Central Nervouse System Flashcards
CNS
Made up of Brain and spine
Helps brain & body communicate
Passes messages from one another
Sensory nerves send messages to brain via spinal cord
Brain processes and sends message to body down spinal cord
Spinal cord can activate peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Sensory nerves
Located in skin,muscle, organs
Takes information into nervous system
Sends message to brain via nervous system
PNS
Makes body do actions that the brain is telling them to do
Information can be passes around nervous system in a fraction of a second
Function of neurotransmitters
Chemicals that are released from neurons(nerve cells) to help pass messages one cell to another
Different types of neurotransmitters that have diff jobs inside nervous system
Neurotransmitters released when nerve impulse reaches the end of a nerve fibre
Is then picked up by another neuron to receive message and possible continue nerve impulse
Type of neurotransmitter
Dopamine
Plays a role in attention and learning
Not enough dopamine can make it difficult to concentrate on tasks
Type of neurotransmitter
Serotonin
Plays a role in mood
Too little serotonin can make people feel depressed
Type of neurotransmitters
GABA (gammaaminobutyric acid)
Plays a role in calming us down when we feel stressed we produce GABA to relax us
Synaptic Functioning
Messages passed throughout the nerve system from one neuron to next (synaptic transmission)
Tiny gaps between neurons that allow chemical messages to pass between them (synapses)
Electrical impulse is triggered inside cell body of a neuron
Neuron passes small impulse along the axon towards the end of the nerve fibre
End of nerve fibre structure (terminal bottom) which is filled with tiny sacs (vesicles) containing neurotransmitters
Vesicles release neurotransmitter molecules into synapse
Molecules then grabbed by receptors on the next neuron to pass the message impulse on
Key term
Synaptic transmission
The process by which neurotransmitters are released by a neuron,move across the synaptic gap and are then taken up by another neuron
Key term
Synapse
A gap between two neurons that allows messages, in the form of neurotransmitters, to pass from one cell to another
Key term
Axon
Long structure that connects the cell body of a neuron to the terminal bottom at the end of the cell
Key term
Terminal button
The end of a neuron
Key term
Vesicles
Small sacs containing neurotransmitter (chemical) molecules
Key terms
Receptors
Special sites on neurons that are designed to absorb neurotransmitter molecules
