paper 2 - B- biopsychology

Question 1

What are the two nervous systems?

Answer 1

• CNS= central nervous system
  -PNS= peripheral nervous system

Question 2

What is the nervous system?

Answer 2

a specialised network of cells in the human body

Question 3

What are the two main functions of the nervous system?

Answer 3

1. to collect, respond and process info
   2.to co-ordinate the working of different organs

Question 4

What is the CNS made up from?

Answer 4

-spinal cord
-brain

Question 5

definition of the brain?

Answer 5

-is the centre of all consciousness
-divided into two hemispheres
-passes messages to and from the brain

Question 6

definition of the spinal cord?

Answer 6

-an extension of the brain
-responsible for reflex actions

Question 7

what is the pns role?

Answer 7

-transmits messages via neurons to and from the cns

Question 8

What is the pns divided into?

Answer 8

1.autonomic nervous system
=governs vital functions like breathing and heart rate

2.somatic nervous system
=controls muscle movement

Question 9

what does biopsychology assume behaviour is caused by?

Answer 9

assumes behaviour is caused by activity in the nervous system

Question 10

somatic nervous system?

Answer 10

=carrys sensory and motor info
=controls skeletal muscles and movement
=contains sensory and motor neurons

Question 11

autonomic nervous system?

Answer 11

=governs internal functions eg. breathing and heart rate
=dvided into two divisions
-sympathetic nervous system= dilates pupils , accelerates heart
-parasympathetic nervous system = constricts pupils , inhibits heart
=two divisions are antagonistic

Question 12

key assumptions of neurons?

Answer 12

-assume that behaviour is caused by activity in the nervous system
-nerve cells communicate with eachother by chemical/electrical signals
-nervous system transmits signals through neurons

Question 13

What are the three types of neurons?

Answer 13

-motor
-sensory
-relay

Question 14

What’s the function of a sensory neuron?

Answer 14

= carries messages from the pns (sensory receptors) to the cns

Question 15

Whats the appearance of a sensory neuron?

Answer 15

= long dendrites
=short axon

Question 16

Whats the function of a relay neuron?

Answer 16

=transfers messages from sensory neurons to other neurons

Question 17

Whats the appearance of a relay neuron?

Answer 17

=short dendrites
=short axon

Question 18

Whats the function of a motor neuron ?

Answer 18

=carries messages from the cns to the effectors (muscles/glands)

Question 19

Whats the appearance of a motor neuron?

Answer 19

=short dendrites
=long axon

Question 20

How does information (messages) travel from the sensory receptors?

Answer 20

1.from receptors nerve impulses are carried to the cns
2.sensory neurons covert info from the sensory receptors into neural impulses
3.impulses are transferred to the brain and are transferred into sensations so the organism can react / respond

Question 21

where are relay neurons located?

Answer 21

-lay between the sensory input and the motor output
-lay within the brain and spinal cord

Question 22

what do relay neurons allow to happen?

Answer 22

allow sensory and motor neurons to communicate with each other

Question 23

where are motor neurons located and what do they do?

Answer 23

located in the cns
=they project their axons outside the cns and control muscles
=when stimulated motor neurons release neurotransmitters that bind to receptors on the muscle that trigger a response

Question 24

Whats the reflex arc?

Answer 24

Stimulus
receptor
sensory neuron
cns
relay neuron
motor neuron
effector
response

Question 25

Whats a pre-synaptic neuron?

Answer 25

before synapse

Question 26

Whats a post-synaptic neuron?

Question 27

whats a synpase?

Answer 27

gap between two neurons

Question 28

What are neurotransmitters?

Answer 28

= they are chemicals released from the synaptic vesicle into the synapse that diffuse across to the next neuron

Question 29

After the neurotransmitters diffuse across the synapse how do they enter the next neuron?

Answer 29

they are taken up by the post synaptic receptor site (the other neurons dendrites)

Question 30

What can break down neurotransmitters?

Answer 30

enzymes

Question 31

What happens when neurotransmitters bind to the receptor site?

Answer 31

stimulates an electrical impulse along the axon

Question 32

What two effects can neurotransmitters have?

Answer 32

excitation
inhibition

Question 33

Example of an excitation neurotransmitter?

Answer 33

adrenaline
=causes excitation of the post-synaptic neuron by increasing its positive charge making it more likely to fire

Question 34

Examples of an inhibitory neurotransmitter?

Answer 34

=serotonin
=neuron becomes more negatively charged and less likely to fire

Question 35

summation?

Answer 35

=excitatory and inhibitory influences are summed
=if the net effect on the post synaptic neuron is inhibitory the neuron would be less likely to fire
=if the net effect is excitatory the neuron is more likely to fire

Question 36

What system control fight or flight?

Answer 36

sympathetic nervous system

Question 37

whys fight or flight needed?

Answer 37

for survival and to protect ourselves

Question 38

How does the body go into fight or flight?

Answer 38

1. your sympathetic nervous system kicks in and you body prepares for defence or escape
   2.these changes enable the body to protect itself by running or fighting

Question 39

how is adrenaline released into the blood stream?

Answer 39

1. sympathetic nervous system sends a signal to the adrenal medulla
   2.this releases the hormone adrenaline

Question 40

what physiological changes happen as of adrenaline?

Answer 40

1. increased heart rate
2. blood pressure increases
   3.breathinf rate increases
   = acute response to stress

Question 41

how does the body go back to normal after adrenaline is released?

Answer 41

1. the parasympathetic nervous system kicks in
   2.this system is slow acting meaning it may take several minutes to get the body to go back to normal