Science Term 1

PNS

Contains nerves.

Axon terminal

The axon terminal is where the message is passed on to another cell, organ muscle

Dendrite

Dendrite collects information from a stimulus

Cell body

The cell body contains the nucleus and mitochondrion

CNS

Contains brain and spinal cord.

Axon

The axon transmits information from the dendrites to the axon terminal. This message is electrical (nerve impulse), it can only go one direction.

Myelin sheath

The Myelin sheath increases the speed that the message is sent down the axon

Sensory Neuron

Carries the impulse generated by the stimulus to the central nervous system. Located in the PNS

Inter neuron

Carries the impulse through the central nervous system. Location CNS

Motor neuron

Takes the impulse to effectors such as muscles or glands

Stimulus

A change in internal or external environment

Receptor

The part of the body that detects the change

Controller

The processing centre that decides if action is taken

Effector

A cell tissue or organ that responds to the controllers signal

Response

A designed change in function of a cell tissue or organ

Voluntary actions

Conscious decisions that require thought from the brain

Involuntary actions

Occur unconsciously and without thought which can make them super quick

Reflex actions

May involve only a few neurons and require no conscious thought

Cerebrum

Largest part of the brain (90%) volume. Controls - speech, decision making, cognitive function and voluntary actions.

Thalamus

In the centre of the brain, relays sensory information, regulates arousal, filters unnecessary sensory input

Hypothalamus

Small structure located under thalamus, links hormonal and nervous systems, regulates hormones.

Reticular formation

Arrangement of neuron clumps, connection to a network that runs from the hind brain to the forebrain, controls consciousness, motor control.

Pons

Pons acts as a bridge connecting the cerebellum and the forebrain, controls sleep and arousal, facial expressions, hearing

Medulla - Brain stem

Connects the brain to your spinal cord, Controls involuntary vital actions such as your breathing, blood pressure/heart rate, body temperature, coughing/sneezing, salivating

Cerebellum

Only takes up 10% of the brains volume but contains over half of the brains neurons. Controls posture, coordination, balance, movement.

Frontal lobe

Motor control and complex cognitive process, decision making, problem solving, reasoning, impulse control

Temporal lobe

Interpretation of sound, language comprehension, processing emotions, visual memory

Partial lobe

Sensory processing and spatial awareness, interpretation of touch, understanding numbers, shapes and space

Occipital Lobe

Processing visual information, perception and interpretation

Left hemisphere

Controls the right side of the body, specialised functions language processing and logic

Right hemisphere

Controls the left side of the body, specialised functions of the body are creativity and perception

Corpus callosum

A thick bridge of nerve fibres connecting the two hemispheres, Allows hemispheres to communicate

White matter

A result of Myelin coated axons of a neuron

Grey matter

Where complex processing occurs and where shorter neurons connect

Age (taste perception)

As we age our sense of taste can decline and we are less sensitive to the 5 tastes

Attention

Involves focusing our menta resources on certain information while blocking out irrelevant information

Bottom up processing

Perception that is built up from the sensory input. Bottom up processing helps you analyse different parts of a stimulus and build a meaningful understanding from them.

Chemoreceptors

Detect changes in chemical concentration

Context (taste perception)

The context in which food occurs can affect the taste

Cornea

The curved clear outer covering of your eye

Divided attention

Involves the process of simultaneously attending to two or more stimuli

Emotional state (taste perception)

Our emotional state can affect our taste, for example liking foods because of childhood nostalgia

Food culture (taste perception)

The attitudes, behaviours, customs and values around food with which we were raised can influence how we perceive the taste of other foods

Fovea

Point of central focus

Genetics (taste perception)

The genetic make up of an individual impacts the way they taste information. Genes can affect the number of taste buds we have and how sensitive they are

Iris

The coloured part of the eye that opens and closes the pupil to control the amount of light that enters the eye

Lens

A transparent curved object that bends light towards or away from a point called the focus

Mechanoreceptors

Detects change in touch, sound, motion and muscle movement

Nociceptors

Detects painful stimuli

Optic nerve

A large nerve that sends signals to the brain from the sight receptors in the retina

Past experience (taste perception)

Past experience with food can set an expectation of what similar foods will taste like in future

Perception

The process of making sense of the data collected from our sense organs, the set of processes by which we organise, recognise and interpret sensory experience

Photo receptors

Detects changes in light

Pupil

A hole through which light enters the eye

Retina

The curved surface of the back of the eye…

Antibody

A protein that can identify and fight a specific pathogen. Antibodies are produced by B cells and are specialized to fight one type of pathogen.

B cell

A white blood cell that produces proteins to attack pathogens. When a B cell finds a matching pathogen, it clones itself and produces antibodies to fight the infection.

Bacteria

A simple, single-celled microbe without a nucleus

E. coli is a type of bacteria that causes disease by attaching to cells and releasing toxins.

Chemical barrier

A defence that kills pathogens before they can enter the body

Stomach acid and the enzymes in saliva and tears are examples of chemical barriers.

Cilia

Microscopic hairs on cells that line the airways Cilia push out mucus and trapped pathogens from the airways and lungs.

Contagious disease

A medical condition that can spread from person to person by a pathogen

Disease

A medical condition with specific symptoms

Diseases may be infectious, such as chickenpox, or non-infectious, such as cancer.

Fever

An increase in core body temperature over an extended time

A fever helps fight an infection by slowing or killing pathogens.

First line of defence

Barriers that prevent pathogens from entering the body Skin, saliva, urine and tears are barriers in the first line of defence.

Fungi

An organism with complex cells that feeds off a living host

Some fungi can feed off dead skin between the toes, causing athlete's foot.

Herd Immunity

The protection from infection provided when most of a population is immune

Herd immunity protects vulnerable and unvaccinated people because they are less likely to be exposed to infection.

Immune system

The body system that prevents and fights disease The immune system includes the skin, fever and specialized white blood cells.

Immunity

The body's ability to protect itself from infection

The body can build up immunity to pathogens by fighting off an infection or by being vaccinated.

Infection

An invasion of the body by pathogens that then multiply

Pathogens can infect the body through the mouth, eyes, lungs, genitals and open wounds.

Infection rate

The percentage of unvaccinated people who become infected with a disease A high infection rate occurs when the vaccination rate is very low.

Infectious disease

A medical condition that is caused by a pathogen Chickenpox and the flu are examples of infectious diseases.

Inflammation

A painful redness or swelling of part of the body

Inflammation occurs when increased blood flow brings white blood cells to fight invading pathogens.

Memory cell

A B cell that remains in the bloodstream to recognize pathogens

Memory cells provide long-term immunity by responding to infections faster and stronger than before

Microbe

An organism that is too small to be seen with the naked eye Microbes include bacteria and some types of fungi.

Mucus

A sticky liquid that lines the nose, throat, lungs and intestines Snot is the mucus produced by a special membrane in the nose.

Negative feedback loop

A change in a system causes another change in the opposite direction

During a fever, negative feedback loops work to keep body temperature within narrow limits.

Non contagious disease

A medical condition that cannot spread from person to person

The yellow fever virus passes from mosquitoes to people but cannot spread from person to person.

Non infectious disease

A medical condition that is not caused by a pathogen

Diabetes, asthma and cancer are examples of non-infectious diseases.

Pathogen

A microscopic organism or agent that causes disease Pathogens include E. coli bacteria and the measles virus.

Phagocyte

A white blood cell that engulfs and destroys pathogens Phagocytes help fight infections by engulfing and breaking down viruses and bacteria.

Physical barrier

A defence that blocks or traps pathogens before they can enter the body Skin, mucus and cilia are examples of physical barriers.

Second line of defence

General responses to pathogens inside the body

The second line of defence includes fever, inflammation and phagocytes.

third line of defence

Responses to specific pathogens inside the body that build immunity

The third line of defence includes B cells, memory cells and antibodies.

Vaccination

A treatment that helps build immunity to an infectious disease Most vaccinations are given by injection but some are given by mouth or as a nasal spray.

Vaccination rate

The percentage of a population that is vaccinated against a disease

A high vaccination rate can provide herd immunity by preventing a disease from spreading to vulnerable people

Vaccine

A substance that boosts the body's immunity to a specific pathogen

Vaccines can be made from dead or weakened pathogens and cause the body to make new antibodies.

Virus

A microscopic infectious agent made of genetic material and proteins

Chickenpox is caused by a virus that reproduces inside cells and can spread from skin sores.

White blood cell

A component of blood that fights infections Phagocytes, B cells and memory cells are types of specialized white blood cells.