This document provides a digital summary sheet (created on powerpoint) for every module within the 'Biopsychology' topic of Psychology A level. Each summary sheet provides in varying detail an outline (AO1) and 3-4 evaluation points (AO3) of the topic. Every slide has the required information to co...
Nervous System Neurons
The nervous system and Neurons which car
Central Nervous Peripheral impulses
System Nervous System messages
nervous s
Spinal Somatic Nervous Autonomic Nervous body. Sign
Brain System transmitte
chord System
within ne
Central nervous system Sympathetic Parasympathetic transmitte
(CNS): Controls all branch of ANS branch of ANS between
behaviour and physiological are aroun
processes. It is made up of neurons i
Brain: Analyses and stores information and direct
the brain and spinal chord. and 80% o
actions of the body. Provides conscious
awareness. located in
Peripheral nervous system: Cell body (stoma): Holds the nucleus.
Relays nerve impulses from
Spinal Chord: Relays information to and from the
the CNS to the rest of the Dendrites: Branch-like structures which receive an impulse fro
brain as well as being responsible for reflex
body and from the rest of or a sensory receptor.
actions.
the body to the CNS
Nucleus: Contains all genetic information for the neuron.
Somatic nervous system: Enables us to respond to sensory information and
perform voluntary actions/movements through a use of sensory receptors and Myelin Sheath: Fatty tissue surrounding the axon which prote
motor pathways. the electrical impulse to be transmitted more rapidly (insulate
Autonomic nervous system: Regulates involuntary functions using motor
pathways (e.g., breathing, increases/decreases in heart rate.) Is necessary to Axon: Carries the electrical impulse from the cell body to the a
conduct homeostasis and consists of two sub-divisions.
Axon terminals/terminal buttons: Located at the end of the ax
Sympathetic branch: Quick response mobilizing system, gets the body ready for communicate the impulse to the next neuron, across a synaps
action (fight or flight response.)
Parasympathetic branch: More slowly activated dampening system, returns the Nodes of Ranvier: Gaps between myelin sheath which helps sp
body to a calmer state after a period of activation (e.g., slows heartbeat.) transmission by allowing the impulse to ‘jump’ from node to n
, Sensory neurons: Receive impulses and carry them from the sense
organs (eyes, nose, ears, tongue, skin) to the CNS (spinal chord or brain). Electrical transmission:
• Located in the PNS. 1. In a resting state a neuron is negatively charged.
• Sensory neurons have long dendrites, short axon and a cell body in 2. When an impulse is received by dendrites, it changes the neuron fro
the middle of the cell. positively charged.
• Dendrites form synapses with receptors and axon terminals form 3. This creates an Action Potential (the electrical impulse).
synapses with relay neurons. 4. Action potential travels along the axon to the axon terminal.
5. At the axon terminal, its electrical message is converted into a chem
Relay neurons: Pass impulses between/ connect sensory and motor order to communicate with the next neuron across a synapse.
neurons. Interprets impulses.
Synaptic transmission: the process of transferring chemical messages fr
• Located in the CNS (only in brain and spinal chord.) to another.
• Relay neurons have short dendrites, short axon and a cell body.
• Dendrites form synapses with sensory neurons and axon terminals 1. An electrical signal reaches the axon terminal and triggers vesicles
form synapses with motor neurons. neurotransmitters) to fuse with the presynaptic membrane.
2. This releases their NT’s and they diffuse across the synapse (the mi
Motor neurons: Carries impulses from the CNS (brain and spinal chord) between neurons) towards the receiving neuron.
to muscles or glands which carry out a response (effectors.) 3. The NT’s then bind with receptor sites on the dendrites of the post
(these receptor sides specialised to bind to specific NT’s.)
• Located mainly in PNS with some crossing into CNS 4. This causes either an excitatory or inhibitory response in the postsy
• Motor neurons have short dendrites, long axon and a cell body 5. NT’s then released from receptors and either broken down by enzy
• Dendrites form synapses with relay neurons and axon terminals form back up to the presynaptic neuron for reuse (Reuptake.)
synapses with effectors
Whether an action potential occurs in the postsynaptic neuron depends whether the net effec
neurotransmitters is excitatory or inhibitory. Summation= this process of addition. Whichever
neurotransmitter there is more of will be the response. Excitatory neurotransmitters causes th
neuron to be activated and produce a new action potential in the postsynaptic neuron. Examp
Acetylcholine & Noradrenaline. Inhibitory neurotransmitters reduce the chances of the receivi
becoming activated and therefore reduces the chance of a new action potential being created.
enhancing the postsynaptic neurons negative charge and examples include GABA and Seroton
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