Unit Three NeuroBiology Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

describe the structural division of the nervous system

A

CNS- brain + spinal cord
PNS- somatic nervous system. autonomic nervous system.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

describe the function of the somatic nervous system

A

controls mainly voluntary conscious actions
contains sensory + motor neurons

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

what is a sensory neuron

A

they take impulses from the sense organs to the CNS

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

what is motor neurons

A

take impulses from the cns to muscles and glands

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

describe the function of the autonomic nervous system

A

consists of sympathetic and parasympathetic systems
controls involuntary unconscious actions

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

describe the function of the sympathetic nervous system
(fight or flight)

A

increases heart rate
increases breathing rate
slows down peristalsis
slows down production of intestinal system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

describe the function of the parasympathetic nervous system
( rest and digest)

A

decreases heart rate
decreases breathing rate
increases peristalsis
increases production of intestinal system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

describe antagonistic

A

they have opposite effects

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

converging pathways

A

in converging neural pathway, impulses from several neurons travel to one single neuron.
this increases sensitivity to excitatory or inhibitory signals
eg. night vision

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

diverging pathways

A

in a diverging neural pathways impulses from one single neuron travels to several neurons so affecting more than one destination at the same time
increases coordination and fine motor control
eg. surgery

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

reverberating pathways

A

neurons later in the pathway links back with earlier neurons , sending the impulse back through the pathway this allows repeated stimulation of the pathway
eg. breathing

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

describe the cerebral cortex

A

center of conscious thought
recalls memories and alters behaviour due to experiences
brain functions in the cerebral cortex are localised

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

describe the structure and function of the corpus callosum

A

a band of fibres that connects both hemispheres of the brain and allows for information to be exchanged

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

describe the left cortex/cerebral hemisphere

A

controls the right visual field and controls the right side of the body
has speech area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

describe the right side of the cortex/ cerebral hemisphere

A

controls the left visual field and controls the left side of the body

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

what is the function of the occipital lobe

A

sight

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

what is the advantage of a cortex which is extensively convoluted

A

to maximise surface area on the brain to make space for cells to connect

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

what areas is the cortex divided into

A

sensory, association, motor

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what is the role of sensory areas

A

to receive nerve impulses from sense organs
process sensory organs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what is the role of association areas

A

processing language, personality, imagination and intelligence

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

what is the role of motor areas

A

send nerve impulses to he muscles+ glands
generate movement signals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

define memory

A

memory is the storage, retention and retrieval of information including past experiences knowledge and thoughts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

define short term memory

A

all information entering the brain passes through sensory memory and eters short term memory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

describe sensory memory

A

sensory memory retains all the visual and auditory input recieved only for a few seconds. only selsected images and sounds are then encoded into short term memory

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

define long term memory

A

information is then either transferred to long term memory or discarded

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

what is the capacity of most people’s short term memory and how long does it typically last

A

7-9 pieces of information for 20-30 seconds at a time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

How does chunking help with short term memory

A

Grouping to make single items together to improve capacity

24
Q

How does rehearsal help with memory

A

A shallow form of encoding information into long term memory

24
Q

What is the serial position effect

A

The tendency of a person to recall items that come first and last best and forget the intermediate items

25
Q

What is working memory

A

Short term memory being able to process data, to a limited extent as well as store it
Can preform simple cognitive tasks

25
Q

How are memories lost from stm

A

By displacement(replaced by new items entering)
Or decay (degradation)

25
Q

Describe Organisation in memory

A

Involves placing the information into related groups/categories

25
Q

Elaboration meaning

A

Involves adding extra information to add meaning
Elaboration is regarded as deeper form of encoding
This leads to improved information retention

25
Q

Contextual cues

A

Relating to the time and place when information was initially encoded into long term memory

25
Q

How does the brain go about retreiving information

A

Aided by the use of contextual cues

25
Q

Describe the function of a nerve cell(neuron)

A

Neuron’s are adapted to carry electrical impulses

26
Q

Describe the function of a glial cell

A

Produce the myelin sheath and support neurons

27
Q

Describe the cell body

A

Structure- contains a nucleus and cytoplasm
Function - controls all cell activity

28
Q

Describe axons

A

Structure- single nerve fibre
function- transmits electrical signals down the length of the neuron

29
Q

What is the function of interneurons

A

To send signals

30
Q

Describe the function of myelin

A

Surrounded by a myelin sheath
This insulates the axon and increases the speed of impulse conductions

31
Q

How does. Myelination effects development

A

Responses to stimuli tin the first two years of life are not as rapid or coordinated as those of an older child or adult

32
Q

Describe multiple sclerosis

A

Destroys the myelin sheath using a gradual loss of coordination

33
Q

What is the function of a synapse

A

Connects neurons together

34
Q

What is the function of neurotransmitters

A

Converts electrical signal to a chemical a signal to diffuse through the gap

35
Q

How are neurotransmitters stored

A

In vesicles in the axon endings of the presynaptic neurons

36
Q

What happens to the neurotransmitters when the nerve impulse reaches the presynaptic terminal of a nerve fibre

A

When an electrical impulse arrives at the axon ending the neurotransmitters are released into the cleft

37
Q

How does the post synaptic membrane respond to the neurotransmitters

A

Diffuse across the cleft and bind to the receptors on the membrane of the postsynaptic neuron
This triggers an electrical impulse in the postsynaptic neuron

38
Q

How is removal of neurotransmitters achieved

A

Acetylcholine is an enzyme that breaks down neurotransmitters

39
Q

how is the neurotransmitters remove from the synaptic cleft

A

A hormone noradernaline takes the neurotransmitter back u by the presynaptic membrane

40
Q

Explain how a weak excitatory signal does not cause the neuron to fire

A

A minimum number of neurotransmitter molecules must attach to receptors on the post synaptic membrane in order to reach the threshold required to transmit the impulse

41
Q

How do endorphins trigger the experience of pleasure or satisfaction

A

Increased levels of endorphins also stimulate the feelings of pleasure obtained from activities such as eating, sex and prolonged excersise

42
Q

What conditions trigger endorphins release

A

(Feis)
Severe injury
Prolonged exercise
Stress
Certain foods

43
Q

What is an agonist

A

Drugs which mimic the shape of a neurotransmitter

44
Q

What is effected when drugs are taken

A

mood, cognition,preception, behaviour

45
Q

What is a presynaptic neuron

A

Neuron carrying signal before synapse

46
Q

What is a post synaptic neuron

A

Neuron that carries signal after synapse

47
Q

Neurotransmitter meaning

A

Protein that crossed the synapse and bind to receptor on postsynaptic membrane

48
Q

Receptors description

A

Can be inhibitory or excitatory bind to neurotransmitter

49
Q

What is a Threshold

A

The number of neurotransmitters required to generate a signal

50
Q

Summation

A

Several weaker signals combining to reach threshold

51
Q

Describe antagonists

A

A drug that binds to a receptor but causes no action. Blocking any neurotransmitters

52
Q

Reuptake inhibitors

A

Allows the effects of some neurotransmitters to last longer as they prevent reabsorption of the neurotransmitter

53
Q

Describe inhibitors of neurotransmitters

A

Inhibit enzymes that break down neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft

54
Q

Describe excitatory and inhibitory receptors

A

Excitatory- increases contraction of muscle fibres
Inhibitory- decreases contraction of muscle fibres