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Psychology > Neurons ( area 1 / 3.8 ) > Flashcards

Neurons ( area 1 / 3.8 ) Flashcards

1
Q

Approx how many..
neurons and synapses
in a piece of brain tissue?

A

-Brain tissue, the size of a grain of sand

  • has 100,000 neurons
  • 1 billion synapses
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2
Q

Brief role of the neuron?

A
  • Primary functional unit of the nervous system

- has role of glial cells in supporting neuronal function

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3
Q

Key parts os a neuron?

A
  • Dendrites
  • Axon
  • Myelin
  • Axon terminals
  • Glial cells
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4
Q

WHAT is a neuron?

A
  • Is an individual nerve cell.

- The building blocks of the nervous system.

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5
Q

WHAT do neuron form?

A

They form neural pathways ( complex chains which transmit information. )

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6
Q

What in the info that is transmit called?

A
  • Action potential

- Neural impulse

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7
Q

ARE ALL neurons the same?

A

They are specialised, and have different functions depending on where they are in the body.

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8
Q

What do ALL neurons have in common?

A
  • Longest lived cells in the body
  • Irreplaceable: amitotic ( lose ability to divide )
  • Huge appetites - steady supply of glucose and oxygen
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9
Q

Three main components of neuron structure?

A
  • Dendrites
  • Soma
  • Axon
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10
Q

Dendrites:
LOOK
FUNCTION

A
  • Bushy branch
  • LISTENER -
    receives chemical information from previous neurons
  • One neuron can have lots of dendritic connections
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11
Q

Soma: Cell body
LOOK
FUNCTION

A

Has all cell materials; nucleus, mitochondria etc

  • Is like the brain of the central nervous system, gives info to axon
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12
Q

Axon:
LOOK
FUNCTION

A

Single tube shape
-TALKER- gossip
Passes info other cells.

Most neurons only have one, but axon can branch to allow communication to multiple cells.

transmit electrical impluses away from the cell body to other cells.

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13
Q

Axon terminals:
LOOK
FUNCTION

A

Small branches end of axons

Has swelling in its tip, synaptic button which keeps special chemical called neurotransmitter ( transmit info between cell. )

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14
Q

Myelin:
LOOK
FUNCTION

A

Most neuron axons coated with it.

Fatty insulator for the axon,, keeps it to avoid unnecessary signals

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15
Q

What the bumps on axon allow to do?

A

Lumps signals can jump across lumps.

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16
Q

Neuron sequence?

six steps

A
  1. Info is received by the dendrites.
  2. Info passes through the soma and into axon.
  3. Info reaches the axon terminals.
  4. Triggers the release of neurotransmitter from the terminal buttons.
  5. Neurotransmitter carries info to other neurons.
  6. Neurons don’t touch - there is a synaptic gap.
    Receptors cell are activates
17
Q

What is synaptic knob?

A

Special chemicals that bind with their own receptors in the next neuron’s dendrites.

18
Q

What is synapse?

A

Made up of the gap, the terminal buttons of the axon, and the dendrites.

End of nerve, chemical transmitters release by the nerve and rapidly interact with the nerve’s target

connection between the never and next object

info blocked, modulated, amplified or translated to another process.

19
Q

THREE main TYPES OF neurons?

A
  • Sensory
  • Interneurons
  • Motor neurons
20
Q

Sensory neurons?

A

receives from sensory receptors and Sends sensory information to the brain / cns.

-afferent neuron

ETC HEAT, SOUND ETC

21
Q

Motor neurons?

A
  • efferent neurons / move from cns to rest of body

they carry message from the CNS to the cells in our muscles.

Signals the body’s movement. Control all actions of our body.

Usually located in lower brain stem or spinal cord.

22
Q

Interneurons?

A

link the sensory and motor neurons - acts like a translator.

ONLY occurs in CNS, useful for integration.

Think is cause motor and sensory rarely connect directly.

23
Q

WHAT are glial cells?

KEY FEATURES

A

Prominent type of cell found in ns.

Smaller, repair and divide.

  • work like a support team of the neurons.
  • Provide nutrients
  • Cleaning of waste
  • Are specialised, have diff roles
  • CANT CARRY MESSAGES.
24
Q

How it travels?

A
  • Sensory input ( spider on skin)
  • Integration: should i let it walk on me, should i scream, run?
  • Motor output: response activates certain parts of your body
25
Q

Central nervous system?

A

BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD

MAIN CONTROL CENTRE

26
Q

Peripheral system?

A

Made of nerves that branch off from the brain, allowing cns TO COMMUNICATE with rest of the body.

27
Q

TWO TYPES OF Peripheral system?

A
  1. SENSORY DIVISON: afferent - picks up sensory stimuli
  2. MOTOR DIVISON:
    efferent - sends directions from your brain to muscles and glands
    also has SOMATIC ( vountary) & AUTONOMIC ( involuntry ns ; heatbeat, lungs breathing.

AUTONOMIC HAS OWN CATERGORY
SYMPATHETIC DIVISON: fire up body

PARASYMPATHETIC DIVISION: relax and calms body

Psychology (8 decks)

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