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Biopsychology > The Nervous System > Flashcards

The Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

What is the role of the autonomic nervous (ANS) system?

A

to govern the brain’s involuntary activities (e.g. stress, heartbeat) and is self-regulating (i.e. autonomous)

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2
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system (ANS) divided into?

A

divided into the sympathetic branch (fight or flight) and the parasympathetic branch (rest and digest)

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3
Q

What is the brain?

A

the part of the central nervous system that is responsible for coordinating sensation, intellectual and nervous activity

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4
Q

What is the central nervous system (CNS)?

A

system that comprises the brain and spinal cord. It receives information from the senses and controls the body’s responses

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5
Q

What is the role of the CNS?

A

to receive information from the senses and control the body’s responses

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6
Q

What is the CNS made up of?

A
  1. brain

2. spinal cord

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7
Q

What is the peripheral nervous system?

A

the part of the nervous system that is outside the brain and spinal cord

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8
Q

What is the somatic nervous system?

A

the part of the peripheral nervous system responsible for carrying sensory and motor information to and from the CNS

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9
Q

What is the spinal cord?

A

a bundle of nerve fibres enclosed within the spinal column and which connects nearly all parts of the body with the brain

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10
Q

What is the human nervous system?

A

a complex network of nerve cells that carry messages to and from the brain and spinal cord to different parts of the body to communicate with each other

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11
Q

What controls the nervous system?

A

the brain

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12
Q

What % of bodyweight does the brain make up?

A

2%

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13
Q

What is the human nervous system divided into?

A

the CNS and peripheral nervous system

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14
Q

Explain the ‘spider diagram’ showing the divisions of the nervous system

A

The nervous system is divided into the; CNS and the peripheral nervous system.
The CNS is then divided into the spinal cord and the brain, and the peripheral nervous system divided into both the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.
The somatic nervous system is not divided any further. The autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

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15
Q

What is the peripheral nervous system divided into?

A

the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system

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16
Q

What is the somatic nervous system divided into?

A

NOTHING

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17
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system divided into?

A

the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system

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18
Q

What are the 2 main functions of the CNS?

A
  1. to control behaviour

2. to control the regulation of the body’s physiological processes

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19
Q

What must happen for the CNS to be able to carry out its 2 main functions?

A

the brain must be able to receive information from the sensory receptors (eyes, ears, skin etc.) and be able to send messages to the muscles and glands of the body

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20
Q

How does the brain receive information from sensory receptors (eyes, ears, skin etc.) and send messages to the muscles and glands of the body?

A

via the spinal cord

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21
Q

What is the main function of the spinal cord?

A

to relay information between the brain and the rest of the body

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22
Q

Why does the spinal cord relay information between the brain and the rest of the body?

A

because this allows the brain to monitor and regulate bodily processes, such as digestion and breathing, and to coordinate voluntary movements

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23
Q

How is the spinal cord connected to different parts of the body?

A

by pairs of spinal nerves, which connect with specific muscles and glands

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24
Q

Give an example of where the spinal cord is connected to a part of the body

A

spinal nerves which branch off from the thoracic region of the spinal cord, carry messages to and from the chest and parts of the abdomen

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25
Q

What do the circuits of nerve cells in the spinal cord allow us to do?

A

enables us to perform some simple reflexes without the direct involvement of the brain

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26
Q

Give an example of when we may need to use a simple reflex action

A

touching something hot - then immediately pulling your hand away

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27
Q

What happens if your spinal cord is damaged?

A

areas supplied by spinal nerves below the damaged site will be cut off from the brain and will stop functioning.

28
Q

What are the 4 main areas the brain is divided into?

A
  1. the cerebrum
  2. cerebellum
  3. diencephalon
  4. brain stem
29
Q

What is the cerebrum? (& describe structure)

A

the largest part of the brain, and is further divided into 4 different lobes; the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe. The cerebrum is split down the middle into 2 halves called cerebral hemispheres. Each hemisphere is specialised for particular behaviours, and the two halves communicate with each other through the corpus callosum.

30
Q

Where is the cerebellum? (& give function)

A

sits beneath the back of the cerebrum. It is involved in controlling a person’s motor skills and balance and coordinating the muscles to allow precise movements

31
Q

What can an abnormal cerebellum cause?

A

results in a number of problems;

  1. speech problems
  2. motor problems
  3. epilepsy
32
Q

Where is the diencephalon? What 2 structures are within this area?

A

lies beneath the cerebrum and on top of the brain stem. Within this area are 2 important structures, the thalamus and the hypothalamus.

33
Q

What is the role of the thalamus?

A

to act as a relay station for nerve impulses coming from the senses, routing them to the appropriate part of the brain where they can be processed

34
Q

What are the roles of the hypothalamus?

A
  1. the regulation of body temperature, hunger and thirst
  2. acts as a link between the endocrine system and the nervous system
  3. controls the release of hormones from the pituitary gland
35
Q

What is the role of the brain stem?

A

regulating the automatic functions that are essential for life; e.g. breathing and swallowing.

36
Q

What 2 neurons travel through the brain stem?

A

motor and sensory neurons

37
Q

Why do motor and sensory neurons travel through the brain stem?

A

to allow impulses to pass between the brain and the spinal cord

38
Q

How are impulses passed between the brain and the spinal cord?

A

via motor and sensory neurons that travel through the brain stem

39
Q

All the nerves outside the CNS make up the …

A

peripheral nervous system

40
Q

What is the function of the peripheral nervous system?

A

to relay nerve impulses from the CNS (i.e. brain and spinal cord) to the rest of the body and from the body back to the CNS

41
Q

What are the 2 main divisions of the peripheral nervous system?

A
  1. the somatic nervous system

2. the autonomic nervous system

42
Q

What is the somatic nervous system made up of?

A

12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves

43
Q

What is a cranial nerve?

A

nerves that emerge directly from the underside of the brain

44
Q

What is a spinal nerve?

A

nerves that emerge from the spinal cord

45
Q

What kind of neurons do cranial and spinal nerves have?

A

both motor and sensory neurons

46
Q

Sensory neurons relay messages to the ____, and motor neurons relay information from the _____ to ________?

A

CNS, CNS, other areas of the body

47
Q

What is the somatic nervous system involved in?

A

causing reflex actions without the involvement of the CNS, which allows the reflex to occur very quickly

48
Q

What is an advantage of the somatic nervous system causing reflex actions without the involvement of the CNS?

A

allows the reflex to occur very quickly

49
Q

Give 2 examples of a voluntary action

A

typing on a keyboard, drinking

50
Q

Give 2 examples of an action that does not involve conscious awareness

A

heart beating, intestine digesting food

51
Q

What system regulates involuntary actions?

A

the autonomic nervous system (ANS)

52
Q

Why is the autonomic nervous system (ANS) necessary?

A

because vital bodily functions such as heartbeat and digestion would not work efficiently if you had to think about them

53
Q

What are the 2 parts of the ANS?

A
  1. the sympathetic nervous system

2. the parasympathetic nervous system

54
Q

Why does the sympathetic nervous system & the parasympathetic nervous system have opposite effects (despite the fact they tend to regulate the same organs)?

A

because of the neurotransmitters associated with each division…
the sympathetic division uses the neurotransmitter noradrenaline, which has stimulating effects, and the parasympathetic division uses acetylcholine, which has inhibiting effects

55
Q

What is the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) primarily involved in?

A

responses that help us deal with emergencies (fight or flight), for example;

  1. increasing heart rate and blood pressure
  2. dilating blood vessels in the muscles
  3. hairs stand on end
  4. pupils dilate
  5. slows down bodily processes that are less important (e.g. digestion and urination)
56
Q

Where do neurons from the sympathetic nervous system travel to? + why?

A

every organ and gland within the body, to prepare the body for the rapid action necessary when the individual is under threat

57
Q

Why does the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) increase pupil size?

A

to let in more light for better vision

58
Q

Why does the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) increase heart rate?

A

for greater blood flow to skeletal muscles

59
Q

Why does the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) convert stored glycogen in the liver to glucose?

A

for energy

60
Q

Why does the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) dilate bronchial tubes in the lungs?

A

for greater oxygen intake

61
Q

Why does the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) stimulate the adrenal medulla?

A

to release adrenaline

62
Q

What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS)?

A

relaxes the individual again once the emergency has passed

63
Q

For example, if the SNS caused the heart to beat faster and blood pressure to increase, the PNS…

A

slows the heartbeat down and reduces blood pressure

64
Q

What is the PNS also referred to?

A

the body’s ‘rest and digest system’

65
Q

Why is the PNS referred to as the body’s ‘rest and digest system’?

A

because the PNS is involved with energy conversation and digestion

Biopsychology (5 decks)

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