CNS and neurotransmitters

Question 1

What is the central nervous system made of ?

Answer 1

Brain and spinal cord

Question 2

What is the nervous system responsible for ?

Answer 2

Monitors and coordinates internal organ function and responds to change in external environment

Question 3

What is the spinal cord and what is it responsible for ?

Answer 3

Tube like extension of the brain, responds to reflex actions

Question 4

What is the brain responsible for ?

Answer 4

Source of our conscious awareness divided into two near symmetrical hemispheres

Question 5

What does the left and right hemisphere of the brain control ?

Answer 5

Left = right side of body
Right = left side of body

Question 6

What are the 3 steps between nerves and neurons ?

Answer 6

1. Nerves send info via spinal cord to the brain = carries nerve that control all movements
2. Brain processes info & sends messages through body through spinal cord = to react and send our appropriate instructions
3. Neurons in brain pass messages along through electrical impulses

Question 7

What are neurons and what are they responsible for ?

Answer 7

Nerve cells in the brain that receive and transmit messages in the brain in response to info received from the rest of our body

Question 8

What is a synapse ?

Answer 8

Where signals are passed to next neuron in the chain at special sites, a gap between neurons

Question 9

What is the role of the cell body ?

Answer 9

Hold genetic material

Question 10

What is the role of the mitochondria ?

Answer 10

Provide energy

Question 11

What is the role of a dendrite ?

Answer 11

Receive messages from other neurons in order to trigger action potential

Question 12

What is the role of an axon ?

Answer 12

Extension of the cell body that passes electrical impulse towards axon terminals

Question 13

What is the role of an axon hillock ?

Answer 13

Where the nerve impulse is triggered from

Question 14

What is the role of the myelin sheath ?

Answer 14

Fatty deposit that insulates the axon to speed up the rate of message transmission

Question 15

What is the node of ranvier ?

Answer 15

Breaks between cells along the myelin sheath

Question 16

What is the role of the axon terminal ?

Answer 16

Pass nerve impulses from cell body to parts of the body they control or activate & contain vesicles that store neurotransmitters ready for the next stage of neural transmission

Question 17

What is the action potential ?

Answer 17

Nerve impulses pass down the axon to stimulate the release of neurotransmitters to create an electrical impulse that is triggered by a change in the electrical potential of the neuron

Question 18

What is the resting membrane potential of a neuron ?

Answer 18

-70mV

Question 19

What is depolarisation ?

Answer 19

Negative to positive charge switch rapidly

Question 20

What is the 7 steps of synaptic transmission ?

Answer 20

1. Electrical impluse generated at axon hillock
2. Turn into chemical message at axon terminal
3. Reach action potential at axon terminal & flood terminal button
4. Vesicles with NS released a& travel down outer membrane of terminal button
5. Casing of vesicle fuse with membrane
6. Neuron pass message over synaptic gap
7. Bind to receptor sites

Question 21

What is the 2 step process of reuptake ?

Answer 21

1. Any NS not absorbed by receptors are destroyed by enzymes/reabsorbed in pre synaptic neuron
2. Reabsorbed destroyed by enzymes in neuron to ‘turn it off’ to prepare for future action potential

Question 22

What is the pre synaptic neuron ?

Answer 22

Neuron sending the message

Question 23

What is the post synaptic neuron ?

Answer 23

Neuron receiving the message

Question 24

What is the synaptic gap ?

Answer 24

Space between two adjacent neurons

Question 25

What is an excitatory neurotransmitter with example ?

Answer 25

Increases action potential (positive charge) = dopamine

Question 26

What are inhibitory neurotransmitter with example ?

Answer 26

Prevents action potential (negative charge) = serotonin

Question 27

What is supporting research ?

Answer 27

Jovanovic (2008) = looked at serotonin system in women (low serotonin link to depression more in women than men) with pre menstrual dysphoric disorder. Used scanning before & after ovulation. = PMDD did have differences in synaptic receptors, synaptic transmission relates to mood

Question 28

What is opposing research ?

Answer 28

Allen & Stevens (1994) = synaptic transmission with hippocampus neurons is unreliable, less than half NS in pre synaptic neuron picked up by post synaptic neuron = neurotransmission not always steady, many factors in synaptic transmission

Question 29

How good is research in neurotransmitters for reliability ?

Answer 29

Many use animal research, human brain scanning more used = scientific credibility & realibiliity

Question 30

How good is research in neurotransmitters for generalisability ?

Answer 30

Animal research difficult to generalise, emotional functioning & consciousness different & low ecological validity if lab conditions

Question 31

What are any compliments of neurotransmitters ?

Answer 31

Animal research allows control over EVs = high internal validity

Question 32

What is the sensory neuron ?

Answer 32

Carry messages from sensory receptors along nerves in PNS to CNS = long dendrites, short axons

Question 33

What is the motor neuron ?

Answer 33

Carry messages from CNS along nerve to PNS to effectors in body = short dendrites, large axons

Question 34

What is relay neuron ?

Answer 34

Connect sensory & motor neurons together, connect to other relay neurons = short dendrites, short axons