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Psychology - IN FOCUS Biopsychology > Neurons and synaptic transmission > Flashcards

Neurons and synaptic transmission Flashcards

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1
Q

Neurons

A

Nerve cells that process and transmit messages through electrical and chemical signals

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2
Q

What are the basic building blocks of the nervous system?

A

Neurons

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3
Q

How many neurons are there in the human nervous system?

A

100 billion

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4
Q

What are neurons also known as?

A

Nerve cells

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5
Q

What do neurons do?

A

Transmit signals electrically and chemically

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6
Q

Neurons provide the nervous system with…

A

its primary means of communication

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7
Q

How many types of neurons are there?

A

3

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8
Q

What are the 3 types of neurons?

A

Sensory, relay and motor

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9
Q

What is the function of sensory neurons?

A

Carry messages from the PNS to the CNS

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10
Q

Sensory neurons have long/short dendrites

A

long

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11
Q

Sensory neurons have long/short axons

A

short

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12
Q

Where are sensory neurons located?

A

Outside the CNS in the PNS, in clusters known as ganglia

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13
Q

Sensory neurons are located in the PNS in clusters known as what?

A

Ganglia?

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14
Q

What is the function of relay neurons?

A

Connect sensory neurons to the motor or other relay neurons

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15
Q

Relay neurons have long/short dendrites

A

short

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16
Q

Relay neurons have long/short axons

A

short

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17
Q

Relay neurons make up what percentage of all neurons?

A

97%

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18
Q

Where are most relay neurons found?

A

Within the brain and visual system

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19
Q

What is the function of motor neurons?

A

Connect the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands

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20
Q

Motor neurons have long/short dendrites

A

short

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21
Q

Motor neurons have long/short axons

A

long

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22
Q

Where can cell bodies of motor neurons be found?

A

In the CNS

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23
Q

Motor neurons have long axons which form part of what?

A

The PNS

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24
Q

Neurons vary in size from which lengths?

A

Less than a millimetre to up to a metre long

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25
Q

True/False: All neurons share the same basic structure

A

True

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26
Q

What can be found in the cell body/soma of a neuron

A

The nucleus

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27
Q

What does the nucleus contain?

A

The genetic material of the cell

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28
Q

Dendrites are ______like structures

A

branch

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29
Q

Where do dendrites protrude from?

A

The cell body

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30
Q

What to dendrites do?

A

Carry nerve impulses from neighbouring neurons towards the cell body

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31
Q

What does a neuron’s axon do?

A

Carry impulses away from the cell body down the length of the neuron

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32
Q

What is an axon covered in?

A

A fatty layer of myelin sheath

33
Q

What does the fatty layer of myelin sheath covering an axon do?

A

Protects the axon and speeds up electrical transmission of the impulse

34
Q

What would happen if the myelin sheath was continuous?

A

It would have the reverse effect and slow down the electrical impulse

35
Q

True/False: The myelin sheath is segmented by gaps

A

True

36
Q

What are the gaps segmenting the myelin sheath called?

A

Nodes of ranvier

37
Q

What do nodes of Ranvier do?

A

Speed up the transmission of the impulse

38
Q

How do nodes of Ranvier speed up the transmission of the impulse?

A

By forcing it to ‘jump’ across the gaps along the axon

39
Q

What can be found at the end of the axon?

A

Terminal buttons

40
Q

What do axon terminal buttons do?

A

Communicate with the next neuron in the chain across a gap known as the synapse

41
Q

Each neuron is separated from the next by an extremely tiny gap called what?

A

The synapse

42
Q

When a neuron is in a resting state the inside of the cell is positively/negatively charged compared to the outside

A

negatively

43
Q

When a neuron is activated by a stimulus what happens to the inside of the cell?

A

It becomes positively charged for a split second

44
Q

What does the inside of a neuron becoming positively charged for a split second cause?

A

An action potential to occur

45
Q

What happens when an action potential occurs in a neuron?

A

It creates an electrical impulse that travels down the axon towards the end of the neuron

46
Q

Neuron networks

A

Groups in which neurons communicate with each other

47
Q

How are signals within neurons transmitted?

A

Electrically

48
Q

How are signals between neurons transmitted?

A

Chemically across the synapse

49
Q

What is the end of the neuron called?

A

Presynaptic terminal

50
Q

What happens when an electrical impulse reaches the end of the neuron?

A

It triggers the release of neurotransmitter from tiny sacs called synaptic vescles

51
Q

When an electrical impulse reaches the end of the neuron, it triggers the release of neurotransmitter from what?

A

Tiny sacs called synaptic vesicles

52
Q

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that _______ across the _______ to…

A

diffuse, synapse, the next neuron in the chain

53
Q

When a neurotransmitter crosses the synapse, where does it go?

A

It is taken up by a postsynaptic receptor site on the dendrites of the next neuron

54
Q

Which part of neurons take signals to the synapse?

A

Axons

55
Q

Which part of neurons take signals away from the synapse?

A

Dendrites

56
Q

What happens at the postsynaptic receptor site on the dendrites of the next neuron?

A

The chemical message is converted back into an electrical impulse and the process of transmission begins again in another neuron

57
Q

True/False: Direction of travel in neural networks is two-way

A

False, it can only be one-way

58
Q

Neurotransmitters in neural networks are released from where when crossing the synpase?

A

The presynaptic neuron terminal

59
Q

Where are neurotransmitters received after crossing the synapse?

A

The postsynaptic neuron at the receptor sites

60
Q

How many types of neurotransmitter have been identified in the brain?

A

Several dozen

61
Q

True/False: Some neurotransmitters have been identified in the spinal cord and some glands

A

True

62
Q

True/False: Each neurotransmitter has its own specific molecular structure

A

True

63
Q

How do neurotransmitters fit perfectly into a postsynaptic receptor site?

A

Each neurotransmitter has its own specific molecular structure, similar to a lock and key

64
Q

Where can acetylcholine be found?

A

At each point where a motor neuron meets a muscle

65
Q

Upon its release, what will acetylcholine cause muscles to do?

A

Contract

66
Q

Neurotransmitters can have one of which two effects on the neighbouring neuron?

A

Excitatory or inhibitory

67
Q

Serotonin causes excitation/inhibition in the receiving neuron

A

inhibition

68
Q

The fact that serotonin causes inhibition in the receiving neuron results in what?

A

The neuron becoming more negatively charged and less likely to fire

69
Q

True/False: Adrenaline is an element of the stress response which is strictly a hormone

A

False, it is both a hormone and a neurotransmitter

70
Q

Adrenaline causes excitation/inhibition in the postsynaptic neuron

A

Excitation

71
Q

The fact that adrenaline causes excitation in the postsynaptic neuron results in what?

A

The neuron becoming more positively charged and makes it more likely to fire

72
Q

Whether a postsynaptic neuron fires is decided by which process?

A

Summation

73
Q

Summation is when what happens to the excitatory and inhibitory influences?

A

They are summed

74
Q

In summation, what happens if the net effect on the postsynaptic neuron is inhibitory?

A

The postsynaptic neuron is less likely to fire

75
Q

In summation, what happens if the net effect on the postsynaptic neuron is excitatory?

A

The postsynaptic neuron is more likely to fire

76
Q

What happens when the net effect of summation is excitatory?

A

The inside of the postsynaptic neuron momentarily becomes positively charged - creating an electrical impulse that travels down the neuron

77
Q

What happens when the inside of the postsynaptic neuron momentarily becomes positively charged?

A

An electrical impulse is created and it travels down the neuron

78
Q

The action potential of the postsynaptic neuron is only triggered if what?

A

The sum of the excitatory and inhibitory signals at any one time reaches the threshold

Psychology - IN FOCUS Biopsychology (7 decks)

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