GCP-BioPsy: Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

What do biopsychologists study?

A

How biology influences behaviour.

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2
Q

What does the nervous system allow you to do?

A

Respond to changes in your environment, and coordinate your actions.

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3
Q

What do receptors do?

A

Receptors detect stimuli

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4
Q

What do effectors do?

A

Effectors bring about a response to a stimulus.

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5
Q

What cells do effectors influence?

A

Effectors include muscle cells, and cells found in glands, e.g. the pancreas.

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6
Q

How do receptors communicate with effectors?

A

Via the nervous or endocrine systems, or sometimes both.

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7
Q

Does the nervous system and endocrine system work individually to create a response, or do they coordinate together to create a response?

A

The nervous system and endocrine system coordinate the response.

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8
Q

How many parts does the nervous system have?

A

Two: The central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

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9
Q

Describe the layout of the nervous system.

A

The nervous system is made up of two parts: The central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is also made up of two parts: The autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the Somatic nervous system.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is also made up of two parts: the sympathetic nervous system, and the parasympathetic nervous system.

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10
Q

What is the central nervous system (CNS) made up of?

A

The central nervous system (CNS) is made up of the brain and the spinal chord.

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11
Q

What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS) made up of?

A

What is the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is made up of the neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body. It has two different systems: The autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the somatic nervous system.

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12
Q

What does the autonomic nervous system (ANS) control?

A

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) controls unconscious activities, e.g. digestion it has two divisions that have opposite effects on the body: The sympathetic system and the parasympathetic system.

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13
Q

What does the somatic nervous system control?

A

The somatic nervous system controls conscious activities, e.g. running and playing video games. The SNS connects the CNS with the senses.

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14
Q

What does the sympathetic nervous system do?

A

The sympathetic nervous system gets the body ready for action. It’s the ‘fight or flight’ system.

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15
Q

What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?

A

The parasympathetic nervous system calms the body down. It’s the ‘rest and digest’ system.

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16
Q

What are the cells of the Nervous System called?

A

Neurons.

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17
Q

What do neurons do?

A

They transmit information as electrical impulses around the body.

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18
Q

Name all the areas of a neuron

A
  1. Nucleus
  2. Dendrite
  3. Cell body
  4. Axon
  5. Schwann cells (which make up the myelin sheath)
  6. Synaptic knob
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19
Q

What’s another name for an electrical impulse?

A

Nerve impulses.

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20
Q

What do dendrites in the cell body of a neuron do?

A

They receive information from other neurons.

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21
Q

Explain the route information takes along a neuron

A

Information is received by the dendrites, and passes along the axon in the form of an electrical impulse. It ends up at the synaptic knob.

22
Q

What does the myelin sheath do?

A

It insulates the axon to speed up nervous transmission.

23
Q

What is the small gap between neurons called?

A

A synapse.

24
Q

What are neurotransmitters and how do they travel between neurons?

A

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that are released from the synaptic knob. They pass across the synapse, to pass on the signal (information) to the dendrites of the next neuron.

25
Q

Name the three types of neurons

A

Sensory neuron, Relay neuron, and Motor Neuron.

26
Q

What is the function of a sensory neuron?

A

A sensory neuron is a nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses from receptors to the central nervous system (CNS).

27
Q

What is the function of a relay neuron?

A

A relay neuron is a nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses between sensory neurons and motor neurons.

28
Q

What is the function of a motor neuron?

A

A motor neuron is a nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses from the central nervous system (CNS) to effectors.

29
Q

Draw and label a sensory neuron.

A

See pg. 77 of GCP.

30
Q

Draw and label a relay neuron.

A

See pg. 77 of GCP.

31
Q

Draw and label a motor neuron.

A

See pg. 77 of GCP.

32
Q

Name the stages of the transmission of a signal (information) to and from the central nervous system (CNS).

A
  1. Stimulus
  2. Receptors
  3. Central Nervous System
  4. Effectos
  5. Response
33
Q

What is a reflex?

A

A fast, automatic response to certain stimuli.

34
Q

How does a reflex differ from conscious action?

A

A reflex bypasses your conscious brain completely. Instead it goes through the spinal cord, or through an unconscious part of the brain. It’s a rapid response that allows us to avoid damage.

35
Q

What is a synapse?

A

A synapse is a junction between a neuron and the next cell (either another neuron or an effector cell, e.g. muscle or gland cell).

36
Q

What is the tiny gap between two cells at a synapse called?

A

A synaptic cleft.

37
Q

What are the neurons called before and after a synapse?

A

The presynaptic neuron and a postsynaptic neuron.

38
Q

Explain where the neurotransmitters end up in the presynaptic neuron.

A

In the presynaptic neuron, there’s a swelling called a synaptic knob. This contains synaptic vesicles that fills with neurotransmitters.

39
Q

Draw and label the end of a presynaptic neuron and the beginning of a postsynaptic neuron.

A

See GCP pg. 78.

40
Q

Explain the process of how a signal (information) is passed between the presynaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron.

A

When an electrical impulse reaches the end of a neuron it causes neurotransmitters to be released into the synaptic cleft. They diffuse across to the postsynaptic membrane and bind to specific receptors.

41
Q

Explain what happens when neurotransmitters bind to receptors.

A

When neurotransmitters bind to receptors they might trigger an electrical impulse (in a neuron), cause muscle contraction (in a muscle cell), or cause a hormone to be secreted (from a gland cell).

42
Q

How do synapses ensure impulses (signals/information) are unidirectional?

A

Synapses make sure impulses are unidirectional by having receptors only on the postsynaptic membranes.

43
Q

How are neurotransmitters that don’t bind to receptors removed from the synaptic cleft?

A

They are taken back into the presynaptic neuron, or they’re broken down by enzymes (and the products are taken into the presynaptic neuron).

44
Q

What are the two versions of a neurotransmitter?

A
  1. Excitatory neurotransmitters.

2. Inhibitory neurotransmitters.

45
Q

What is the function of an excitatory neurotransmitter?

A

Excitatory neurotransmitters increase the likelihood that an electrical impulse will be triggered int he postsynaptic neuron.

46
Q

What is the function of an inhibitory neurotransmitter?

A

Inhibitory neurotransmitters decrease the likelihood that an electrical impulse will be triggered in the postsynaptic neuron.

47
Q

Name five different neurotransmitters?

A
  1. Acetylcholine
  2. Dopamine
  3. Noradrenaline
  4. Serotonin
  5. GABA
48
Q

Describe the function of the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine.

A

Acetylcholine is an excitatory neurotransmitter that is involved in voluntary movement, memory, learning and sleep. Too much is linked to depression, and too little may result in dementia.

49
Q

Describe the function of the neurotransmitter Dopamine

A

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps with movement, attention and learning. Too much is linked to schizophrenia, and too little could result in depression and Parkinson’s disease.

50
Q

Describe the function of the neurotransmitter Noradrenaline

A

Noradrenaline is closely related to adrenaline. It is often associated with the ‘fight or flight’ response. Too much is linked to schizophrenia, and too little may result in depression.

51
Q

Describe the function of the neurotransmitter serotonin

A

Sertonin is involved in emotion, mood, sleeping and eating. Too little is linked to depression.

52
Q

Describe the function of the neurotransmitter GABA

A

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Too little GABA is linked to anxiety disorders.