psych Sac Nervous System Flashcards
central nervous system
carries messages to and from the PNS
Brain
How we think, feel, do
Spinal cord
connects brain and PNS (Spinal Reflex)
Peripheral nervous system
carries messages to and from the CNS
Somatic nervous system
carries messages from sensory receptors in the body to the CNS and motor messages from the CNS
Autonomic nervous system
connects CNS to internal organs and glands
Sympathetic nervous system
prepares body for action (flight and fight)
Parasympathetic nervous system
calms body after action (freeze)
Enteric nervous system
digestive system
Receive, process and coordinate a response
receive info, make decisions and decide what’s happening
Nervous system
to communicate sensory info all over the body
Neuron
transmits messages to and from the brain with various functions
Neural Pathway
connected neurons that transmit electrical and chemical signals between different parts of the nervous system
Conscious response
awareness, voluntary
Unconscious response
no awareness, involuntary
spinal reflex
unconscious, involuntary
Receptor
sensory receptors
sensory neuron
detects and transmits sensory information to the central nervous system (CNS)
Interneuron
messengers, processing and relaying information between neurons to coordinate responses.
Motor neuron
transmits signals from the central nervous system (CNS) allowing movement and bodily functions to occur.
Synaptic gap
nerve signals are transmitted from one neuron to another.
Neural synapse
enables communication within the nervous system, allowing the brain, spinal cord, and nerves to coordinate thoughts, actions, and reflexes.
Neurotransmitter
chemical substance carries message from the presynaptic to post
Neuromodulator
chemical messenger, affects multiple neurons, last longer
Dopamine
neurotransmitter (a chemical messenger) inhibitory and excitatory including mood regulation, movement, reward, and motivation
Glutamate
Excitatory, likely to fire. Learning and mood
GABA
inhibitory, less likely to fire.
Serotonin
chemical messenger (inhibitory) example mood, sleep
Synaptic plasticity
change to experience
Sprouting
new connections (growth)
rerouting
alternative pathways
Pruning
elimination of weak unused synapses
Long term potentiation (LTP)
enhancements of synaptic transmission (fire together, wire together)
Long term depression (LTD)
Decrease in strength of synaptic transmission (use it or loose it)
Acute stress
short time
chronic stress
long time
stress
physiological and psychological arousal produced by internal (personal problems) and external (originates outside the individual from situations and events in the environment)
stressor
stimuli that cause or produce stress and challenge our ability to cope
Eustress
positive form of stress that helps improve motivation, focus, performance, and overall well-being
Distress
distress (which is negative and overwhelming)
SAM sympathomedullary
brain-body pathway that activates flight, fight or freeze response
Cortisol
stress hormone, respond to stress by increasing energy
HPA axis
hypthamlamus, anterior pituitary, adrenal gland then cortisol
GBA (gut brain axis)
communication between the central and the enteric nervous system
Gut microbiota
digestion
gut dysbiosis
imbalance in the gut microbiota
psychobiotics
live bacteria (probiotics) or prebiotics that have mental health benefits by positively affecting the gut-brain axis
GAS(General Adaptation Syndrome)
exposed to prolonged stress. (alarm, resistance and exhaustion)
Alarm reaction/ shock/ counter shock
reacts to stress, sympathetic nervous system is activated, cortisol activated
resistance stage
adapts to stressor, cortisol maintains energy levels, suppresses immune system
exhaustion stage
prolonged cortisol exposure weakens body. Mental breakdown (illness)
Transactional model of stress and coping
stress involves an encounter (transaction) between an individual and their external environment.
primary appraisal
evaluate the significance (important or not)
secondary apprasial
coping options and resoures
Coping
manage internal and external stressors
coping strategies
manage stress
approach and avoidance
deal with stressor, indirectly deal with stress
coping flexibility
effectively modify coping strategies of different situations
