part of the PNS: controls involuntary functions of the glands and organs (such as a heart beating, or digestion)

65
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

Controls voluntary movement of the skeletal muscles (such as running, jumping, dancing, etc…)

66
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

A division of the autonomic nervous system which mobilizes the body during stress. “Fight or Flight.”

67
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

A division of the autonomic nervous system that counters the “fight or flight” response, this calms the body and maintains homeostasis.

68
Q

Sensory Neurons

A

Afferent (incoming) neurons that relay sensory information to the CNS (such as the 5 senses)

69
Q

Motor Neurons

A

Different (outcoming) neurons that relay motor information from the CNS to muscles and glands (like jumping and running).

70
Q

What are reflexes?

A

Times when a response is elicited without a signal traveling to the brain; these are automatic responses based on evolution to keep people alive.

71
Q

What does the endocrine system do?

A

They allow for the sending of messages called hormones. While neurotransmitters and hormones are both messengers for the body, they are very different.

72
Q

Characteristics of Neurotransmitters

A

Neurotransmitters
- Effect comes and goes quickly
- Electric signal travels through neurons to release chemical messages
- Part of the Nervous system

73
Q

Characteristics of Hormones

A

Hormones
- Chemical messengers travel through the bloodstream
- Effect comes slowly, but lasts longer
- Part of the Endocrine system

74
Q

Hypothalamus

A

The “boss” of the Endocrine system, located in the brain and primarily responsible for the functions of the glands (including eating, drinking, and body temperature).

75
Q

Thyroid Gland

A

Produces thyroxine - responsible for metabolism, growth, and body temperature

76
Q

What are Pancreas and how does it do it’s job? What is it called when they fail?

A

Responsible for regulating the body’s blood sugar level. When too much glucose is present, the body releases insulin. If the body struggles to regulate blood-sugar levels on its own, patients may be diagnosed with hyperglycemia (a.k.a. Diabetes when blood-sugar levels become too high) or hypoglycemia (if blood-sugar levels are excessively low).

77
Q

Gonads

A

For males - Testis, responsible for secreting male sex hormones (testosterone);

For females - Ovary, responsible for secreting the female sex hormones (estrogen).

78
Q

Pituitary Gland

A

The “master gland” of the Endocrine system, responsible for growth and releasing oxytocin. All other glands must respond to the Pituitary Gland.

79
Q

Thymus

A

Produces T-cells for the immune system

80
Q

Adrenal glands

A

Triggers the “fight or flight” response, causing the release of epinephrine (adrenaline) or norepinephrine (noradrenaline).

81
Q

Ovary

A

Secretes the female sex hormone estrogen.

AP Psychology (26 decks)

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