1. Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed)
Chapter 2
Neuroscience

2. Neural Communication Biological Psychology Neuron
branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior
some biological psychologists call themselves behavioral neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, behavior geneticists, physiological psychologists, or biopsychologists
Neuron
a nerve cell
the basic building block of the nervous system

3. Neural Communication Dendrite Axon Myelin [MY-uh-lin] Sheath
the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body
Axon
the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages are sent to other neurons or to muscles or glands
Myelin [MY-uh-lin] Sheath
a layer of fatty cells segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons
enables vastly greater transmission speed of neutral impulses

4. Neural Communication

5. Neural Communication Synapse [SIN-aps] Neurotransmitters
junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron
tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or cleft
Neurotransmitters
chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons
when released by the sending neuron, neuro-transmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether it will generate a neural impulse

6. Neuroanatomy Synapse Synapse
Neurotransmitters (chemicals held in terminal buttons that travel through synaptic gap)

7. Neural Communication Action Potential Threshold
a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon’s membrane
Threshold
the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

8. Neural Communication Cell body end of axon
Direction of neural impulse: toward axon terminals

9. Neural Communication

10. Neural Communication
Dopamine Pathways
Serotonin Pathways

11. TYPES OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS
Chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gap between neurons
Agonist – mimic neurotransmitters
**Example: Morphine mimics endorphins
Antagonist – block neurotransmitters
**Example: Poison blocks muscle movement
Did you know? Botox is an antagonist that paralyzes facial muscles!

12. Neural Communication Neurotransmitter Receiving cell molecule membrane
Receptor site on
receiving neuron
Agonist mimics
neurotransmitter
Antagonist
blocks

13. Neural Communication

14. Neural Communication Acetylcholine [ah-seat-el-KO-leen]
a neurotransmitter that, among its functions, triggers muscle contraction

15. Acetylcholine (ACH) Triggers muscle contraction
Deals with motor movement and memory.
Triggers muscle contraction
Lack of ACH has been linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

16. Neural Communication Endorphins [en-DOR-fins] “morphine within”
natural, opiatelike neurotransmitters
linked to pain control and to pleasure

17. Endorphins Involved in pain control.
Many of our most addictive drugs deal with endorphins.

18. Dopamine Deals with motor movement and alertness.
Lack of dopamine has been linked to Parkinson’s disease.
Too much has been linked to schizophrenia.
Think “Awakenings” L-Dopa

19. Serotonin Involved in mood control.
Lack of serotonin has been linked to clinical depression.

20. The Nervous System Nervous System Central Nervous System (CNS)
the body’s speedy, electrochemical communication system
consists of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems
Central Nervous System (CNS)
the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body

21. The Nervous System Central (brain and spinal cord) Nervous system
Autonomic
Somatic
Sympathetic
(arousing)
Parasympathetic
(calming)
Peripheral

22. The Nervous System Nerves neural “cables” containing many axons
part of the peripheral nervous system
connect the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

23. Somatic Nervous System
Peripheral nervous system that controls skeletal muscles
Controls voluntary muscle movement.
Uses motor (efferent) neurons.

24. Autonomic Nervous System
Controls the automatic functions of the body.
Divided into two categories…the sympathetic and the parasympathetic

25. Sympathetic Nervous System
Fight or Flight Response.
Automatically accelerates heart rate, breathing, dilates pupils, slows down digestion.

26. Parasympathetic Nervous System
Automatically slows the body down after a stressful event.
Heart rate and breathing slow down, pupils constrict and digestion speeds up.

27. The Nervous System

28. The Nervous System

29. The Nervous System Reflex
a simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus
Skin
receptors
Muscle
Sensory neuron
(incoming information)
Motor neuron
(outgoing
information)
Brain
Interneuron
Spinal cord

30. Reflexes
Normally, sensory (afferent) neurons take info up through spine to the brain.
SAME: sensory (afferent) motor (efferent)
Some reactions occur when sensory neurons reach just the spinal cord.
Survival adaptation.

31. The Brain

32. Ways to study the Brain!!!
Accidents: Phineas Gage.

33. Lesions: tissue destruction
Cutting into the brain and looking for change.
Brain tumors also lesion brain tissue.
Did you know? Nazis used to lesion the brains of Jews during experiments to see how their behavior would change. We know much of what we do today about the brain because of these experiments…

34. Electroencephalogram (EEG)
an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface
these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

35. The Brain CT (computed tomography) Scan
a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body; also called CAT scan
PET (positron emission tomography) Scan
a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
Active neurons are glucose hogs; shows where thought is
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain

36. PET Scan

37. MRI Scan

38. Brain Structures Some scientists divide the brain up into three parts.
Hindbrain
Midbrain
Forebrain

40. Pons Connects hindbrain, midbrain and forebrain together.
Involved in facial expressions.
Located right above medulla

41. The Brain

42. The Brain Brainstem Medulla [muh-DUL-uh]
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull
responsible for automatic survival functions
Medulla [muh-DUL-uh]
base of the brainstem
controls heartbeat and breathing

43. The Brain Reticular Formation Thalamus [THAL-uh-muss]
a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
Thalamus [THAL-uh-muss]
the brain’s sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem
it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
Did you know? Severing the reticular formation’s pathways will cause a coma.

44. Cerebellum Located in the back of our head- means little brain.
Coordinates muscle movements.
Like kicking a soccer ball into the goal.

45. The Limbic System

46. Limbic System EMOTIONAL CONTROL CENTER of the brain.
Made up of Hypothalamus, Amygdala and Hippocampus.

47. Hypothalamus Pea sized in brain, but plays a not so pea sized role.
Body temperature
Hunger
Thirst

48. Hippocampus and Amygdala
Hippocampus is involved in memory processing.
Amygdala is vital for our basic emotions. Influence aggression and fear.

49. The Cerebral Cortex Cerebral Cortex Glial Cells
the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres
the body’s ultimate control and information processing center
Glial Cells
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

50. Areas of the Cerebral Cortex
Divided into eight lobes, four in each hemisphere (frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal).
Any area not dealing with our senses or muscle movements are called association areas.

51. The Cerebral Cortex Frontal Lobes Parietal Lobes Occipital Lobes
involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
Parietal Lobes
include the sensory cortex
Occipital Lobes
include the visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field
Temporal Lobes
include the auditory areas

52. The Cerebral Cortex

53. The Cerebral Cortex Motor Cortex Sensory Cortex
area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
Sensory Cortex
area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations

54. The Cerebral Cortex

55. Our Divided Brain Corpus Callosum large band of neural fibers
connects the two brain hemispheres
carries messages between the hemispheres

56. Hemispheres Divided into a left and right hemisphere.
Contralateral controlled- left controls right side of body and vice versa.
Brain Lateralization
Right hempisphere: spatial and creative
Left hempisphere: language and logic
Lefties are better at spatial and creative tasks.
Righties are better at logic.

57. Our Divided Brain
The information highway from the eye to the brain

58. Split Brain
a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them

59. Split Brain “What word did you see?” or “Point with your left
hand to the
word you
saw.”
“Look at the dot.”
Two words separated
by a dot are
momentarily projected.

60. Visual and Auditory Cortex

61. Association Areas
More intellegent animals have increased “uncommitted” or association areas of the cortex

62. Language and the Brain Aphasia
impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca’s area (impaired speaking) or to Wernicke’s area (impaired understanding)

63. Language and the Brain Broca’s Area
an area of the left frontal lobe that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
BROKEN SPEECH (often telegraphic speech)

64. Language and the Brain Wernicke’s Area
an area of the left temporal lobe involved in language comprehension and expression
MEANINGLESS WORDS

65. Specialization and Integration
Brain activity when hearing, seeing, and speaking words

66. Brain Plasticity
The ability for our brains to form new connections after the neurons are damaged.
The younger you are, the more plastic your brain is.

67. Neural and Hormonal Systems
Endocrine System
the body’s “slow” chemical communication system
a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

68. Neural and Hormonal Systems
Hormones
chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another
Adrenal [ah-DREEN-el] Glands
a pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys
secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress
Pituitary Gland
under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands