year 1 biopsychology Flashcards
nervous system, endocrine system, structure and function of neurons, synaptic transmission (21 cards)
what is the nervous system
a network of specialised cells in our bodies which provide our primary internal communication system
what are the 2 functions of the nervous system
- collect, process and respond to info in the environment
- co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells
what are the 2 subsections of the nervous system
- central nervous system (CNS)
- peripheral nervous system (PNS)
what are the two parts of the central nervous system
- brain : centre of conscious awareness, divided into 2 hemispheres
- spinal cord : extension of the brain, passes messages to and from the brain, connects nerves to the PNS and is responsible for reflexes
what is the function of the PNS and what are the two parts
transmitts messages via millions of neurons to and from the CNS
- automatic nervous system : governs vital functions like breathing
- somatic nervous system : governs movement of the body/muscles and recieves info from sensory receptors in the skin
what is the endocrine system
one of the body’s major information systems that instructs glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream. these hormones are carried totowards target organs
what do glands produce
hormones which are secreted into the bloodstream and effect any cell that has receptors for that hormone
what is the fight or flight response
the way an animal responds to stress, the body becomes physiologically aroused in readiness to fight or flee
what is adrenaline
the stress hormone which is released into the bloodstream and triggers physiological responses like an increased heart rate
what are 2 glands of the endocrine system
thyroid gland- increases heart rate and increases rate metabolic rate within cells
pituitary gland- ‘master gland’ controls the release of all hormones from all glands in the endocrine system
what are the three types on neurons
sensory, relay and motor
what are the 7 parts of all neurons
cell body, nucleus, dendrites, axon, myelin sheath, nodes of ranvier and terminal buttons
what is the location of neurons and their axons
the cell bodies of motor neurons will be in the CNS but their long axons form part of the PNS (peripheral nervous system)
sensory neurons are located out of the CNS in the PNS in clusters known as ganglia
relay neurons make uo 97% of all neurons and most are found within the brain and visula system
when a neuron is in resting state, how is the inside of it charged
inside is negatively charged compared to the outside
when a neuron is activated by a stimulus, how is the inside of it charged
inside becomes negatively charged for a split second causing an action potential to occur, this creates an electrical impulse that travels down the axon towards the end of the neuron
what is synaptic transmission
the process with which neighbouring neurons communicate with each other by sending chemical messages across the gap (synapse) that seperates them
what are neurotransmitters
brain chemicals released from synaptic vessels that relay signals from one neuron to another
how can neurotransmitters be divided into two groups
those that perform an excitatory function and those that form and inhibitory function
when a neuroransmitter (like adrenaline) increases the positive charge of the postsynaptic neuron. this increases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will pass on the electrical impluse
what is meant by inhibition
when a neurotransmitter (like serotonin) decreases the positive charge of the postsynaptic neuron, decreasing the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron willl pass on the electrical impulse
what is summation
the process which decides whether or not a postsynaptic neuron fires. this is the sum of the excitatory and inhibitory influences, if the net effect is inhibitory, the neuron is less likely to fire
