Biopsychology: Key Terms Flashcards
Nervous System
- a connected system of nerves that run throughout the body connected to one another by synapses
- carry messages to + from brain + spinal cord to body
- 2 functions: to collect, process + respond to info in environment, to coordinate the working of different organs + cells in the body
Central Nervous System (CNS)
controls behaviour + regulates the body’s physiological processes
Brain
centre of all conscious awareness
Spinal Cord
- relays info between brain + rest of body
- allows brain to regulate bodily processes
- body of nerve fibres inside armoured conduit in spine
- some neural processing (reflexs)
Somatic Nervous System (SNS)
- branch of peripheral nervous system
- voluntary movement
- relays nerve impulses from CNS to rest of body + back
Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
- branch of peripheral nervous system
- control of involuntary automatic processes
- connects brain to organs and glands
Sympathetic Branch
- branch of ANS
- increases energy
prepares body for physical activity by activating adrenal gland to release adrenaline so liver produces glucose, breather more, heartbeat increases
Parasympathetic Branch
- branch of ANS
- conserves energy
- slows down what sympathetic branch speeds up
- stimulates digestive system
Function of the Cerebral Cortex
cognitive functions
Function of the Diencephalon
conduct housekeeping functions (getting thirsty + hungry at the right times, body temperature)
Function of the Cerebellum
- skilled motion (football, signing name)
- balance
Afferent
bringing info towards brain
Efferent
taking info away from brain
Parietal Lobe
processes sensory information
Frontal Lobe
thought + production of speech
Temporal Lobe
organises sensory input eg speech
Brain Stem
regulates automatic functions eg breathing
Neurons
- specialised cells that receive info + transmit it to other cells
- by transmitting signals electrically they provide the nervous system with its primary means of communication
Nucleus
contains DNA for genetic code for body
Cell Body (Soma)
contains organelles such as nucleus
Dendrites
- collect info and feed it into nerv cell
- connected to soma
Axon
transmits info from dendrites to another part of CNS or body
Myeline Sheath
fatty layer (insulation) around axon that speeds up transmission
Axon Terminal Button
- nerve endings
- where action potential ends up
- make synapse with dendrite of another nerve cell
Action Potential
electrochemical pulses that run down axons
Firing Rate
- how many actions potentials travel down the axon per second
- up to 200Hz
Sensory Neuron
- collect info from each of 5 senses + transmit it into the CNS
- part of an afferent pathway
- dendrites connect with sensory receptors
Relay Neuron
- completely internal to CNS
- connect one neuron to another
- no myeline sheath
Motor Neuron
- take commands from motor cortex of brain out to muscles + control movements
- efferent pathway
- dendrites connect to motor end plates on muscle fibers
Receptor Cell + Example
- collect info from outside world
- eg specialised photosensitive receptor cells in the retina collect light and transmit nervous impulses into sensory neurons in optic nerve
Motor End Plate
when the firing rate is increased the muscles then contract and when its decreased the muscles relax
Vesicles
- tiny sacs
- contain neurotransmitters that travel across the synaptic cleft
Presynaptic
- before the synapse
- delivers info into the synaptic cleft
Postsynaptic
- after the synapse
- receives neurotransmitters
What happens to the vesicles when an action potential arrives at the axon terminal button?
it fuses with pre-synaptic membrane + deposit neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft to go to the other side
What is exocytosis?
when vesicles fuse with the pre-synaptic membrane
What are receptor sites and what do they do?
theyre on the post-synaptic membrane and activate the post-synaptic neuron when the right neurotransmitter molecule fits into it
How do neurotransmitters cross the synaptic gap?
through diffusion