SAC 1 Unit 3 Flashcards
Role of the CNS
Receiving sensory information from the peripheral nervous system and sending motor messages to the peripheral nervous system
Role of the brain
Regulates and guides all other parts of the nervous system
The spinal cord is a…
cable-like column of nerve fibres that extends from the base of the lower back and is encased by a series of bones called vertebrae
What is the PNS comprised of
Muscles, organs and glands
PNS role
Send sensory messages to the brain and receives motor information from the brain
What is the Autonomic NS
A network of neurons that carries information between the CNS, and the organs and glands, to ensure that the body can be regulated without conscious awareness
What is the Somatic NS
A network of neurons within the body that transmits sensory messages to the CNS and then sends motor messages back down to initiate muscle movement. Is involved in voluntary movement.
Sympathetic NS role
Prepares the body for action to deal with a potential threat. Activates the fight-flight-freeze response.
Parasympathetic NS role
Maintains the body in a state of homeostasis. Returns the body to calm after heightened stress or arousal.
Physical symptoms of sympathetic NS activation
Contracts pupils
Adrenaline and noradrenaline released
Accelerated heartbeat
Inhibits digestion
Enteric NS role
Responsible for the process of digestion
Sensory neuron
Transmits sensory information from your body to your brain
Motor neuron
Transmits motor messages from your brain to your body
Interneuron
Transmits information between sensory and motor neurons
Conscious response
A response to a sensory stimulus that involves awareness
Unconscious response
A response to a stimulus that does not involve awareness
Spinal reflex
An automatic response that is initiated by neurons in the spinal cord, independent of the brain
What division of the nervous system controls the spinal reflex
Somatic nervous system
Synaptic plasticity definition
The ability of synpatic connections to change over time in response to activity or experience
Two types of synaptic plasticity
Adaptive (in response to experience or recovery from damage)
Developmental (occuring according to our genetic footprint)
Long term potentiation (LTP)
The long lasting and experience-dependent strengthening of synaptic connections that are regularly activated
Long term depression (LTD)
The long lasting and experience-dependent weakening of synaptic connections between neurons that are not regularly activated
Sprouting
The growth of additional branches on axons or dendrites to enable new connections
Rerouting
Occurs when an undamaged neuron that has lost a connection with a damaged neuron so it forms a new connection with a neighbouring neuron
Pruning
The elimination of synaptic connections that are not adequately activated
Stress definition
A psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something that demands their attention and/or their efforts to cope
Distress
A form of stress characterised by a negative psychological state
Eustress
A form of stress characterised by a positive psychological state
Stressor
A stimulus that prompts a stress response
Internal stressor
A stimulus from within someones body that initiates a stress response
External stressor
A stimulus from outside a persons body that initiates a stress response
Fight-flight-freeze response
An involuntary and automatic response to a threat that takes the form of either confronting it, escaping it, or freezing in the face of it
Cortisol
A hormone released in the time of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened arousal.
Coping
The process of dealing with stress
Approach strategies
Coping strategies that directly confront the source of the stress
Avoidance strategies
Coping strategies that avoid or evade the source of the stress, seeking to indirectly reduce stress
Context-specific effectiveness
When the coping strategies used are appropriate for the unique demands of the stressor
Coping flexibility
The ability to adjust or change one’s coping strategies depending on the unique and changing demands of a stressor
Synapse
Where dendrites and axon terminals join
Receptor sites
Locations at the end of the dendritic spines and receive neurotransmitters before they are released into the soma
Axon
A single, tube-like extension that transmits neural information to other neurons
Synaptic vesicle
The sacs in the axon terminal that contain neurotransmitters
Synaptic gap/cleft
The space between the pre-synaptic and post-synaptic neuron
Changes that occur to the neuron during LTP
-Number of receptor sites increases
-Number of neurotransmitters released by the pre-synaptic neuron increases
-Action potential is stronger
Between subjects design
Individuals are divided into different groups and are only exposed to one experimental condition
Within subjects design
Where participants complete every experimental condition
Ethical concepts
-Respect
-Integrity
-Justice
-Beneficience
-Non-maleficence
Ethical guidelines
-Voluntary participation
-Debriefing
-Withdrawal rights
-Informed consent
-Use of deception
-Confidentiality
