1. Ch. 3– Brain Communication, Central Nervous and Endocrine System
Goals:
Describe a nerve cell and summarize its role in brain/body communication.
Analyze central nervous system and peripheral nervous systems.

2. Biological Psychology
Branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior- focuses on the structure of the brain, and the nervous, and endocrine system.
Biological psychologists call themselves
behavioral neuroscientists
neuropsychologists
behavior geneticists
physiological psychologists
biopsychologists

3. The Nervous System
The electrochemical communication system of the body
Brings information to the brain from the senses
Sends messages from the brain to the body for movement

4. Brain Communication
Neuron – nerve cell- building block of brain- receives, carries and passes on information Dendrite- message receptors Axon-passes messages away from cell to other neurons Soma – main cell body where nucleus is- determines health of the neuron Myelin Sheath – covers the axon and helps speed up the impulses Terminals – End of axon- these form junctions with dendrites of other neurons for passage of nerve pulses

5. Neurons
Neurons “fire”—send an impulse down their length—or they don’t “fire”
Neurons come in a variety of shapes, sizes, etc.
All or None principal … like a toilet.
Whether it is tasting fresh baked chocolate chip cookies, experiencing your first kiss, being tickled or suffering from depression… all begin with neurons either firing or not firing.
Neurological disorders: MS, Parkinson’s, Lou Gehrig’s…
Variety of shapes, sizes, but all have similar structure. Very short to a meter long ( in legs)

6. Neural Communication (#2)
Action Potential
A neural impulse
A brief electrical charge that travels down the axon of the neuron.
Considered an “on” condition of the neuron
Generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon’s membrane

7. Refractory Period
The “recharging phase” when a neuron, after firing, cannot generate another action potential
Once the refractory period is complete the neuron can fire again

8. Resting Potential
The state of a neuron when it is at rest and capable of generating an action potential
The neuron is set and ready to fire

12. All or None Principal
The all-or-none law is the principle that the strength by which a neuron responds to a stimulus is independent of the strength of the stimulus.
As long as there is enough energy to trigger the cell, it will give a complete response; otherwise, there is no response.

13. Brain Communication Synapse- fluid filled gap between neurons
Neurotransmitter-chemical messengers between neurons- can either trigger or inhibit impulses (action potentials)
(Know the three mentioned in the text on p.128)

14. Neural Pulse Demonstration
Think Pair Share
Share one thing you learned and one question you have about the neural impulse
If you can, help each other out in answering your questions.
Neural Pulse Demonstration

15. Central Nervous System
Central Nervous System -Two main components: the Brain and the Spinal Cord BRAIN- main information processing center SPINAL CORD- main pathway for information in and out of brain Reflexes- neural impulses that are initiated by the spinal cord without involving the brain.

16. Peripheral Nervous System
-Two parts – Somatic and Autonomic
Somatic Nervous System-
functions- Motor nerves that are activated voluntarily, large muscle group movements initiated by you.
Autonomic Nervous System- movements and actions that happen without you conciously thinking about them – 2 parts
-Sympathetic- triggered by threats challenging situations (fight or flight) these actions prepare you for an emergency response (giant automatic on switch)
-Parasympathetic- this response is designed to calm you down and return you to your “normal” – (automatic off switch)

17. Endocrine System Hormone Glands
Know four major glandular systems and their functions
Pituitary- (growth hormone)
Thyroid- (metabolism)
Adrenal- (adrenaline)
Gonads- (androgen & estrogen)