1. Neurons Nervous System Endocrine System The Brain

2. Biological Psychology  A branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior/mental processes  We are all biopsychological systems.  Systems are composed of subsystems and then even smaller systems.  Separate but interconnected

4. Neuron  Nerve cell  Building block of the nervous system  Found all over the body  Brain  Legs  Eyes  Anywhere there are nerves

5. Dendrites  The bushy extensions of a neuron that receive messages Dendrites

6. Soma  Cell body  Contains nucleus – DNA, genetics, etc Soma

7. Axon  The extension of a neuron through which electrical messages pass AXONAXON

8. Myelin Sheath  Layer of fatty tissue on the axon that…  Protects axon  Speeds neural impulse (the message) Myelin Sheath Multiple sclerosis – a disease in which the myelin sheath degenerates resulting in a slowing of all communication to muscles and the eventual loss of muscle control

9. DENDRITES LISTEN… … AXONS SPEAK

10. Axon Terminals  Branches at the end of an axon that send messages to the dendrites of another neuron.  End in axon terminal buttons Axon Terminals Axon Terminal Buttons

11. Synapse  The junction between neurons.  Synaptic gap, synaptic cleft, etc  Less than a millionth of an inch wide Synapse

12. Action Potential  A neural impulse in the form of a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon  A neuron fires an impulse when it receives a signal from sense receptors or by the neurotransmitters from another neuron. Direction of ACTION POTENTIAL

13. Threshold  The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse.  All-or-nothing It either fires… … or it doesn’t.

15. I need 5 volunteers…  Stand next to each other facing the class.  Hold hands.  The person farthest to the RIGHT wants to send a message to the person farthest to the LEFT (without actually talking)– how will we do this?  When you feel the squeeze of your right hand, squeeze the right hand of the person beside you.

16.  Right hand and arm  DENDRITES  Chest  SOMA  Left arm  AXON  Left hand  AXON TERMINALS

17. Neurotransmitters  Chemical messengers that travel across the synaptic gap between neurons  How neurons talk to each other 1. Action potential reaches the axon’s terminal buttons. 2. Buttons release neurotransmitters (chemicals) 3. Travel across the synapse 4. Bind/connect to receptor sites on the next neuron’s dendrites

18. Neurotransmitters  Lock-and-key relationship between the neurotransmitter and the receptor site.  When the neuron receives neurotransmitters, it will fire/not fire

20. Neurotransmitters  Many types of neurotransmitters that affect us differently and are found in different parts of the brain NeurotransmitterFunctionExamples of Malfunction Acetylcholine (ACh) Enables muscle action, learning, and memory. Alzheimer’s disease – ACh producing neurons deteriorate. DopamineInfluences movement, learning, attention, and emotion (reward/pleasure) Excess dopamine receptor activity is linked to schizophrenia. Too little dopamine in the brain can lead to Parkinson’s disease (tremors and decreased mobility). SerotoninAffects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal Too little serotonin is linked to depression. (Anti-depression drugs raise serotonin levels) NorepinephrineHelps control alertness and arousal Too little can depress mood Dopamine Serotonin

21. Endorphins  Natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure  Inhibit (block) pain  Ex: Runner’s high  One of the top suggested remedies for depression is exercise  naturally produce chemicals that will stimulate pleasure and happiness INTERACTIVE NEURON “Happy people don’t kill their husbands!”

22. IMPORTANT  Communication WITHIN a neuron…  ELECTRICAL – action potential  Communication BETWEEN neurons…  CHEMICAL - neurotransmitters

24. Nervous System  The body’s speedy electrochemical communication network consisting of all nerve cells  Building blocks are neurons  2 parts  Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)  Central Nervous System (CNS) Nervous System PNSCNS

25. Central Nervous System (CNS)  The brain and the spinal cord

26. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)  the sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body.  Everything but the brain and spinal cord

27. Nerves  In the PNS  Neural cables  Connect the CNS to muscles, glands, and sense organs  Ex: optic nerve connects the eye to the brain (sense organ – PNS to the brain – CNS)

28. Nervous System Neurons  Information travels through the nervous system in 3 type of neurons. 1. Sensory neurons – carry incoming information from the senses to the CNS 2. Interneurons – CNS neurons that internally communicate between sensory inputs and motor outputs 3. Motor Neurons – carry out going information from the CNS to muscles and glands Sensory feel… Inter interpret… Motor move

29. What happens if the Spinal Cord is severed?  Paralysis because sensory messages cannot reach brain and motor messages cannot leave brain  Paraplegia - patient can still move two limbs  Quadriplegia - all four limbs are paralyzed  Most famous case in recent times was the actor Christopher Reeves ( d. 2004)

31. Somatic and Autonomic Nervous Systems  Somatic – controls the body’s skeletal muscles  Running, dancing, etc  Autonomic – controls the glands and the muscles of internal organs  Heartbeat, digestion, sweating PNS AutonomicSomatic Somatic – Skeletal Autonomic - Automatic

32. Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems  Sympathetic – arouses the body  Parasympathetic – calms the body  Parasympathetic - paralyzing Autonomic SympatheticParasympathetic

33. Let’s Put It All Together! Nervous System Peripheral (PNS) SomaticAutonomic ParasympatheticSympathetic Central (CNS)

35. Endocrine System  The body’s “slow” chemical communication system made of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream  Hormones – chemical messengers manufactured by glands  Travel slowly in the bloodstream  When hormones act on the brain, they can trigger interest in sex, food, aggression, “flight or fight”  Gland - An organ in the body that secretes a substance for use somewhere else in the body

36. Hormones vs Neurotransmitters HormonesNeurotransmitters  chemical messengers for the endocrine system  Travel in the blood stream  Chemical messengers in the brain  Travel in the brain in the synapse between neurons The endocrine system tries to keep a balance in the body while we respond to feelings of stress, anger, fear, and exertion.

37. Adrenal Gland  Pair of glands above the kidneys that release adrenaline and noradrenalin which helps to arouse the body in times of stress  Increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar for energy  Hormones can last in the bloodstream after the triggering event. Daughter Lifts Car Off Dad

38. Pituitary Gland  Small pea-shaped gland in the limbic system of the brain  Most influential gland – “master” gland  Regulates growth (growth hormone) and controls other glands  Controlled by the hypothalamus Gigantism Gigantism – caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland

40. The Brain  Brain size ≠ Intelligence  Brain structure and complexity = Intelligence

41. Brainstem  Begins where the spinal cord enters the brain, responsible for basic survival functions  severe brainstem injuries = death Brainstem = area in the red box

42. Medulla  At the base of the brain stem  Controls heartbeat and breathing

43. Pons  Above the medulla  Helps coordinate movement by relaying information to the cerebellum

44. Thalamus  On top of the brainstem  The brains sensory switchboard, directs sensory input to the correct areas in the brain

45. Reticular Formation  A nerve network in the brainstem  Helps control arousal and sleep  When stimulated, it arouses your focus.  If severed, you could enter a coma.  Narcolepsy = malfunction of reticular formation

46. Cerebellum  Attached at the rear of the brainstem  “little brain”  Processes sensory input and coordinates movement and balance

47. Limbic System  In the core of the brain above the brainstem  Associated with emotion and smell

48. Hippocampus  In the temporal lobe  Processes/stores memories

49. Amygdala  Bean sized structures above the hippocampus  Helps in the storage of emotional events/memories  Influences fear and aggression

50. Hypothalamus  Below the thalamus  Directs maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp.)  Controls the pituitary gland  Interprets emotions and tells the pituitary gland which glands need to secrete hormones

51. Cerebral Cortex  Interconnected cells that cover the hemispheres of the brain  Like bark on a tree  Divided into 4 lobes - FPOT

52. Frontal Lobe  Behind the forehead  Speaking, muscle movements, making plans/judgments, personality  Contains the motor cortex that sends outgoing movements.

53. Parietal Lobe  At the top of the head.  Contains the sensory cortex that receives incoming sensory information

54. Occipital Lobe  At the rear of the brain  Contains the visual cortex that receives and interprets information from the opposite visual field.

55. Temporal Lobe  On either side of the head between the ears.  Contains the auditory cortex that receives auditory input, each of which receive information from the opposite ear.

56. Association Areas  Areas in the cerebral cortex that are not the sensory, motor, visual, or auditory cortexes.  Broca’s area  In the left hemisphere in the frontal lobe  Controls language expression and speech  Wernicke’s area  In the left hemisphere in the temporal lobe  Controls language reception and comprehension

57. Split Brain  When the two brain hemispheres are not attached by the corpus callosum  Corpus callosum  Band of neural fibers that connects the two brain hemispheres together and allows them to communicate  Possible to survive with a split brain, but may have difficultly integrating vision, speech, and motor skills.

58. Studying the Brain  Lesion – damage to brain tissue  Allows us to study the functions of the brain in circumstances that would be unethical to replicate  Ex: Phineas Gage  Gabrielle Giffords’ brain after attempted assassination Gabrielle Giffords’ brain  still has difficulty speaking and walking, and her right arm is paralyzed. She continues to undergo speech and physical therapy.

59. Electroencephalogram (EEG)EEG  An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface; measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

60. Positron emission tomography (PET) Scan  A visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

61. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)  A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer- generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue, allowing us to see structures within the brain.

62. Functional MRI (fMRI) -  A technique for revealing blood flow and therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans