Biopsychology year 1

Question 1

What is biopsychology

Answer 1

All about how biology influences behaviour

Question 2

Nervous system

What does it let you do

Answer 2

Allows you to respond to changes in your environment

Allows you to coordinate your actions

Question 3

What is a receptor

Answer 3

Detect stimuli

Communicate with effectors via the nervous or endocrine system

Question 4

What is an effector

Answer 4

Brings about a response to a stimulus

Includes muscle cells and cells found in the glands

Question 5

What are the two main parts of the nervous system

Answer 5

Central nervous system

Peripheral nervous system

Question 6

What is the central nervous system

Answer 6

Made up of the brain and spinal cord

Question 7

What is the peripheral nervous system and what does it split into

Answer 7

Made up of the neutrons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body

Autonomic nervous system
Somantic nervous system

Question 8

What is the somantic nervous system

Answer 8

Controls conscious activities

Connects the CNS with the senses

Question 9

What is the autonomic nervous system and what does it split into

Answer 9

• controls unconscious activities
• has two divisions that have opposite effects
• sympathetic
• parasympathetic

Question 10

What is the sympathetic nervous system

Answer 10

Gets the body ready for action

Fight or flight

Question 11

What is the parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 11

Calms the body down

It’s the rest and digest system

Question 12

What are the cells of the nervous system called

Answer 12

Neurons

Question 13

Describe a neuron

Answer 13

• transmits information as electrical impulses
• the cell body has dendrites that receive information from other neurons
• the info passes along the axon in the form of an electrical impulse along to the axon terminal

Question 14

Define a synapse

Answer 14

The small gap between two neurons

Question 15

What is a neurotransmitter

Answer 15

• chemicals that are released from the axon terminal that get passed along the synapse to pass the signal on to the dendrites of the next neuron

Question 16

Describe sensory neurons

Answer 16

The nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses from receptors to the CNS

Question 17

Describe relay neurons

Answer 17

The nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses between sensory and motor neurons

Question 18

Describe motor neurons

Answer 18

The nerve cells that transmit electrical impulses from the CNS to the effectors

Question 19

What are reflexes

Answer 19

• fast automatic responses to certain stimuli
• they bypass your conscious brain completely
• and instead they go through the spinal cord
• rapid responses help us to avoid damage

Question 20

Synapse- the journey of the neurotransmitter

Answer 20

• junction between a neuron and another neuron
• the presynaptic neuron has the axon terminal which contains synaptic vesicles filled with neurotransmitters
• when a electrical impulse reaches the end of a neuron it causes neurotransmitters to be released
• they diffuse across to the postsynaptic membrane and bind to specific receptors
• neurotransmitters bind to receptors they trigger an electrical impulse which causes muscle contraction or cause a hormone to be secreted

Question 21

What happens after the initial transmission

Synaptic transmission

Answer 21

• receptors are only on the postsynaptic membranes- synapses make sure impulses are unidirectional
• neurotransmitters are removed from the gap after the transmission so the response doesn’t keep happening

Question 22

What are excitatory neurotransmitters

Answer 22

• increase the likelyhood that an electrical impulse will be triggered in the postsynaptic neuron

Question 23

What are inhibitory neurotransmitters

Answer 23

Decrease the likelihood that an electrical impulse will be triggered in the postsynaptic neuron

Question 24

Name some neurotransmitters

Answer 24

• dopamine

- serotonin

Question 25

What is the endocrine system

Answer 25

- also known as the hormonal system - involves glands and hormones - responsible for regulating a large number of bodily functions

Question 26

What is a gland

Answer 26

A group of cells that are specialised to secrete a useful substance such as a hormone

Question 27

What are hormones

Answer 27

- chemical messengers - they diffuse directly into the blood , then are taken around the body by the circulatory system - they diffuse out of the blood all over the body, but each hormone will only bind to a specific receptor for that hormone - the hormones trigger a response in the target cells

Question 28

What are the major glands in the endocrine system

Answer 28

P- pituitary gland- known as the master gland because it releases hormones to control other glands A- adrenal gland- produces hormones such as adrenaline. Responsible for fight or flight T- testes- produce sex hormones (testosterone) responsible for reproduction O- ovaries- produce sex hormones (oestrogen) responsible for reproduction

Question 29

Why are the endocrine systems communication slower, long-lasting and more widespread compared to nervous system

Answer 29

- hormones aren't released directly onto their target, must travel in the blood to get there - this results in a slower communication - they aren't broken down as fast as neurotransmitters so the effects of hormones can last for much longer - hormones are transported all over the body so are more widespread

Question 30

How does the body prepare you for flight or fight

Answer 30

- when the body is threatened it responds by preparing for action - the hypothalamus helps coordinate this response

Question 31

The activation of the fight or flight response

Answer 31

- initial shock response, the hypothalamus triggers activity in the sympathetic branch of the autonomic system - this stimulates the adrenal medulla within the adrenal glands which releases adrenaline into the bloodstream

Question 32

How do the hormones releases from the flight or fight affect the body

Answer 32

- blood pressure and heart rate increase to get blood quickly to areas of the body where it's needed for activity - perspiration increases so that the body can cool down - breathing rate increases so that more oxygen can be sent to the muscles - pupil size increases so more lighten can enter the eye to allow for clearer vision

Question 33

What happens after the changes from the fight or flight

Answer 33

- makes the body ready with energy to deal with the stressful situation eg running away from the rhino that has escaped the zoo