W11 + W12: Biological Psychology Flashcards
Central Nervous System (CNS)
Part of the nervous system
Contains the brain and spinal cord
Controls mind and behaviour
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
Nerves in the body that extend outside the CNS
Parts of CNS
Cortex (frontal lobe, parietal lobe, temporal lobe, occipital lobe)
Basal Ganglia
Limbic system (thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus)
Cerebellum
Brain stem (midbrain, pons, medulla)
Spinal cord
Which part of the CNS is responsible for Parkinson’s disease and Schizophrenia?
Basal Ganglia - important for decision making and motor control
Somatic Nervous System
Receives sensory inputs and delivers motor/muscle output
Control and coordinate voluntary movement
How does the process of sensory input to motor output i the somatic nervous system work?
Skin (sensory input) –> dorsal root –> spinal cord –> brain –> spinal cord –> ventral root –> muscle
Autonomic Nervous System
Control involuntary actions of the internal organs and glands, which (along with the limbic system) participates in emotion regulation
What are the division of the Autonomic Nervous System?
Parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digestion)
Sympathetic nervous system (arousals and emergencies)
Hormones
Chemicals released into the bloodstream that trigger specific effects in the body
What control the endocrine system?
the hypothalamus
The Endocrine System
System of glands and hormones
Controls secretion of blood-born chemical messengers
Corporate with the limbic system to regulate emotion
Major endocrine gland and hormones
Pituitary gland + pituitary hormones (e.g. oxytocin, growth hormones, ACTH)
Adrenal gland + adrenaline, cortisol
Sexual reproductive glands (testes, ovaries) + sex hormones (testosterone, estrogen)
Why is the peripheral nerves important?
Because depending on the whereabouts of the spinal injury on the spinal cord will dictate how many deficits occurred in the organ or skeletal muscle
Six areas of peripheral nerves
Cranial
Cervical
Thoracic
Lumbar
Sacral
Coccygeal
Four lobes of cerebrum
Frontal (movement, short-term memory, some emotions)
Parietal (body sensation)
Occipital (vision)
Temporal (hearing, advanced visual processing)
Communication of Brain to Body
Peripheral Nervous System - faster comms but targeted area
Hormones - slower comms but larger range
How is the brain protected and nourished?
In several ways, including:
- The Blood Brain Barrier (BBB)
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
- Meninges
- Glial cells
How does the CSF flow?
CSF in the ventricle –> down the spinal cord via the subarachnoid space –> up the spinal cord –> around the subarachnoid space and around the brain –> then get replenished
What make CSF?
The choroid plexus in the lateral and third ventricle
What make CSF?
The choroid plexus in the lateral and third ventricle
Four ‘ventricles’
Lateral, third, fourth, cerebral aqueduct
Meninges
Strong layers that protect and nourish the brain and the spinal cord
Meninges include:
Dura mater (toughest layer)
Arachnoid mater
Pia mater
Where is Broca’s area located?
Frontal Lobe
What’s included in the Hindbrain?
Pons, Medulla
What’s included in the Midbrain?
Superior (blind sight) and inferior (heard sense) colliculi
What’s a significant function of the Cerebellum?
Procedural memory - refine movement and coordination
What’s included in the Subcortical Area?
Basal Ganglia, Limbic System
Limbic System
Cingulate gyrus - connects cortex to the limbic system
Thalamus - relays sensory and motor stimuli from the parietal cortex to the cortex
Hypothalamus - promotes body homeostasis
Hippocampus: spatial and reward-related memory
Amygdala: fear, arousal, excitement
Olfactory bulb: receives direct olfactory information from receptors in the nose - can lead to rapid emotional and motivating responses
Type of neuron
Sensory
Motor
Interneuron
Why do neurons reduce over the cause of development?
Over the cause of development, neurons that are not regularly used, not working very well and not as strong as others, are trimmed back so that only the strong and well-functioned neurons are kept, for optimum communication and complex processing.
Types of brain cells
Neurons
Glial cells - astrocytes and oligodendrocytes
Ependymal - lined the CSF-filled ventricles (create new neurons - neurogenesis)
Microglia - removing dead or degenerating neurons or glia (phagocytosis)
Main part of neurons
Soma (cell body)
Dendrites
Axon
Presynaptic terminal
Resting membrane potential
Electrical potential difference that exist across the plasma membrane when the cells are at rest
Characteristics feature excitable cells, e.g. neurons, muscle cells
Primarily maintain by distriution of ions, particularly Potassium (K+) and Sodium (Na+)
What are the positions of Potassium (K+) and Sodium (Na+) in terms of the plasma membrane?
K+: inside the plasma membrane (the cytosol)
Na+: outside the plasma membrane (extracellular fluid)
Why is the resting potential of the inside of the cell negative?
Because there are many Chlorine - ions (Cl-) and large proteins (-)
Usual resting membrane potential
-70mV
Electrical gradient
The difference in electrical charge of 2 adjacent area
Outside to inside –> positive to negative (less chance)
Concentration gradient
Different in concentration of 2 adjacent areas
Too much K+ ions –> K+ ions will flow to another area with less K+ ions (more chance)
inside to outside (inside cell has more K+ ions than outside)
Voltage - gated channel and its critical threshold
Voltage-gated channels Na+:
-closed when neuron is at rest
- critical threshold to open -50mV
Voltage-gated channels K+
- closed when neuron is at rest
- Open when cell becomes positive (30mV)
Where does the Action Potential begin?
At the Axon Hillock, then happens in each section of the axon
What’s the difference between K+ channels and voltage-gated K+ channels?
K+ channels are open at equilibrium (open when neuron is at rest)
Voltage-gated K+ channel ONLY open when cell is positive (30mV)
Basically, what is happening when neuron is at rest?
K+ channel are open at equilibrium, voltage-gated K+ channel are closed
Na+ channel are closed
Na+/K+ pump is setting up potential
Thresholds for depolarisation, repolarisation and hyperpolarisation
Depolarisation (less negative): -50mV, Na+ channels open
Repolarisation/ refractory period: 30mV, Na+ channel close, K+ channel open (efflux of K+) –> making inside of cell negative
Hyperpolarisation: recovery period, <-70mV, returning back to resting potential at -70mV
What’s EPSP?
Excitatory Post Synaptic Potential
Brings in positive charge ions –> DEPOLARISATION
Can EPSP cause Action Potential?
Small EPSPs cannot cause Action Potential as there’s not enough positive charge
Big EPSPs can cause Action Potential, however can be cancelled out by big IPSPs
What is IPSP?
Inhibitory Post Synaptic Potential
Brings in negative charge ions –> HYPERPOLARISATION
Why is Action Potential important?
Allows for neurotransmitter to be released for the communication and transmission of information in the nervous system
Action Potential also reinforces information processing with neurotransmitter transmitting information through brain regions
What are ways the cell can communicate?
Electrical communication: gap junctions (electrical synapses)
Chemical communication: synaptic cleft (chemical synapse)
How is neurotransmitter released?
Through Action Potential
Dendrites receive info → causes an action potential → causes chemicals (neurotransmitter) to be release in the presynaptic terminal
What happen to neurotransmitter once they are unbound from the receptors?
They return to the presynaptic terminal via transporter
Narcotics work because they are chemically very similar to what?
Endorphins - a neurotransmitter, involved in pain relief and feeling of pleasure
Narcotics (e.g. opioids), mimic the effects of endorphins, by binding to receptors and producing analgesic (pain-relieving) effects, inducing feelings of euphoria, and suppress respiratory function.
