Psychology - Biopsychology

What is the nervous system

A specialised network of cells in the human body .

Our primary internal communication system

What are the two main functions of the nervous system

To collect, process and respond to information in the environment

To co-ordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body

What are the two subsystems the nervous system is divided into

Central nervous system

Peripheral nervous system

How many subsystems is the nervous system divided into and what are they

2

Central nervous system and peripheral nervous system

What is the Central nervous system made up of

The brain and the spinal cord

What does the spinal cord do in the central nervous system

Passes messages to and from the brain and connects nerves to the peripheral nervous system

It is responsible for reflex actions

What does the Peripheral nervous system do

Sends information to the Central nervous system from the outside world, and transmits messages from the CNS to muscles and glands in the body

What is the Peripheral nervous system subdivided into

Autonomic nervous system

Somatic nervous system

What does the autonomic nervous system do 

Transmits information to and from internal bodily organs.

Operates involuntarily

What are the two main subdivisions of the Autonomic nervous system

Sympathetic nervous system

Parasympathetic nervous system

What does the Somatic nervous system do

Transmits information from receptor cells in the sense organs to the CNS.

Receives information from the CNS that directs muscles to act.

What are the two main physiological systems that regulate behaviour in response to the environment

Nervous system

Endocrine system

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 towards target organs in the body

What is a gland

An organ in the body that synthesises substances such as hormones

What is a hormone

A biochemical substance that circulates in the blood but only affects target organs.

Produced in large quantities but disappear quickly

What is the fight or flight response

The way an animal responds when stressed

Which system tends to work in parallel with the endocrine system, particularly during a stressful event

The autonomic nervous system

What are the stages in the fight or flight response involving the endocrine system and the autonomic nervous system

A stressor is perceived

The hypothalamus activates the pituitary gland which triggers activity in the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system

The ANS changes from its resting state (the parasympathetic state) to the physiologically aroused sympathetic state.

The hormone adrenaline is released from the adrenal medulla into the bloodstream

Adrenaline triggers physiological changes in the body 

Once the threat has passed the parasympathetic nervous system returns the body to its resting state. 

What is the Parasympathetic nervous system

A division of the Autonomic nervous system which controls the relaxed state, conserving resources and promoting digestion and metabolism.

It works in opposition to the sympathetic branch of the ANS

What is the sympathetic nervous system

A division of the autonomic nervous system which activates internal organs for vigorous activities and emergencies, such as the fight or flight response

It consists of nerves that control , for example, increased heart rate and breathing and decreased digestive activity.

It works in opposition to the parasympathetic branch of the ANS

What are the three types of neurons

Sensory
Relay
Motor

What do sensory neurons do

Carry messages form the PNS to the CNS.

What are the main features of sensory neurons

Long dendrites and short axons

What do relay neurons do

Connect the sensory neurons to motor neurons or other relay neurons

What are the main features of relay neurons

Short dendrites and long axons

What do motor neurons do

Connect the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands

What are the main features of motor neurons

Short dendrites and long axons

What are neurons

Nerve cells that process and transmit messages through electrical and chemical signals

What are the gaps in the myelin sheath on a neuron called

nodes of ranvier

What do nodes of Ranvier do on a neuron

Speed up the transmission of the impulse by forcing it to jump across the gaps along the axon

What do dendrites do on a neuron

carry nerve impulses from other neurons towards the cell body

What does the myelin sheath do on a neuron

protects the axon and speeds up transmission

Where are the cell bodies of motor neurons located in the body

The central nervous system

Where are the axons of motor neurons located in the body

The peripheral nervous system

Where are sensory neurons located in the body

in the peripheral nervous system in clusters called ganglia

Where are relay neurons found in the body

Mostly in the brain and the visual system

How does an action potential occur in a neuron

When the neuron is in a resting state it is negatively charged compared to the outside. When it is activated by a stimulus, the cell becomes positively charged for a split second which causes an action potential to occur.

What does an action potential do

It creates an electrical impulse that travels down the axon towards the end of the neuron.

What is synaptic transmission

The process by which neighbouring neurons communicate with each other by sending chemical messages across the synapse that separates them

What is a neurotransmitter

The brain chemicals released from synaptic vesicles that relay signals from one neuron to another

What is excitation with neurons

When a neurotransmitter increases the positive charge of the postsynaptic neuron. 
This increases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will pass on the electrical impulse

What is inhibition with neurons

When a neurotransmitter increases the negative charge of the postsynaptic neuron
This decreases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will pass on the electrical impulse

What are neural networks

The groups that neurons communicate with each other in

What are the gaps between each neuron called

Synapses

Are signals within neurons transmitted electrically or chemically

Electrically

Are signals between neurons transmitted electrically or chemically

chemically

What happens when the electrical impulse reaches the end of the neuron (the presynaptic terminal)

it triggers the release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles

What are neurotransmitters held in in the presynaptic terminal

Synaptic vesicles

What happens once a neurotransmitter crosses the synapse

It is taken up by a postsynaptic receptor site on the dendrites of the next neuron.

The chemical message is then converted back into an electrical impulse and the process of transmission begins again

Why can the direction of travel only be one way

Because neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron terminal and received by the postsynaptic neuron

What are the two effects that neurotransmitters can have on a neighbouring neuron

excitatory or inhibitory

What process decides if a postsynaptic neuron fires

summation

What is summation

It is when the excitatory and the inhibitory influences are summed and the net effect decides if the next neuron fires.

What net effect does a neuron need to have for it to be more likely to fire

excitatory

What is localisation of function

The theory that different areas of the brain are responsible for specific behaviours, processes or activities

Which hemisphere in the brain is activity on the left hand side of the body controlled by 

the right hemisphere

Which hemisphere in the brain is activity in the right hand side of the body controlled by

the left hemisphere

What is the outer layer of both hemispheres in the brain called

cerebral cortex

What are the four centres the cortex of both hemispheres are subdivided into in the brain

Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe
Occipital lobe
Temporal lobe

Where is the motor area of the brain located

at the back of the frontal lobe

Where is the somatosensory area of the brain located

At the front of both parietal lobes

What separates the somatosensory area from the motor area in the brain

a ‘valley’ called the central sulcus

Where is the visual area of the brain located

In the occipital lobe at the back of the brain

Where is the auditory area of the brain located

in the temporal lobes