1 Neuroscience and Behavior

2 What are neurons? n How do they transmit information?

3 Neurons n Nerve cells u Basic building blocks of the body’s information processing system. n Made up of u Dendrites u Axons

4 Dendrites n Receive information

5 Axon fibers n Transmit information to other u Neurons u Muscles u Glands

6 How do neurons communicate to other cells to influence our behavior?

7 Synapse (synaptic gap) n Chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) bridge the gap

8 Neurotransmitters n Enable communication between neurons

9 Endorphins n Neurotransmitters (similar to morphine) n Reduces pain u E.g. Childbirth

10 What are the parts of our nervous system? n What do these parts do?

11 Nervous system n Central nervous system u Brain and spinal column n Peripheral nervous system u Links central nervous system (spinal cord) to sense receptors, muscles and glands

12 Nervous system

13 Peripheral Nervous System n Sympathetic nervous system (Arousing) u Increases heartbeat & blood pressure n Parasympathetic nervous system (Calming)

14 Central nervous system n Brain and spinal column n Severed spinal cord E.g. u Bill - No genital sensations, but has an erection when stimulated.

15 Reflex n Simple reflex pathway u Knee-jerk reaction F A headless warm body could do it

16 How do we explore the connection among brain, mind, and behavior? n Recording the brain’s activity n Creating images of the brain’s activity

17 Recording the brain’s electrical activity n Electroencephalogram (EEG) n Brain waves

18 Neuroimaging techniques (creating images) n CT scan n PET scan n MRI scan

19 CT scan n Computed tomography n X-ray photographs

20 PET scan n Positron emission tomography scan n Radioactive glucose

21 MRI Scan n Magnetic fields and radio waves create images of the brain’s soft tissues.

22 The brain n Amygdala n Hippocampus n Angular gyrus n Corpus callosum n Medulla

23 Medulla n Most basic life sustaining functions

24 Cerebral Cortex n Best distinguishes us from other animals

25 Cerebral cortex lobes n Frontal n Parietal n Temporal n Occipital

26 Phineas Gage n Damage to frontal lobe

27 Corpus Callosum n Transmits information from one cerebral hemisphere to the other