Biopsychology

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Nervous System
Consists of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system.
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Central Nervous System
Consists of the brain (centre of all conscious awareness) and spinal cord (responsible for reflex actions) and passes messaged to and from the brain and connects nerves to the PNS.
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Peripheral Nervous System
Transmits messages (via millions of neurons) to and from the central nervous system. It can be sub-divided into the Autonomic Nervous System and the Somatic Nervous System.
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Autonomic Nervous System
Transmits messages to and from vital organs in the body. It happens automatically so is involuntary, includes vital functions like breathing, heart rate and stress responses. It then has two divisions: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.
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Somantic Nervous System
Transmits messages from receptor cells in sense organs to the CNS. It also receives information from the CNS that directs muscles to act.
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The Endocrine System
Works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions in the body. It acts slowly but has a powerful effect as it holds various glands in the body which secrete hormones.
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Hormones
Chemicals that are secreted into the blood stream and effect any cell in the body that has a receptor for that particular hormone
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Gland
An organ in the body that synthesises substances such as hormones.
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Pituitary Gland
The main gland of the endocrine system, located in the brain, often called the "master gland" because it controls the release of hormones from all the other endocrine glands in the body.
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Thyroid Gland
Produces the hormone thyroxine which affects cells in the heart (increases heart rate) and also affects cells throughout the entire body (like increasing metabolic rates- chemical processes taking place in cells).
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Fight or Flight Response
Stress is perceived, Hypothalamus is triggered which triggers the ANS to be physiologically aroused (sympathetic state instead of parasympathetic) which releases adrenaline from the adrenal gland. This creates arousal, like increased heart rate.
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Neuron
The basic building blocks of the nervous system, neurons are the nerve cells that process and transmit messages through electrical and chemical signals.
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Sensory Neuron
Carry messages from the PNS to the CNS. They have short dendrites and long axons.
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Relay Neuron
Connect the sensory neuron to the motor neuron or other relay neurons. They have short dendrites and short axons.
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Motor Neuron
Connect the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands. They have short dendrites and long axons.
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Nucleus
Contains all the genetic material for a cell.
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Dendrite
Carries nerve impulses from neighbouring neurons towards the cell body.
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Axon
Carries the impulses away from the cell body down the length of the neuron.
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Myelin Sheath
Fatty layer that covers the axon to protect it and speed up electrical transmission of the impulse.
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Nodes of Ranvier
Gaps that segment the myelin sheath which speed up the transmission of the impulse by forcing it to "jump" across the gaps along the axon.
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Terminal Button
At the end of the axon, they communicate with the neuron in the chain across a gap known as a synapse.
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Synapse
Gaps between neurons, signals are transmitted chemically by the electrical impulse reaching the presynaptic terminal triggering neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles which diffuse to the postsynaptic receptor site and turn back eletrical.
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Excitation
When a neurotransmitter, such as adrenaline, increases the positive charge of the postsynaptic neuron. This increases the likelihood that the neuron will fire and pass on the electrical impulse.
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Inhibition
When a neurotransmitter, such as serotonin, increases the negative charge of the postsynaptic neuron. This decreases the likelihood that the neuron will fire and pass on the electrical impulse.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Consists of the brain (centre of all conscious awareness) and spinal cord (responsible for reflex actions) and passes messaged to and from the brain and connects nerves to the PNS.

Back

Central Nervous System

Card 3

Front

Transmits messages (via millions of neurons) to and from the central nervous system. It can be sub-divided into the Autonomic Nervous System and the Somatic Nervous System.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Transmits messages to and from vital organs in the body. It happens automatically so is involuntary, includes vital functions like breathing, heart rate and stress responses. It then has two divisions: the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

Transmits messages from receptor cells in sense organs to the CNS. It also receives information from the CNS that directs muscles to act.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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