A* worthy Psychology notes AQA
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, Nervous system Endocrine system Endocrine system + and the ANS work together for flight or fight
response.
- Network of cells + primary Stressor perceived by hypothalamus which activated= the pituitary.
- Works alongside the nervous system to control vital Systematic nervous system - aroused.
communication system functions in the body through the actions of hormones Adrenaline - released from adrenal medulla into the bloodstream.
- Based on electrical + chemical - More slowly than the nervous system This delivers the aroused state causing changes in target organs in
signals the body
1. To collect + process + respond to Glands - Increased heart rate
info in the environment - Organs that produce hormones - Dilation of pupils
2. Co ordinate the working different - Pituitary gland: master gland controls the release of - Decreased production of saliva
organs + cells in the body hormones from all the other endocrine glands in the body - Immediate + automatic - this response happens instant a
CNS threat is perceived.
Hormones Parasympathetic
- CNS = brain + spinal cord - Secreted in the bloodstream + affect any cell in the body - Takes over once the threat has passed.
- Brain - conscious awareness that has a receptor for the particular hormone - Returns the body to it resting state. Reduces the activities
- Outer layer - cerebral cortex - Thyroxine - produced by thyroid gland affects cells in the of the body that were increased by the actions of the
- 2 hemispheres heart and cells throughout the body which increases sympathetic branch.
metabolic rates.
Spinal cord
- Extension on the brain
- Responsible for reflex actions
- Passes messages to and from the
brain + connects the nerves to the
PNS
PNS
- Transmits messages via neurons
1. Autonomic - vital functions in the
body - involuntary ( heart rate +
breathing rate)
2. Somatic - voluntary
- Muscle movement + received info
from sensory receptors
, Structure + function of neurons Synaptic transmission
- Synapse: neuron is separated from the next - by a synapse
80% of neurons located in the brain - Chemical transmission: signals transmitted electrically within neuron
1. Sensory - long dendrites + short axons - Between neuron - chemically across
2. Relay - short dendrites + short axons - End of presynaptic terminal - triggers neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles to
3. Motor - short dendrites + long axons be released.
- Crosses gap - taken up by postsynaptic receptor site on next neuron - impulse travels
-
Cell body one direction.
-
Dendrites - Chemical converted back into electrical.
-
Axon: covered by myelin sheath - has schwann cells - nodes of ranvier - Acetylcholine - found where a motor neuron meets a muscle - causes muscle to
-
Terminal buttons at the end of axon - to communicate with the next contract
neuron in the chain across a gap called a - synapse - Serotonin - affects mood + social behaviour links to depression.
Resting state Excitation:
- Inside is negatively charged compared to outside - Adrenaline - increases positive charge of postsynaptic neuron - more likely neuron
Activated will fire
- Inside is positively charged cause an action potential to occur Inhibitory:
- Creates an electrical impulse that travels down the axon towards the end of - Serotonin - increases negative charge of postsynaptic neuron - less likely to fire.
the neuron. Both
- Dopamine
Summation:
- Excitatory + inhibitory summed + must reach a threshold in order for an action
potential to be triggered.
- If net effect = inhibitory = less likely to fire.
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