The Nervous System: Neurochemistry and the Impact of Drugs on Behaviour

Understand the role of neurons.

Describe structure of a neuron e.g. dendrites, cell body, nucleus, axon, myelin sheath, schwann cell, axon terminal, Node of Ranvier. Students could also label a diagram.

Describe function e.g. specialized nerve cell that transmits information to the brain and the rest of the nervous system using electrical and chemical signals.

Key features of synapse e.g. Axon terminal, vesicle, neurotransmitters, calcium gated ion channels, synaptic cleft, receptor molecules, reuptake proteins, pre-synaptic membrane, post-synaptic membrane. Students could label a diagram of a synapse.

Explain what is meant by ‘action potential’. E.g. an electrical impulse that travels down the axon of a neuron, away from the cell body.

Assessment Criteria

• 1.1

  Describe the structure and function of neurons.

• 1.2

  Describe the key features of a synapse.

• 1.3

  Explain what is meant by ‘action potential’.

Understand the role of neurotransmitters. 

Explain the differences between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters. E.g.

Neurotransmitters are more likely to fire an action potential whilst inhibitory makes it less likely to fire an action potential. Electro-chemically processes behind inhibition could also be explained e.g. When excitatory neurotransmitters bind with receptors on the post synaptic neuron, sodium ions flood into the cell resulting in an action potential.

Explain how two neurotransmitters influence behaviour. E.g. Gaba, Serotonin, acetylcholine, dopamine.

Assessment Criteria

• 2.1

  Explain the role of neurotransmitters.

• 2.2

  Explain the differences between inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters.

• 2.3

  Explain how two neurotransmitters influence behaviour.

Understand how drugs influence neurotransmitters and synaptic transmission.

Explain the role of agonists, antagonists and reuptake inhibitors. E.g. agonist mimics affects of neurotransmitters, antagonists block the effects of neurotransmitters and reuptake inhibitors block reuptake proteins.

Explain how one drug, used to treat a psychological disorder, influences neurotransmitter and synaptic transmission. E.g. SSRIs, SARIs for depression or antipsychotics such as clozapine for schizophrenia.

Evaluate the effectiveness of the drug, chosen for 3.2, for the treatment of a psychological disorder. E.g. benefits and limitations of drug. Research/drug trials that has investigated the effectiveness of the drug could also be included.

Assessment Criteria

• 3.1

  Explain the role of agonists, antagonists and reuptake inhibitors.

• 3.2

  Explain how one drug, used to treat a psychological disorder, influences neurotransmitter and synaptic transmission.

• 3.3

  Evaluate the effectiveness of the drug, chosen for 3.2, for the treatment of a psychological disorder.