Biopsychology Flashcards
What’re the functions of the nervous system?
- Collect, process and respond to information from the environment
- Co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body
The structure and function of the CNS
Made up of brain and spinal cord
Brain is centre of conscious awareness
Spinal cord is responsible for reflex actions
The structure and function of the PNS
ANS governs vital bodily functions (eg breathing and digestion)
SNS governs muscle movement and receives info from sensory receptors
Key features of Endocrine system
Controls bodily functions via hormones
Glands
Hormones
Tandem with ANS (fight or flight)
What’re glands?
Organs within the body that produce hormones
Main gland is pituitary gland, controls release of hormones from all other glands
What’re hormones?
Secreted into bloodstream, affect any cell that has a receptor for it
eg testosterone in testes helps male growth
What is Fight or Flight?
Stressor is perceived by hypothalamus which activates the pituitary
SNS is aroused
Adrenaline is released from the adrenal medulla, increases heartrate, dilates pupils
This is immediate and automatic
Once threat has passed, PNS is activated and “Rest and Digest” occurs, where body returns back to it’s normal state
What’re the three types of neuron?
Sensory
Relay
Motor
What does a sensory neuron do + what does it look like?
Carry messages from the PNS to the CNS
Long dendrites and short axons
What does a relay neuron do + what does it look like?
Connect sensory neurons to motor or other relay neurons
Short dendrites and short axons
What does a motor neuron do + what does it look like?
Connects CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands
Short dendrites and long axons
What’re the three parts of a neuron?
Cell body
Dendrites
Axons
How does electrical transmission work?
Resting neurons have a negatively charged inside
Activation causes the inside to become briefly positively charged, and this causes an action potential to occur
This creates an electrical impulse that travels down the axon towards the end of the neuron
How does synaptic transmission work?
When the electrical impulse reaches the end of the axon (the presynaptic terminal) it triggers the release of a neurotransmitter from tiny sacs called synaptic vesicles
The NTMR crosses the gap and is taken up by the postsynaptic receptor site
Chemical is converted back into electrical in the next neuron
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemicals that diffuse across the synapse
e.g Serotonin affects mood and social behaviour
