AP Psych U3 ; Biological Psychology
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Unit 2: Biological Bases of Behavior
Module 9 - Biological Psychology and Neurotransmission pp 76-83
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IN YOUR OWN WORDS, define the following key terms:
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Biological psychology - the study of the link between biology(hormones, genetics, spine) and psychological processes.
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Neuron - a nerve cell, basic building block of the nervous system
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Dendrites - Fibers that receive information and conduct it tword the cell body (part of a neuron cell)(information receptors)
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Axon - Fibers that pass information to other neurons or muscle glands (information transfers) (can be very long(feet))
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Myelin sheath - a fatty tissue that insulates and speed up axon impulses
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Action potential - a neiral impulse; brief electrical charge that travels down axon
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Refractory period - a period of inactivity after a neuron has fired
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Threshold - the level of stimulation(excitatory>inhibitory) to trigger a neural impulse
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Synapse - The junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the reciveing dendrite tip of the receiving neuron
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Neurotransmitters - chemical messengers that cross the synaptic gaps between neurons
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Reuptake - Axon terminal reabsorbs excess neurotransmitters
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Endorphins - neurotransmitters linked to pain, control, and pleasure
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Agonist - a molecule that binds to a receptor site to stimulate a response
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Antagonist - a molecule that binds to a receptor site to inhibit or block a response
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Answer the following questions
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Label the parts of the neuron using Figure 9.2 on page 78. Double click the image below to edit.
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Firing of a neuron - describe the process of action potential by outlining the steps below. (page 79)
- The fluid outside an axon’s membrane has mostly positively charged ions; a resting axon’s fluid interior has mostly negatively charged ions.
- This positive-outside/negative-inside state is called the resting potential
- The axon opens it’s gates, and positively charged sodium(Na) ions flood through the cell membrane.
- This depolarizes that axon section, causing another axon section to open, like falling dominoes.
- The resting phase is called the refractory period, when the neuron pumps the positively charged sodium ions back outside, The neuron cannot fire again until this process is complete.
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Describe the all-or-none response and why a neuron cannot fire unless it reaches a threshold.
Neurons either fire or the do not. The nerve does not fire until there are more excitatory signals than inhibitory signals
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- Describe how neurons communicate with each other if they do not actually touch at the synapse.
Neurotransmitters are transferred from axon terminals to dendrite receptors. If there are more neurotransmitters than receptors, the axon tip does reuptake
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Consider Table 9.1. You will need to know all of those neurotransmitters and what they do. If you had to give one of them up, which would it be and why?
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What is the main difference between agonists and antagonists?
Agonists stimulate a response antagonists inhibit a response
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Module 10 - The Nervous and Endocrine Systems pp 86-91
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IN YOUR OWN WORDS, define the following key terms:
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Nervous system - The body’s electro chemical communication network, consist of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous system.
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Central nervous system (CNS) - The brain and Spinal cord
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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) - the sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body
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Nerves - bundles of axons that form cables connecting the body to CNS
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Sensory (afferent) neurons - carry messages from sensory receptors to the spinal cord and brain
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Motor (efferent) neurons - carry information from the brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands
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Interneurons - neurons in brain and spinal cord that communicate internaly
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Somatic nervous system - (Componet of Peripheral System) enable voluntary control of skeletal muscles; also called the skeletal nervous system
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Autonomic nervous system (ANS) - (Componet of Peripheral System) Automatic; controls glands, and muscles of internal organs (heart, lungs)
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Sympathetic nervous system - (Component of ANS) Stress response; accelerate heartbeat, raise blood presure, slow digestion, raise blood sugar, and cool perspiration; makes you alert
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Parasympathetic nervous system - (Component of ANS) When stress subsides; opposite of sympathetic nervous system; conserves energy
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Reflex - an automatic response to a sensory stimulus (EX. putting arms out infront of you when you trip
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Endocrine system - “slow” chemical communication system; glands secrete hormones into the bloodstream
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Hormones - chemical messengers that are made by glands and travel through the bloodstream to affect other organs/tissue
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Adrenal glands - ANS orders these glands to secrete hormones (epinephrine and norepinephrine) to arouse the body in times of stress; surge of energy known as Fight or Flight; adrenaline
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Pituitary gland - controlled by hypothalamus; releases hormone that stimulate growth and controls other endocrine glands. Master gland
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Answer the following questions
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- What is the main difference in function between the central and peripheral nervous systems?
The CNS makes decisions, the PNS transmits decision to the rest of the body and transmits information to the CNS
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- What is the main difference between the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system?
somatic nervous system allows voluntary control while the autonomic nervous system is automatic
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- The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are both branches of the autonomic nervous system. What is the function of each of these?
The sympathetic nervous system is used to cope with stressful situations while the parasymathetic nervous system is used to calm us down. Both work together to keep our body/mind in balance
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- What is the difference between an afferent and efferent neuron?
Afferent neurons carry information to the brain; Efferent neurons carry information away from the brain to muscles and glands
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- Briefly explain why we don’t have to “think” about our reflexes, such as the pain reflex.
Reflexes are automatic responses to stimulus. They were developed through evolution in order to keep us alive (safe from things)
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- According to the book on page 91, some hormones are chemically identical to neurotransmitters. Explain the differences between neurotransmitters and hormones.
Hormones are chemical signals released by glands into the circulatory system; Neurotransmitters are brain signals that travel through the brain, spinal cord, and nervous system
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Epinephrine is to norepinephrine as adrenaline is to noradrenaline, and these hormones are involved in the fight or flight response.
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What is the most influential endocrine gland according to the book and why?
Pituitary gland because it controls all the other glands.