PSYCHOLOGY - biopsychology

the key assumptions made by biopsychologists

• behaviour and experiences are caused by activity in the nervous system

• the nervous system transmits signals for communication via billions of neurons

what is a neuron

nerve cells in the human nervous system,

80% in the brain

send signals electrically and chemically

used for communication

what are the three types of neurons

sensory

relay

motor

what do these neurons look like

what is the dendrite

branch-like structures that receive the nerve impulses from adjacent neurons.

what is the axon

where the impulses travel along

what is the myelin sheath

protects the axon from external influences - so transmission is not affected.

what are the nodes of ranvier

these speed up the transmission of nerve impulses by forcing them to jump between myelin sheath segments.

what are terminal buttons

send signals to the adjacent cell/neuron

function and structure of motor neuron

• carries messages from the CNS to effectors like muscles or glands

• short dendrites

• long axons

function and structure of relay neuron

• transfers messages from sensory neurons to other relay or motor neurons

• short dendrites

• short axons

function and structure of sensory neuron

• carries messages from the PNS to the brain and spinal chord

• long dendrites

• short axons