A major division of the nervous system comprising the brain and spinal cord, which receives neural messages from and transmits neural messages to the peripheral nervous system
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Brain
A complex organ contained within the skull that coordinates mental processes and behaviour, and regulates bodily activity
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Spinal cord
A cable of nerve tissue that extends from the brain, connecting it to the peripheral nervous system
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Peripheral Nervous System
A major division of the nervous system comprising every neuron in the body outside the central nervous system
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Somatic Nervous System
A division of the peripheral nervous system that transmits neural messages related to voluntary motor movement
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Skeletal muscles
Muscles connected to the skeleton that carry out voluntary motor movements
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Autonomic Nervous System
A division of the peripheral nervous system that regulates visceral muscles, organs, and glands, and transmits neural messages to the central nervous system about their activity
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Visceral muscles, organs, and glands
Muscles, organs, and glands not connected to the skeleton that are predominantly self-regulating and do not require conscious control
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Sympathetic Nervous System
A division of the autonomic nervous system that activates visceral muscles, organs, and glands, preparing the body to respond to a threat or stressor
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Parasympathetic Nervous System
A division of the autonomic nervous system that maintains the optimal and balanced functioning of visceral muscles, organs, and glands
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Neuron
A nerve cell that receives and transmits neural information
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Motor (efferent) neurons
Neurons that transmit neural messages about motor movement from the central nervous system to the peripheral nervous system
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Sensory (afferent) neurons
Neurons that transmit neural messages about bodily sensations from the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system
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Interneurons
Neurons that transfer neural messages between sensory neurons and motor neurons
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Conscious response
A deliberate and voluntary action that is initiated by the brain and performed intentionally by the body
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Sensory receptor
A nerve ending that detects internal sensations in the body and external sensations from the environment
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Unconscious response
An automatic and involuntary action that is performed by the body independently of the brain
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Spinal reflex
An unconscious response to sensory stimuli that is initiated by interneurons in the spinal cord independently of the brain
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Reflex arc
The path along which the neural signal is transmitted as part of the spinal reflex
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Neural synapse
The region that includes the axon terminals of the presynaptic neuron, the synaptic gap, and the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron
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Presynaptic neuron
The neuron that releases neurochemicals into the neural synapse
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Axon terminal
The end of a neuron that releases neurochemicals into the neural synapse
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Synaptic gap
The space between the presynaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron
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Postsynaptic neuron
The neuron that receives neurochemicals from the neural synapse
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Dendrite
A branched extension of a neuron on which receptor sites are located
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Receptor site
A protein molecule on the dendrites of a neuron that receives neurochemicals
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Neurochemical
A chemical substance that transmits neural information within the nervous system
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Synaptic transmission
The chemical conveyance of neural information between two neurons across a neural synapse
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Neurotransmitter
A chemical molecule that has an effect on one or two postsynaptic neurons
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Action potential
An electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron
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Excitatory effect
When the neurotransmitter increases the likelihood of the postsynaptic neuron firing an action potential
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Glutamate
The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the nervous system
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Inhibitory effect
When the neurotransmitter decreases the likelihood of the postsynaptic neuron firing an action potential
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GABA
The main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system
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Neuromodulator
A chemical molecule that has an effect on multiple postsynaptic neurons
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Dopamine
A neuromodulator primarily responsible for voluntary motor movement, the experience of pleasure, and reward-based learning
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Serotonin
a neuromodulator primarily responsible for the regulation of mood and sleep
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Synaptic plasticity
The ability of synaptic connections to change over time in response to activity or experience
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Sprouting
The ability of dendrites or axons to develop new extensions or branches
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Rerouting
The ability of a neuron that is connected to a damaged neuron to create an alternative synaptic connection with an undamaged neuron
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Pruning
The elimination of synaptic connections that are not adequately activated
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Learning
The process of acquiring knowledge, skills, or behaviours through experience
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Memory
The process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information that has been previously encountered
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Long-term potentiation
The long-lasting and experience-dependent strengthening of synaptic connections that are regularly coactivated
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Long-term depression
The long-lasting and experience-dependent weakening of synaptic connections between neurons that are not regularly coactivated
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Stress
A psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something of significance that demands their attention and/or efforts to cope
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Stressor
A stimulus (internal or external) that prompts the stress response
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Internal stressor
A stimulus from within a person’s body that prompts the stress response
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External stressor
A stimulus from outside of a person’s body that prompts the stress response
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Distress
A form of stress characterised by a negative psychological state
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Eustress
A form of stress characterised by a positive psychological state
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Acute stress
A form of stress characterised by intense psychological and physiological symptoms that are brief in duration
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Fight-flight-freeze response
An involuntary and automatic response to a threat that takes the form of either escaping it, confronting it, or freezing in the face of it
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Chronic stress
A form of stress that endures for several months or longer
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Cortisol
A hormone that is released in times of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened arousal
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General Adaption Syndrome
A biological model involving three stages of physiological reactions that a person experiences in response to a persistent stressor
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Alarm reaction
The first stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome involving the initial decrease and subsequent increase in bodily arousal in response to an immediate stressor
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Shock
The first substage of the alarm reaction stage involving decreased bodily arousal for a brief period of time following the initial exposure to a stressor
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Countershock
The second substage of the alarm reaction stage in which sympathetic nervous system responses occur that mobilise the body to respond to the stressor
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Resistance
The second stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome involving maintaining high levels of bodily arousal in response to a persistent stressor
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Exhaustion
The third stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome involving the depletion of energy levels and bodily resources, resulting in an inability to cope with the stressor
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Subjective
Something which is based on or influenced by personal feelings or preferences
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Appraisal
An assessment or evaluation of stimuli
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Primary appraisal
The initial process of evaluating the nature of an incoming stressor, specifically the kind of stress it might cause
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Benign-positive
An initial appraisal of a stimulus as neutral or good that does not cause stress for the individual
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Irrelevant
An initial appraisal of a stimulus as a non-issue for the individual
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Stressful
An initial appraisal of a stimulus as a source of worry or emotional significance for the individual
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Harm/loss
A further appraisal of a stressor as having caused some damage to the individual
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Threat
A further appraisal of a stressor as potentially causing damage to the individual in the future
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Challenge
A further appraisal of a stressor as potentially providing a positive opportunity for growth or change for the individual
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Secondary appraisal
The process of evaluating the resources required and available in order to cope with a stressor
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Coping
The process of dealing with a stressor
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Emotion-focused coping
The use of coping strategies that target the emotional components of a stressor, dealing with it indirectly rather than confronting its source
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Problem-focused coping
The use of coping strategies that directly target the source of the stressor, aiming to reduce it in a practical way
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Gut
The long flexible tube from mouth to anus that is the passageway involved in digestion
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Gut microbiota
All of the microorganisms that live in the gut
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Gut microbiome
All of the genes of the microorganisms that live in the gut
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Gut-brain axis
The bidirectional connection between the gut and the brain through the enteric and central nervous systems
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Enteric nervous system
The network of nerves in the gut and is a subdivision of the autonomic nervous system
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Vagus nerve
The longest cranial nerve that connects the gut and the brain, enabling them to communicate
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Coping
The process of dealing with stress
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Mental wellbeing
An individual’s current state of mind, including their ability to think, process information, and regulate emotions
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Context-specific effectiveness
When the coping strategy or mechanism used is appropriate for the unique demands of the stressor
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Coping flexibility
An individual’s ability to adjust or change their coping strategies depending on the unique and changing demands of a stressor
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Approach strategies
Coping strategies that directly confront the source of the stress
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Avoidance strategies
Coping strategies that evade the stressor, seeking to indirectly reduce stress
Studied by 9 people
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Flashcard (90)