Biopsychology

• Biopsychology

  The study of how our biological systems affect our thoughts, feelings and behaviour
• what is the nervous system?

  a system of receptors and effectors that allow us to respond to stimuli in our environment
• why is the nervous system important?

  it allows us to coordinate our actions and respond to changes in our environment
• 2 main parts of the nervous system

  central and peripheral
• central nervous system

  brain and spinal cord
• peripheral nervous system

  nerves throughout the body
• what is the peripheral nervous system divided into?

  autonomic - regulates involuntary bodily processes

  somatic - controls voluntary movements
• what is the autonomic nervous system divided into?

  Sympathetic - responds to threat by increasing heart rate and breathing rate

  parasympathetic - slows down other processes and promotes digestion
• Neurons

  Specialised cells that send electrical impulses to and from the central nervous system
• Function of neurons

  • dendrites receive signals from other neurons or sensory receptors
  • the info is passed to the cell body and transmitted along the axon as an electrical signal known as an axon potential
  • dendrites are connected to the cell body which is the neuron’s control centre
  • the axon is insulates by a series of Schwann cells called the myelin sheath
  • the myelin sheath is separated by nodes of ranvier so impulses can travel more quickly along the axon
• 3 types of neurons

  sensory, motor and relay
• Sensory neuron

  Carries nerve impulses from sensory receptors to the brain & spinal cord
• where are sensory neurons found?

  eyes, ears, tongue and skin
• motor neurons

  located in the peripheral nervous system to control muscles - they have a role in movement, balance and coordination
• relay neurons

  allow other neurons, both sensory motor, to communicate with each other within the brain or spinal cord
• relay arc

  Where a relay neuron connects a sensory and motor neuron
• transmission between neurons - chemical
• transmission within a neuron - electrical
• 2 ways of identifying a sensory neuron

  • travels to CNS
  • cell body is in the middle of the axon
• 3 ways of identifying a motor neuron

  • attached to an effector or muscle
  • cell body is in the dendrites
  • travels away from CNS
• 2 ways of identifying a relay neuron

  • cell body is below dendrites
  • not attached to anything
• process of synaptic transmission

  • the action potential arrives at the end of a neuron
  • the action potential causes a change in the synaptic knob
  • the synaptic vesicles release neurotransmitters
  • the neurotransmitters cross the synaptic gap
  • the neurotransmitter is received by receptor sites in the dendrite of the next neuron
  • re-uptake occurs for unused neurotransmitters
• dendrites

  receive signals from other neurons
• cell body

  receives information from the dendrites
• Nodes of ranvier


  separate the myelin sheath
• myelin sheath

  series of Schwann cells
• axon

  where impulses travel along
• synaptic knob

  mediate the link between neurons
• action potential

  causes release of neurotransmitter into the synapse
• synapse

  gap between 2 neurons
• synaptic vesicles 


  contain neurotransmitters
• neurotransmitter

  the body’s natural chemical messages
• receptor sites

  receive specific receptors
• pre-synaptic neuron

  stores unused neurotransmitters
• post synaptic neuron

  where receptor sites receive neurotransmitters
• excitatory post synaptic potential

  increase likelihood of signal being sent
• inhibitory post synaptic potential

  decrease likelihood of signal being sent
• 7 glands in the endocrine system

  hypothalamus, pituitary, pineal, thyroid, adrenal, ovaries, testes
• role of the endocrine system

  works alongside the nervous system to control vital functions in the body
• hypothalamus - effect

  Stimulates and controls the release of hormones from the pituitary gland