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pysch > Nervous System > Flashcards

Nervous System Flashcards

1
Q

what is a critical point of bio research?

A

the machinery of the mind

“its all in the chemicals”

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2
Q

what is a neuron?

A

basic communication building block of nervous system

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3
Q

what do neurons do? where does each part take place?

A

collect, integrate, and transmit electrochemical info

dendrites collect info

cell bodies integrate info

axons and synapses transmit info

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4
Q

how does a nerve impulse travel?

A

from dendrites to the cell body to the axon, to terminal bottons

then they continues to go to next dendrites and next neuron

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5
Q

what contains neurotransmitters?

A

terminal buds

*release or don’t release (depending if activated or not)

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6
Q

what is the synapse?

A

the gap where neurotransmitters are released

more in the synapse, more affect in the body

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7
Q

what are the 3 different types of neurons?

A

sensory (afferent) neurons

motor (efferent) neurons

interneurons

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8
Q

what is a sensory neuron?

A

afferent neurons

bring info from the snesory organs to the spinal cord and brain (CNS) thus enabling us to perceive, then respond to sensory inputs like touch, pain, heat, pressure, etc

ex. carries info from sensory receptors in skin to the brain

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9
Q

what is a motor neuron?

A

efferent neuron

transmit info from the spinal cord and brain (CNS) to the periphery (outside) thus enabling our response to sensory inputs

ex. carries info from the brain to the neurons controlling leg muscles, causing response so we can walk

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10
Q

what is an interneuron?

A

vastly outnumber motor and sensory neurons (several millions of each compared to 100 billion interneurons)

facilitate within-CNS transmission of info and perform integration and organization functions

**most common neuron in brain and most important in communication for the CNS

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11
Q

what are neurons specialized by? what types of cells are these?

A

location

purkinje cells - motor control and coordination in the cerebellum

pyramidal cells- hippocampus

bipolar - more complex, used for reception and vision, two poles

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12
Q

what is a myelin sheath? what is it made from?

A

made from glial cells

provides insulation, speeds up neural transmission by causing action potentials to “jump” across the “nodes of ranvier”

electrical signals are protected and keep impulses contained - give saltatory conduction a smooth flow

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13
Q

what is saltatory conduction?

A

action potentials jumping across the rodes of ranvier

produces faster neural speed and thereby increases how quickly effects at the synapse can occur

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14
Q

what is a glial cell?

A

nurishing system - make up myelin sheath

outnumber neurons 10:1 in CNS

different varities of glial cells support different physiological functions

ex. glial cells form the blood-brain barrier, help supply nutrients to neurons, and form myelin sheaths

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15
Q

what is a node of ranvier?

A

the space between 2 myelin sheaths on an axon where depolarization and action potentials occur

*smooth transitions between myelin and nodes

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16
Q

what do action potentials cause?

A

neuronal communication

electrical signals provice communication between neurons - nerve impulse flows down the axon

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17
Q

changes in electrical potential lead to what? what types?

A

ACTION

depolarization and hyperpolarization

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18
Q

what is the resting membrane potential?

A

the electrical difference between the inside and outside of the neuron

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19
Q

in the resting state where are the electrical charges?

A

inside the neuron = slightly more negative

outside the neuron = slightly more positive

(more Na outside neuron, more K inside neuron)

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20
Q

what is depolarization? what is it due to?

A

due to excitatory signal

neurons fire when cell depolarizes

change in permeability of cell - gates open and Na+ rushes into the neuron

then inside the neurons, there is more + charge than outside the neuron

*change from negative to positive charge CAUSES action potential

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21
Q

what is hyperpolarization? what is it due to?

A

due to inhibitory signal

neuron is less likely to fire

Na+ channels less likely to allow Na+ in neuron

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22
Q

where does depolarization occur?

A

the nodes of ranvier

in depolarized region - negative is on the outside of node, positive is on the inside

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23
Q

what is a mirror neuron? where are they found? what can it help us study?

A

identified in other species too, found in frontal and parietal lobes

are activated when an organism engages in a behavior or observes another engage in that behavior - recognize another person’s goals or intentions

practiced through watching others’ activities and when you understand intentions or meaning is when it most likely happens

helps to treat autism - try to activate things in autistic people we want them to obtain

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24
Q

what is an agonist?

A

increases or facilitates neurotransmitter effects

INHANCES

ex. serotonin for depressed people

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25
Q

what is an antagonist?

A

decreased/ block neurotransmitter effects

INHIBITS

ex. dopamine for those with pyscho symptoms

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26
Q

what are the options of neurotransmiters to do once in the synapse?

A

reuptake (terminated)

bind to autoreceptor (terminated)

bind to the next neuron in the post-synaptic membrane (relased and allow the impulse to continue)

broken down by enzymes (terminated)

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27
Q

how does a neurotransmitter travel?

A
  1. neurotransmitters are synthesixed from chemical building blocks called precursors
  2. neurotransmitters are stored in vessicles
  3. neurotransmitter is terminated or released
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28
Q

Acethylcholine (Ach)

A

neutransmitter that causes muscle contraction, regulates attention and sleep

links motor neurons and muscles (synapse at the muscle)

*very important in memory - therefore important in learning

shortage leads to alzehimers and delusions

excess leads to spasms

ex. south americans used Ach on tips of weapons as a defense mechanism

29
Q

video example

what is the causal relationship between CNS Ach processes and learning and memory processes?

A

test done to test amnesia with rats in food maze

operational IV= scopolomine (antagonist - blocks neurotransmitters and blocked memory)

agonist - physostygmine (facilitates learning - present longer in the synapse and ehanced memory)

bias controls - saline injections so there was no placebo effect, experimenters were blind NO BIAS

operational DV= “time” to find food in maze

theoretical DV= “memory” as a function of biochemical variables

30
Q

ways to organzie neurotransmitters

A

acetylcholine

monomines

amino acids

peptides

31
Q

what do monoamines do?

A

involved in affect, arousal, and motivation

32
Q

what types of monoamines are there?

A

epinephrine (adrenaline) and norephineprine

serotonin (related to depression, sleep, and wakefulness)

dopamine

33
Q

what is norephinephrine?

A

monomine

increases arousal

increased levels may be involved in mania, decreased levels may be involved in depression

tricydic antidepressant meds inhibit reuptake thus functioning as NE antagonists

*have to be careful with manic risks when giving people anti depressants - it is important to increase amount of transmitters but not by too much

34
Q

What is Serotonin (5-HT)?

A

monomine

involved in sleep-wakefulness rhythms

decreased levels may lead to depression

reuptake inhibited by Prozak (fluoxetine) - in a class of drugs called SSRI’s (selective seotonergic reuptake inhibitors) ALL of which are HT agonists

they are selective - makes serotonin more available and generally makes people happier

also.. MAO inhibitors are agonists of serotonin

35
Q

what are the simliarities and differences in monoamine oxidase inhibitors and SSRI’s?

A

both agonists of serotonin- reduce symptoms of depression by increased activation of post synaptic cleft)

MAO inhibitor inhibits breakdown of serotonin to make it more available, the enzyme approach

SSRIs block transporter protein for seotonin reuptake so it stays in synaptic cleft longer

36
Q

what is dopamine (DA)?

A

monomine

influences motivation, reward, movement, and pleasure

shortage results in parkinson’s and depression - involved in muscular activity, tracts of DA neurons degenerate in Basal Ganglia leading to abnormally low levels in the brain

excess results in schizophrenia - people are reluctant to take these drups bc lose some natural joys - meds are DA antagonists (interfere with DA at post-synaptic receptors)

amphetamine, cocaine causes (hallucinatory drugs) release of dopamine

chlorpromazine (antipyschotic) blocks at receptors

**DA tracts project widely through areas of brain (limbic system and cortical structures) dealing with emotion/motivation and thinking/planning/judgement

37
Q

What do peptides do?

A

modulate neurotransmission

modulate signals like pain

change experience of something - either enhancing or triggering

38
Q

what types of peptides are there?

A

CCK

endorphins

substance P

39
Q

What is CCK?

A

peptide

learning, memory, and pain

can trigger panic attack and anxiety with people with history

feeling of fullness (intestinal system) - some people don’t get these cues… does this lead to obesity?

40
Q

what are endorphines?

A

peptide

natural pain relievers

act within pain pathways and emotion centers of the brain

bind to the same sites as heroin and morphine - similar to the calm and plessurable effects

shortage = chronic pain and difficulty with self-soothing

excess?

ex. runner’s high - pain receptors go to the pituitary gland and it releases endorphines into the blood stream

placebo effect - people experience pain relief when given drugs - regenerate endorphins and pain is altered

41
Q

what is substance P?

A

peptide

involves pain perception

topical region - sent to the brain

distracts/ blocks out system - burning/ cooling is felt more than the actual pain

ex. icy hot

42
Q

what do amino acids do?

A

neurotransmitters that are general inhibitory and excitatory transmitters in the brain

43
Q

what are types of amino acids?

A

GABA

glutamate

44
Q

What is GABA?

A

amino acid

inhibitory neurotransmitter (relaxes and is calming) - inhibits sending neuron

drugs that mimic for anxiety and insomnia

alcohol, sedatives, henzodiazephines (valium) mimic effects - similar impact on GABA receptors

shortage = anxiety, epilepsy, huntington’s disease (hereditary - motor control problems, spasms, dimensia, and death)

excess= unmotivated

45
Q

esctasy article - main points

A

serotonin massively depleted by esctacy - terminal buttons destroyed

makes people feel happy and empathetic

in 70s and 80s used in marrital therapy

SSRIs work with natural release of serotonin and make it more availabe VS massive release of serotonin flooding system for more effect

46
Q

pyschoactive drugs to know

A

estasy

amphetamines/cocaine

nicotine

benzodiazepines/valium

opiates (morphine, heroin, codeine)

marijuana

LSD (hullucinogenic drugs)

47
Q

what to amphetamines/cocaine do?

A

increase norepinephrine and dopamine - people take it to be stimulated

block reuptake and increase and release

activate sympathetic nervous system (increased heart rate and blood pressure)

  • sympathetic increase (heart race and blood pressure increase)
  • AND pyschotic disorders are found with excessive amount of dopamine (mess with chem balance)
48
Q

what does nicotine do?

A

acts on same sites as Ach (with learning and memory)

when someone quits smoking it feels like brain is slowing down

49
Q

what do benzodiazepines/valium do?

A

increase response to GABA (relaxes)

50
Q

what are opiates? what do they do?

A

morphine, heroin, or codeine

active receptors that usually respond to endorphins to stimulate them

increased dopamine activation in the nucleus accumbens, binding with opiate receptors

highly addictive due to dual activation of dopamine and opiate receptors and withdrawal causes pain

51
Q

what is a popular hallucinogenic drug? what does it do?

A

LSD

similar structure to serotonin

gives hallucinatory experiences and creates and over abundance of serotonin

52
Q

what does marijuana do?

A

most widely used illegal drup

THC (tetrahydrocannibinol) produces relaxed mental state, uplifted/contented mood, and perceptual/cognitive distortions

concentration of cannabinoid receptors in the hippocampus (long memory impairment) - works on natural sites

53
Q

what does the CNS consist of?

A

brain and spinal cord

54
Q

what does the peripheral nevous system consist of?

A

the somatic and autonomic systems

55
Q

how does the endocrine system communicate?

A

hormones

56
Q

how do the nervous system and endocrine systems work together?

A

actions of the systems are coordinated

57
Q

how are neural messages integrated into communication systems?

A

3 systems coordinated are the CNS PNS and endocrine system

58
Q

what is a major job of the PNS?

A

connects the CNS to the rest of the body through subdivisions:

somatic and autnomic systems

59
Q

what is the somatic nevous system?

A

acts on skeletal muscles (muscles attatched to bones)

60
Q

what is the autonomic system?

A

acts on visceral muscles (heart, arteries, gi tract) and glands (salivary and sweat)

61
Q

how is the somatic system broken down?

A

sensory neurons (afferant) - transmit somatosensory info from peripheral sensory organs to CNS

motor neurons (efferant) - bring motor info commands from CNS to the muscles

62
Q

what are the 2 components of the autonomic nervous system?

A

sympathetic nervous system

parasympathetic nervous sytem

63
Q

what is the sympathetic nervous system?

A

in autonomic nervous system

activating - fight or flight

ex. eperephrin (adrenilin), cocaine, emergency response system

64
Q

what is the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

in autonomic nervous system

deactivationg - rest and digest

calm state

65
Q

how does the nervous system communicate?

A

electrochemical signals

66
Q

what are the actions of the nervous system and endocrine system (coordinated)?

A

hypothalamus is a critical integrating structure

*explored in brain section

67
Q

what is supported and regulated by complex interactions between CNS and PNS?

A

pyschological functions (behaviors, emotions, thought, consciousness, etc)

68
Q

conclusion on neurotransmitters

A

diverse types in CNS

play a central and critical role in our psychological existence, identity, and experience of the world

69
Q

what is glutamate?

A

amino acid

excites

helps learning/memory - increased speed of synaptic connections - want to activate while learning

pysch (15 decks)

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