Irritability

Objectives
 Define stimulus and response, receptor and effector and the relationship to the
central nervous system
 Importance for survival
 Describe response in green plants and invertebrates
 Explain a reflex action
 Describe the function of the brain
 Physiological, social and economic effects of drug abuse
 Relate the structure of the eye to its functions
 Explain accommodation and sight defects
 Relate the structure of the skin to its function in temperature regulation and
protection
Terms

 Stimulus: a change in the environment to which an organisms responds

 Response: change the organism brings about due to a stimulus
 Receptor: receives the stimulus
 Effector: carries out the response

 Different organisms responds differently to stimuli

Importance

 Organisms need to be able to detect stimuli in their environment for survival.

 They need to :
 Find mates
 Find food
 Sense danger
 Plants respond to
 Light
 Gravity
 Touch
 Invertebrates respond to:
 Light
 Moisture
 Temperature
 Chemicals
 Investigations are carried out using a choice chamber
Explain what is happening in your body
What do humans respond to?

Humans have 5 sense organs:

 Ears
 Nose
 Tongue
 Skin
 Eyes
Nervous system

 The nervous system is made up of two main parts

-CNS: central nervous system (brain and spinal cord)

-PNS: Peripheral nervous system ( all nerves found in the body outside the CNS)
Neurons of the peripheral nervous
system
 Sensory neuron: transmits messages from the receptor to the relay neuron

 Motor neuron: transmits messages from the brain to the effector

 Relay neuron: transmit messages within the brain

How are the neurons linked?
Reflex actions

 These are rapid, almost instantaneous involuntary response to a stimulus

 There are cranial reflexes (messages sent to neurons in brain stem). Example:
blinking, pupil action
 Spinal reflexes (messages sent to neurons in the spinal cord). Example: knee
jerk, touching something hot.
Reflex arc
• This is the pathway through which reflex impulse
travel
Synapse

 Messages travel as electrical impulses

 These cannot cross the spaces (synapse) between neurons
 Messages are thus converted into a chemical form
 These are called neurotransmitters
 Once on the other side the messages are converted back into a electrical form
The brain

 The main parts of the brain are:

-cerebrum: sensory area, receives all impulses from receptors
-cerebellum: controls balance and coordination of muscular activity
-medulla oblongata: controls involuntary muscular actions e.g heartbeat,
breathing, swallowing, peristalsis, blood pressure
-hypothalamus: controls internal environment (homeostasis)
-pituitary gland: master gland which controls several other endocrine glands
 Drugs on the brain!!
 Drug: chemical substances that affects the normal functioning of the body.
 They can be legal or illegal. Lists some of them!
 Some drugs can have an adverse effect on the brain. Messages are blocked and
so are not passed on to other neurons. This affects how the person thinks and
function

 Damage to the spinal chord can cause paralysis.

 The damage blocks signals from being transmitted to other
neurons.

 The diagram shows decreased brain activity of a drug abuser.

The eye
Test yourself!
How do we see?

 Light reflects off objects and travels in a straight line to your eye.
 Light passes through the cornea, into the pupil and through the lens.
 The cornea and lens bend (refract) the light to focus on the retina.
 The image is inverted on the retina.
 Photoreceptors on the retina convert the light into electrical impulses.
 Rods: more numerous and are sensitive to light but not colour
 Cones: sensitive to colour
 The electrical impulses pass along the optic nerve to the brain.
 The brain processes the signals to create an image that is right side up.
Accommodation

 This is the adjustment of the lens when looking at near and far objects.
Looking at near and far objects
Adjustment

 Change in size of the iris which allow more or less light to enter
Eye defects
 Glaucoma: increased eye pressure which can cause permanent damage to the optic nerve (this
causes permanent blindness)
• Treatment: eye drops, laser surgery to reduce pressure and prevent the optic nerve from being
damaged.

 Cataract: clouding of the lens which decreases light passing through.

• Treatment: remove cataract and replace with artificial lens
The Skin

 The skin is the largest organ in the body.

 It contains 3 types of sensory neurons
 Touch/pressure receptor
 Pain receptor
 Temperature receptor
 It is responsible for thermoregulation
Thermoregulation
 The skin and protection
 The epidermis is waterproof (prevent evaporation) and also protects against
harmful chemicals in the environment
 Prevents the entry of pathogens
 Has melanin which protects against harmful ultra-violet rays
 Subcutaneous layer (adipose tissue layer) protects against heat loss
 Subcutaneous layer acts as padding and protects the body from damage

Skin care
 Clean daily using mild cleaners
 Moisturise makes the epidermis softer
 Apply sunscreen: The higher the sun protection factor (SPF) the more
effective
 Avoid using alcohol: this dries out the skin
 Skin bleaching

 Use of chemicals which lightens skin tone

 The reduce the production of melanin
 Some contain steroids which thins the skin
 Many skin bleaching creams contain hydroquinone
 Hydroquinone may cause mutations and cancer