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central nervous system (CNS)
brain and spinal cord
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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
- made of nerves that relay messages between CNS and body's sensory organs, muscles and glands.
- two parts: somatic and autonomic
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somatic nervous system (SNS)
governs voluntary activites
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Autonomic nervous system (ANS)
- primarily involuntary activities, but biofeedback, and hypnosis show they can have some voluntary control
- divided into two parts: sympathetic and parasympathetic branches
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Sympathetic branch
- of autonomic nervous system
- arousal and expenditure of engergy
- ex. fight for flight: reaction to a threat causes dilation of pupils, dry mouth, inhibition of perstalsis, sweating, increased blood pressure and heart rate
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parasympathetic branch
- conservation of energy
- active during digestion and periods of rest adn relaxation
- biofeedback activates the parasympathetic branch
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neuron
- nerve cell involved in mental processes and behavior
- consists of dendrites, cell body (soma) and axon
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axon
- part of neuron
- trasmits info to other cells
- covered in myelin sheath which insulates and speeds up conduction of nerve impulses
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neruotransmitter
this is released by nerve impulses into the synapse (gap between neurons)
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6 types of neurotransmitters
- acetylcholine (ACh)
- catecholamines: norepinephrine, epinephrine (adrenaline), dopamine
- serotonin
- gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
- glutamate
- endorphins
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Acetylcholine (ACh)
- causes muscles to contract and involved in memory
- Alzheimer's dementia- deterioration of ACh in brain
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Catecholamines
- norepinephrine- noradrenaline, epinephrine- adrenaline, dopamine- regulation of movement: all involved in personality, mood, memory and sleep
- Depression- low levels of norepinephrine and dopamine
- schizophrenia and tourette's syndrome- excessive activity at dopamine synapses
- Parkinson's disease- degenerations of dopamine receptors cause tremors
- stimulant drugs (opiates, alcohol, nicotine)- elevated levels of dopamine
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