Non-Essay Biopsych Flashcards
Describe the nervous system
Complex system of nerve cells carrying messages to and from brain and spinal chord
Helps body parts to communicate with each other
What are two sub systems of the nervous system?
Central Nervous System- life’s functions and physiological processes
Peripheral Nervous System- relays nerve impulses to and from CNS
The central nervous system
brain- conscious awareness
cerebral cortex- distinguishes higher mental processes from animals
spinal chord- relays info between brain and rest of body
Peripheral nervous system
Somatic NS- controls voluntary actions, carries sensory and motor info to and from cns
Autonomic- controls involuntary actions, only motor info
What are the branches of the autonomic nervous system?
Sympathetic- -responses that help us deal with emergencies
-prepares body for rapid action
-body releases stored energy, pupils dilate and inhibits less important bodily processes eg digestion
Parasympathetic- returns body to normal state (rest and digest)
-bodily processes that were inhibited are returned to normal
The structure of a neuron
Cell body, nucleus (genetic material)- dendrites (branch-like structures) receive signals from other neurons- axon (carries impulse away)- myelin sheath (protects as fatty layer and speeds up transmission)- nodes of ranvier (forces impulse to jump across gaps)
Three types of neurons
sensory- carry messages from PNS to CNS, processes info through 5 senses
relay- carries info from one part of CNS to another, allows sensory and motor to communicate
motor- carries info from CNS to indirectly/directly control muscles, stimulate=release neurotransmitters=bind to receptors on muscle=muscle movement= inhibition=muscle relaxation
What are the structures of the three neurons
sensory= short axon, long dendrites
relay= short axon, short dendrites
motor=long axon, short dendrites
The process of synaptic transmission
Action potential in pre-synaptic neuron from dendrites= axon=pre-synaptic terminal= all signals electrical within
must be chemical to travel across synapse (tiny gaps)- stimulates vesicles- release neurotransmitters
bind with receptors on post-synaptic neuron- signal transmitted
re-uptake- neurotransmitters travel back to pre-synaptic neuron to be stored and available for later use
Neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that have specific structure that fit perfectly in post-synaptic receptor site
Specialist function eg dopamine= emotional arousal, pleasure, voluntary movement
Excitation, inhibition and summation
Serotonin causes inhibition in receiving neuron, neuron more negatively charged so less likely to fire- msg stopped at post-synaptic neuron= inhibitory synapse
Adrenaline causes excitation of post-synaptic neuron, increasing positive charge so more likely to fire= excitatory synapse
Summation= net effect
neuron can receive both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters
adding up synaptic input= likelihood of cell firing
Endocrine system definition
chemical communication that instructs glands to release hormones into bloodstream to help regulate bodily functions
Glands
Organs that produce and secrete hormones to regulate bodily functions
hormones
Chemicals that circulate in bloodstream and influence target organs to regulate bodily activity
large amounts but disappear quickly
timing and levels= critical to avoid dysfunction of bodily systems
Name the gland, hormone and function
Pituitary- master gland- influences other glands- controlled by hypothalamus
Adrenal- adrenaline- fight or flight
Pineal- melatonin- sleep, sleep/wake cycle
Testes- testosterone- male hormone
Ovaries- oestrogen and progesterone- menstrual cycle
The fight or flight response including the role of adrenaline
Experience acute stressor- hypothalamus directs sympathetic branch- adrenal medulla- adrenaline- fight or flight- physiological reactions eg hr and bp- oxygen pumped to muscles- digestion suppressed- when threat is passed- parasympathetic branch returns body to normal
