PSYCH exam revision

the two mains nervous systems are…

Central NS and Peripheral NS

Within the CNS is the

brain and the spinal cord

The PNS on the other hand

• is responsible for transmitting information between the CNS and the rest of the body, including sensory and motor functions.

• and includes the Autonomic NS and the Somatic NS

The Autonomic Nervous System:

• Unconscious responses

• includes - Sympathetic NS, Parasympathetic NS, Enteric NS

• transmits motor messages on an efforant pathway from brain to organs

Somatic NS

carries sensory neurons on an afferant pathway from the senses to the spinal cord (then brain).

Sympathetic Nervous System

• arousing

• prepares body for action

Parasympathetic NS

• calming

• restores body to resting state (homeostatus)

Define Long Term Potentiation

The long-lasting strengthening of synaptic connections, due to repeated stimulation, resulting in enhanced synaptic transmission.

Define Long Term Depression

The long-lasting decrease in the strength of synaptic connections due to the lack of stimulation.

Define Cortisol

a vital, steroid hormone released to influence and regulate the body’s response to stress. (released from the adrenal glands)

Benefits of cortisol

regulates

• inflammation

• blood glucose levels

• immune responses

• blood pressure

• heart rate

2 types of LTM:

explitcit and implicit

Explicit memory and its divisions

• memory that can be consciously retrieved (declarative memory)

• ‘factual memories’

• Episodic - memories of personally experienced events

• Semantic - memory of facts and knowledge about the world

Implicit memory and its divisions

• memory that doesnt require conscous retrieval (non-declarative)

• Procedural - memory of motor skills and actions (how to do something)

• Classically conditioned - CR to CS acquired through classical conditioning.

2 types of Short term memory

• iconic

• echoic

Iconic memory

• visual sensory information

• duration - 0.2-0.4 seconds

• capacity - unlimited

Echoic memory

• auditory sensory information

• duration - 3 or 4 seconds

• capacity - unlimited

NREM stage 1 for EEG/EMG/EOG

• EEG: high/med freq , low/med amp

• EMG: moderate muscle movement

• EOG: slow, rolling eye movement

NREM stage 2 for EEG/EMG/EOG

• EEG: med freq and amp

• EMG: moderate to low muscle movement

• EOG: little eye movement

NREM stage 3 for EEG/EMG/EOG

• EEG: low freq , high amp

• EMG: little muscle movement

• EOG: no eye movement

REM for EEG/EMG/EOG

• EEG: high freq , low amp

• EMG: no muscle movement

• EOG: rapid eye movement

What are the two main neuromodulators

dopamine and seratonin

what are the two main neurotransmitters

glutemate and GABA

Dopamine

• both inhibitory and excitetory (neuromodulator)

• important roles in voluntary movements

• and in the experience of pleasure, motivation, appetite, coordinating movements

• and memory

Seratonin

• inhibitory neuromodulator

• important roles in mood, emotional processing, sleep onset, appetite and pain perception.

Glutemate

excitatory neurotransmitter involved in synaptic formation in learning and memory

GABA

inhibitory neurotransmitter essential for decreasing anxiety (calming) and also for motor control and vision

Hippocampus

• explicit - semantic and episodic

• consolidation of explicit memories

• tranfers memormies to cerebral cortex for long term storage

Amygdala

• explicit (emotional) AND implicit (CC)

• consolidation of emotionally driven explicit memories

• encodes CC emotional memories

Basal Ganglia

• implicit - procedural

• encodes and stores procedural memories and habit formation

• releases dopamine to help coordinate movements

Neocortex

• explicit

• permenant storage of all explicit memories

Cerebellum

• implicit - CC and procedural

• encodes and stores

• coordinates fine muscle movements and posture/balence