Chapter 2 - Nervous System Functioning

Question 1

Brain

Answer 1

a complex organ
contained within the skull
that coordinates mental
processes and behaviour,
and regulates bodily
activity

Question 2

Spinal Cord

Answer 2

a cable of
nerve tissue that extends
from the brain, connecting
it to the peripheral
nervous system

Question 3

Central Nervous System

Answer 3

Comprised of the brain and spinal cord. Receives neural messages from and transmits neural messages to the PNS. Processes info from the internal and external environment and formulates responses to this info

Question 4

Peripheral Nervous System

Answer 4

a major division of
the nervous system
comprising every neuron
in the body outside the
central nervous system

Question 5

Somatic Nervous System

Answer 5

a division of the peripheral
nervous system that
transmits neural messages
related to voluntary motor
movement (subdivision of PNS)

Question 6

Skeletal Muscles

Answer 6

muscles
connected to the skeleton
that carry out voluntary
motor movements

Question 7

Autonomic Nervous System

Answer 7

regulates the activity of visceral muscles, organs and glands, which occurs unconsciously and involuntarily (subdivision of PNS)

Question 8

Sympathetic Nervous System

Answer 8

activates visceral muscles, organs, and glands, preparing the body to respond to a threat or stressor. Sympathetic responses energise the body, enabling it to engage in high levels of physical activity and
confront a threatening or stressful situation. (subdivision of autonomic nervous system)

Question 9

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Answer 9

maintains the optimal and balanced functioning
of visceral muscles, organs, and glands. This involves returning them to optimal and balanced functioning after experiencing heightened bodily arousal due to sympathetic responses, as well as maintaining homeostasis. (subdivision of autonomic nervous system)

Question 10

Neuron

Answer 10

individual nerve cells that are specialised to receive, process and/or transmit information (communication with other neurons, organs and glands)

Question 11

Motor Neurons (efferent neurons)

Answer 11

neurons that transmit neural messages about motor movement from the central nervous system to the peripheral
nervous system

Question 12

Sensory Neurons (afferent neurons)

Answer 12

neurons that transmit neural messages about bodily sensations from the peripheral nervous system to the
central nervous system

Question 13

Conscious response

Answer 13

a conscious response to a sensory stimuli is a deliberate and voluntary action that involves awareness

Question 14

Unconscious response

Answer 14

an unconscious response to sensory stimuli are automatic and involuntary actions that occur without awareness. involves physiological responses of the autonomic nervous system, and the spinal reflex

Question 15

Spinal Reflex

Answer 15

a spinal reflex is an unconscious, involuntary and automatically occurring response to sensory stimuli without the involvement of the brain. the immediate response at the spinal cord occurs a fraction of a second before the sensory info reaches the brain, therefore an adaptive response that does not require awareness

Question 16

Dendrite

Answer 16

branches extensions of a neuron that contain receptor sites which receive specific neurochemicals from the pre-synaptic neuron and transmits it to the cell body

Question 17

Cell body/Soma

Answer 17

Integrates information received from the pre-synaptic neurons and generates and action potential

Question 18

Axon

Answer 18

Conveys the neural impulse away from the cell body towards the axon terminals

Question 19

Myelin sheath

Answer 19

speeds up neural transmission and protects the axon

Question 20

Axon Terminals

Answer 20

contains synaptic vesicles that hold neurochemicals. located at the end of a neuron and releases neurochemicals into the synapse

Question 21

Synaptic Gap

Answer 21

space between pre and post synaptic neuron where neurochemicals are released into

Question 22

Synapse

Answer 22

Includes axon terminal of pre-synaptic neuron, synaptic gap, and dendrites of post synaptic neuron

Question 23

Neurochemicals

Answer 23

Chemical messages that transmit info within the nervous system

Question 24

Pre-synaptic neuron

Answer 24

the neuron that releases neurochemicals into the neural synapse

Question 25

Synaptic Gap

Answer 25

the space between the pre-synaptic neuron and post-synaptic neuron

Question 26

Receptor sites

Answer 26

a protein molecule on the dendrites of a neuron that receives neurochemicals

Question 27

Synaptic Transmission

Answer 27

the chemical conveyance of neural information between two neurons across a neural synapse

Question 28

Neurotransmitters

Answer 28

a chemical molecule that has an effect on one or two postsynaptic neurons. they mass chemical messages from pre to post, released into the synaptic gap, and works moderately fast (few seconds) with shorter term effects

Question 29

Action potential

Answer 29

an electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron

Question 30

Glutamate

Answer 30

The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system. Involves in learning and memory. Too much = seizure

Question 31

GABA

Answer 31

the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system. It fine tunes neurotransmission in the brain, preventing overexcitation of neurons. Too little = anxiety

Question 32

Excitatory effect

Answer 32

when the neurotransmitter makes the post synaptic neurons more likely to fire an action potential

Question 33

Inhibitory effect

Answer 33

when the neurotransmitter makes the post synaptic neurons less likely to fire an action potential

Question 34

Neuromodulators

Answer 34

neurochemicals that are released into the neural tissue in brain regions, which alter the strength of the signal transmission and effect entire brain regions (has an effect on multiple postsynaptic neurons)

Question 35

Dopamine

Answer 35

a neuromodulator primarily responsible for voluntary movement, the experience of pleasure, and reward-based learning and motivation. can be inhibitory of excitatory (depending on receptor sites present at the location)

Question 36

Serotonin

Answer 36

a neuromodulator that is primarily responsible for the regulating behaviour processes such as aggression, appetite, memory. responsible for regulation of mood and sleep (circadian rhythm)

Question 37

Synaptic Plasticity

Answer 37

The ability of synaptic connections to change over time in response to activity or experience

Question 38

Sprouting

Answer 38

The ability of dendrites or axons to develop new extensions or branches

Question 39

Rerouting

Answer 39

the ability of a neuron that is connected to a damaged neuron to create an alternative synaptic connection with an undamaged neuron

Question 40

Pruning

Answer 40

the elimination of synaptic connections that are not adequately activated

Question 41

Long-Term Potentiation

Answer 41

the long-lasting strengthening of synaptic connections between neurons, after repeated stimulation of the same neural pathways, resulting in enhanced synaptic transmission

Question 42

Long-Term Depression

Answer 42

The long-lasting weakening in the strength of synaptic connections which reduces synaptic efficiency due to the repeated low level stimulation of the post synaptic neuron