VCE Psychology AOS 1

Central Nervous System - answer-Consists of the brain and spinal cord. The Brain - answer-Network of cells that plays vital role in processing neural information, and directing actions within the body. Has integrating and overlapping functions. Spinal Cord - answer-Links the brain and the rest of the body via the PNS, involves simple reflex responses independently of the brain. Peripheral Nervous System - answer-Entire network of nerves located outside the CNS. Carries afferent information to CNS from the body's muscles organs and glands (about the internal environment) and from the sensory organs (about the external environment). Carries efferent messages from the CNS to the body's muscles, organs and glands. Autonomic Nervous System - answer-Responsible for communication of information between the CNS and the body's non-skeletal muscles and internal organs and glands with carry out basic bodily functions. Mostly not voluntary, however we can have some control over some of these. Subdivisions 'counterbalance' eachother. Sympathetic Nervous System - answer-Responsible for increasing the activity of most visceral muscles, organs and glands in times of vigorous activity, stress or threat. Prepares the body to run away, fight the threat, or remain completely still (fight, flight, freeze response). Activates when emergency or crisis percieved. Parasympathetic Nervous System - answer-In minimal stress and threat, helps to maintain the internal body environment in a steady balanced state. Generally counterbalances sympathetic nervous system, restoring the body to a state of calm. Responsible for homeostasis, maintaining balance in day to day bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion. Somatic Nervous System - answer-Controls the voluntary movement of skeletal muscles. Sensory (afferent) information is received at sensory receptor sites in the body, and carried along sensory neural pathways by sensory neurons. Motor (efferent) information is carried along motor neural pathways by motor neurons to skeletal muscles to control their activity (contraction or relaxation). Sensory Nervous System - answer-Sensory (afferent) information is received at sensory receptor sites in the body, and carried along sensory neural pathways by sensory neurons. Motor Nervous System - answer-Motor (efferent) information is carried along motor neural pathways by motor neurons to skeletal muscles to control their activity (contraction or relaxation). Conscious Response - answer-A reaction that involves awareness, voluntary and 'intentional'. Can be in response to internal or external stimuli. Likely goal directed, with the individual able to exercise some degree of control over it. Unconscious Response - answer-A response that doesn't involve awareness, it is involuntary, unintentional, automatic, and the subject cannot ordinarily control its occurrence, occurs automatically without conscious effort. Can be the through Autonomic Nervous System or Reflexes. Spinal Reflex - answer-An unlearned response to a sensory stimuli, a simple behaviour which contributes to our survival/safety, controlled without the brain. Monosynaptic Reflex Arc - answer-Involves only one synapse of an affector (afferent) and effector (efferent) neuron. Polysynaptic Reflex Arc - answer-These involve interneurons connecting the affector Polysynaptic Reflex Arc Step 1 - answer-Sensory neurons carry the message along a sensory pathway to the spinal cord. Polysynaptic Reflex Arc Step 2 - answer-Interneurons in the spinal cord relay the message to motor neurons. Polysynaptic Reflex Arc Step 3 - answer-Motor neurons carry the message along a motor pathway to hand muscles, causing a withdrawal reflex. For example, the frying pan is released before the brain perceives pain. Polysynaptic Reflex Arc Step 4 - answer-While the spinal reflex occurs, sensory neurons are also carrying the message further up the spinal cord to the brain Polysynaptic Reflex Arc Step 5 - answer-The message is recieved in the area of the brain that processes this type of sensory info and interprets it as pain in the hand. Neuron - answer-Carries neural messages in the form of 'action potentials' to the appropriate part of the nervous system to interpret the message and create a response. May vary in size and shape and depends on specialisation. Soma - answer-Aka. Cell Body, combines neural info from dendrites and send to axon. Includes nucleus inside. Axon - answer-Tubelike extension that transmits neural messages to other neurons or cells in muscles and glands. Nodes of ranvier - answer-The gap between myelin sheaths. Axon Terminals - answer-Small knob like tip at the end of the branch at the end of the axon, secretes neurotransmitter. Dendrite - answer-Extension of a neuron which receives info from another neuron. Includes dendritic spines, which have receptor sites for receiving information from nearby neurons. Myelin (Myelin Sheath) - answer-Fatty white substance made of glial cells which surrounds the axon, stops interference from other neurons and allows for the rapid transmission of messages. Sensory Neurons - answer-(Afferent neurons). Receive and carry information from internal and external environments and transmits to the CNS. Motor Neurons - answer-(Efferent neurons) Carry information from CNS to cells in skeletal muscles, organs and glands. Interneurons - answer-Only found within the CNS and carry information between sensory and motor neurons within the CNS. Neurotransmitter - answer-Produced by neurons, carrying messages to other neurons in muscles organs or other issues. Must bind itself to receptor sites of post synaptic neurons, and these receptor sites are specialised to receive particular neurotransmitter. Synapse - answer-The synapse is the site where communication occurs between adjacent neurons. Components of a Synapse - answer-The synaptic gap, the terminal buttons of the presynaptic neuron and the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron. Synaptic Gap - answer-The tiny space between the terminal buttons of a presynaptic neuron and the dendrites of a postsynaptic neuron. What happens if neurotransmitters don't bind? - answer-It is absorbed into the terminal buttons of the presynaptic neuron via a process called reuptake. If binding occurs but there is excess neurotransmitter, leftover chemical is reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron. Medication can alter this. Reuptake - answer-If binding occurs but there is excess neurotransmitter, leftover chemical is reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron. Medication can alter this. Excitatory effects - answer-Stimulates or activates postsynaptic neurons to perform their functions and fire. Glutamate - answer-Excitatory. Enhances information transmission. Second most abundant neurotransmitter in the brain. Involved in perception, thinking, movement and enhances the process of learning and memory. Without glutamate - answer-Can be harmful to brain functioning. Inhibitory Effect - answer-Neurotransmitters block or prevent postsynaptic neurons from firing. GABA - answer-Inhibitory. Role is to maintain neurotransmission at an optimal level. Low levels are