biopsychology

what is the CNS comprised of

brain and spinal cord

what are the 2 main functions of the CNS

control of behaviour, regulation of the body’s physiological processes

what controls the nervous system

the brain

what is the human nervous system divided into

CNS and PNS

what part of the brain is responsible for thought and speech processing

frontal lobe

what part of the brain is responsible for processing of visual images

occipital lobe

what part of the brain is responsible for communication between the hemispheres

corpus callosum

what part of the brain is responsible for motor skills, balance and muscle coordination

cerebellum

what part of the brain is responsible for relaying nerve impulses towards the brain

thalamus

what part of the brain is responsible for regulation of internal conditions

hypothalamus

what part of the brain is responsible for regulating automatic functions (eg breathing)

brain stem

what type of neuron forms a synapse with muscles, controlling their contractions

motor neurons

which is the most common type of neuron

relay neuron

which type of neuron allows sensory and motor neurone to communicate with each other

relay neurons

what governs the brains involuntary activities

Autonomic nervous system

what does the autonomic nervous system govern

the brain’s involuntary activities

what is the autonomic nervous system divided into

sympathetic and parasympathetic branch

what is the peripheral nervous system responsible for carrying

sensory and motor information to and from the central nervous system

what part of the nervous system is responsible for carrying sensory and motor information to and from the central nervous system

peripheral nervous system

what part of the peripheral nervous system is responsible for voluntary control

somatic nervous system

what is the somatic nervous system part of

peripheral nervous system

what is the somatic nervous system responsible for

voluntary control

what is the sympathetic nervous system part of

autonomic nervous system

what responses is the sympathetic nervous system responsible for

fight or flight

what is responsible for flight or flight responses

sympathetic nervous system

which part of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for rest and digest responses

parasympathetic nervous system

what is the process by which a nerve impulses passes across the synaptic cleft from one neuron to another

synaptic transmission

what occurs during synaptic transmission

a nerve impulse passes across the synaptic cleft from one neuron to another

what do neurons typically consist of

cell body, dendrites, axon

what are dendrites connected to

cell body

what is the control centre of neuron

cell body

where does the impulse terminate along a neuron

axon terminal

what is the insulating layer formed around an axon called

myelin sheath

what is the purpose of a myelin sheath

quick transmission

what happens if a myelin sheath is damaged

impulses slow down

where do dendrites receive signals from

other neurons, sensory receptors

example sensory receptors

skin, eyes, ears

what cells is most of the brain made up of

glial cells, astrocytes

what do sensory neurons convert and into what

information from sensory receptors into neural impulses

what do sensory neorons carry and to where

nerve impulses from sensory receptors to the spinal cord and brain

what happens when the neural impulses carried by sensory neurons reach the spinal cord or brain

they are translated into sensations

what does sensory information terminating in the spinal cord, rather than the brain, allow to occur

reflex actions

what happens when a motor neuron is stimulated

neurotransmitter is released

what do the neurotransmitters released when a motor neuron is stimulated bind to

receptors on muscle

what does a neurotransmitter, released by a motor neuron, trigger when binding to a muscle

muscle movement

which muscle would contract when the axon of a motor neuron fires

the muscle it has formed synapses with

what does the strength of a muscle contraction depend on

rate of firing of the axons

what does an action potential need to do to be transferred to another neuron or tissue

cross the gap between the presynaptic neuron and postsynaptic neuron

what are the sacs found at the end of the axon called

synaptic vesicles

what do synaptic vessels contain

chemical messengers that assist in the transfer of the impulse, neurotransmitters

what is the name of the process that occurs when a synaptic vesicle releases its content after an action potential reaches it

exocytosis

what is known as a network of glands throughout the body that manufactures and secretes hormones

endocrine system

what is the endocrine system made up of

a network of glands

what are the body's chemical messengers

hormones

how do hormones travel throughout the body

through the bloodstream

what is the master gland, releasing hormones from other glands

pituitary gland

what is the primary function of the pituitary gland

releasing hormones from other glands

what does the endocrine system

supports the nervous system, regulating cells activity and physiological processes

how does the nervous system transmit messages

electronically

how does the endocrine system transmit messages

chemically

which is faster, nervous system or endocrine system

nervous

which has more powerful long lasting effects, the nervous system or endocrine system

endocrine

what does each hormone effect

its target cell

why does a target cell respond to a particular hormone, what does it have?

receptors

what detects a reduced level of hormone

hypothalamus

what sends a signal to the pituitary gland after a reduced level of hormone is detected by the hypothalamus

releasing hormone

what does a releasing hormone case the pituitary gland to secrete

a stimulating hormone

what does a stimulating hormone signal to the target gland that it needs to do

secrete its hormone

what 2 parts is the pituitary gland made up of

anterior pituitary, posterior pituitary

what does the anterior pituitary release

ACTH, LH, FSH

in response to what is the anterior pituitary stimulated to produce ACTH

stress

what does ACTH do

stimulates adrenal glands to release cortisol

what does the posterior pituitary release

oxytocin

what does oxytocin stimulate

contractions in childbirth

what do adrenal glands sit on top of

kidneys

what is each adrenal gland made up of

adrenal cortex, adrenal medulla

which is essential: adrenal cortex or adrenal medulla

adrenal cortex

what does the adrenal cortex produce

cortisol

what does cortisol do

regulates cardiovascular bodily functions, anti-inflamatory functions

what does cortisol production increase in response to

stress

what will a person experience if their cortisol level is low

low blood pressure, poor immune function, inability to deal with stress

what does the adrenal medulla produce

adrenaline, noradrenaline

what do the hormones released by the adrenal medulla prepare the body for

fight or flight response

what does adrenaline do to the body

increase heart rate and blood flow, convert glycogen to glucose

how does noradrenaline increase blood pressure

constricting blood vessels

what is involved in the HPA axis

hypothalamus, pituitary gland, adrenal cortex

what is the name of the sequence of bodily activity in response to stress that involves the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and adrenal cortex

HPA axis

in response to which kind of stress does the SAM response take place

acute

what happens if the brain continues to perceive threat after the sam response takes place

after the initial surge of adrenaline subsides, the HPA axis is activated

in the HPA axis, what does the hypothalamus release into the bloodstream

CRH

in the HPA axis, after the arrival of CRH at the pituitary gland, what is the pituitary stimulated to release and where does this go

ACTH, the adrenal glands

in the HPA axis what does ACTH stimulate the adrenal cortex to release

stress related hormones including cortisol

example inhibitory neurotransmitter

GABA

example excitatory neurotransmitter

adrenaline

which neurone have a myelin sheath

motor, sensory

which neuron has cell body outside of axon

sensory

what does sensory neuron form a synapse with

sensory receptor

what does motor neuron form a synapse with

muscle fibres

travelling from where to where in synaptic transmission

axon terminal to dendrite

what does a myelin sheath allow

impulse to travel faster