Neurons, Neurotransmitters and Brain Function: A Deep Dive into the Nervous System - Prof., Study notes of Psychology

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Chp. 2 Biology and

Behavior

Chp. 2 Biology and

Behavior

Lecture

Donya James, MA

Lecture

Donya James, MA

Neurons and

Neurotransmitters

Neurons and

Neurotransmitters

• All of our thoughts, feelings, and

behavior can ultimately be traced to

the activity of neurons.

• The Neurons

• A specialized cell that conducts

impulses through the nervous system

and contains three major parts –

• (^) A cell body
• (^) Dendrites
• (^) An axon

• All of our thoughts, feelings, and

behavior can ultimately be traced to

the activity of neurons.

• The Neurons

• A specialized cell that conducts

impulses through the nervous system

and contains three major parts –

• (^) A cell body
• (^) Dendrites
• (^) An axon

TypesTypes ofof NeuronsNeurons

• (^) Afferent neurons (Sensory),
  • (^) relay information from the senses to the

brain and spinal cord.

• Eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin
• (^) Efferent neurons (motor),
• send information from the central nervous

system to the glands and muscles,

• (^) enables the body to move.
• (^) Interneurons
• (^) carry information between neurons
• (^) in the brain
• in the spinal cord
• (^) Afferent neurons (Sensory),
• relay information from the senses to the

brain and spinal cord.

• (^) Eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin
• (^) Efferent neurons (motor),
• (^) send information from the central nervous

system to the glands and muscles,

• enables the body to move.
• (^) Interneurons
• (^) carry information between neurons
• in the brain
• (^) in the spinal cord

SynapseSynapse

• (^) Structures at Synapse - (^) Axon Terminal - Synaptic Vesicles - (^) Neurotransmitters - (^) Synaptic Cleft - (^) Receptor sites
• (^) Structures at Synapse
• (^) Axon Terminal
• (^) Synaptic Vesicles
• Neurotransmitters
• (^) Synaptic Cleft
• (^) Receptor sites

ReviewReview andand ReflectReflect 2.12.

• (^) Acetylcholine
• (^) Dopamine
• (^) Norepinephrine
• (^) Epinephrine
• (^) Serotonin
• (^) Glutamate
• (^) GABA
• (^) Endorphins
• (^) Acetylcholine
• (^) Dopamine
• (^) Norepinephrine
• (^) Epinephrine
• (^) Serotonin
• (^) Glutamate
• (^) GABA
• (^) Endorphins Neurotransmitters Their Functions Affects movement, learning, memory, and REM Sleep Affects movement, attention, learning, and reinforcement Affects eating, alertness, and wakefulness Affects metabolism of glucose, and energy release during exercise Affects mood, sleep, appetite, impulsivity, and aggression Active in areas of the brain involved in learning, thought, and emotion. Facilitates neural inhibition in the central nervous system Provide relief from pain, feelings of pleasure, and well being.

Major Structures of the Brain Major Structures of the Brain

TheThe LimbicLimbic SystemSystem

Special Centers of the

Brain

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/lang.html

Special Centers of the

Brain

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/lang.html

• Language

• (^) Broca’s Area
  • (^) Being able to speak language
• (^) Wernicke’s Area - (^) Being able to understand language

• Language

• (^) Broca’s Area
  • (^) Being able to speak language
• (^) Wernicke’s Area - (^) Being able to understand language

The Cerebral

Hemispheres

The Cerebral

Hemispheres

• Left Hemisphere

• Controls right side of body
• Coordinates complex movements
• Handles most language functions
• Mathematics and logic
• Information about the self and well being

• Right Hemisphere

• Controls left side of body
• Specialized visual-spatial perception
• Verbal associations, creative thought, and problem solving
• Musical processing in right auditory cortex

The Cerebral

Hemispheres

The Cerebral

Hemispheres

• The Split Brain

• Rare surgical treatment for severe epilepsy
• Corpus callosum is cut separating the two hemispheres
• Each half has separate sensations, thoughts, and perceptions
• When picture is shown to the right eye
  • Left hemisphere verbally reports what is seen
• When picture is shown to the left eye
  • Right hemisphere remembers what is seen but can not verbally report it.
  • Can pick out the shown item by touch with left hand

The Cerebral

Hemispheres

The Cerebral

Hemispheres

• Handedness –

• Brain differences suggest hemispheric specialization and development of handedness is related.
• 83% of population is right-handed
• 14% of population is left-handed
• 3% is ambidextrous
• LEFT-HANDERS
  • Corpus callosum is 11% larger
  • 2.5 million more nerve fibers
  • Two sides of brain are less specialized
  • New learning is more easily transferred from one side to the other
  • Higher rates of learning disabilities and mental disorders
  • Less language loss when injured and more likely to recover
  • Artists, musicians, and political leaders more likely left-handed

Discovering the Brain’s

Mysteries

Discovering the Brain’s

Mysteries

• Scanning Techniques

• (^) EEG (electroencephalogram)
  • (^) A record of brain wave activity
• (^) CT Scan (computerized axial tomography)
  • (^) Provides image of brain structure
• (^) MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
  • (^) Provides image of brain structure
• (^) PET Scan (positron-emission tomography)
  • (^) Image of brain structure and functioning
• (^) Function MRI (fMRI)
  • (^) Image of brain structure and functioning with out radioactivity

• Scanning Techniques

• (^) EEG (electroencephalogram)
  • (^) A record of brain wave activity
• (^) CT Scan (computerized axial tomography)
  • (^) Provides image of brain structure
• (^) MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
  • (^) Provides image of brain structure
• (^) PET Scan (positron-emission tomography)
  • (^) Image of brain structure and functioning
• (^) Function MRI (fMRI)
  • (^) Image of brain structure and functioning with out radioactivity

Age Differences in the Brain Age Differences in the Brain

• (^) When does the brain reach full maturity?
  • Growth occurs in spurts from conception into adulthood.
• Childhood and adolescent growth is associated with physical and intellectual advances
• Each growth spurt involves different brain area.
  • (^) Age 17-20 frontal lobe growth ability to plan and control emotions.
• (^) Synaptogenesis
  • (^) Dendrites and axons grow as synapses develop
• (^) Myelination
  • (^) Development of myelin sheaths around axons
• (^) Plasticity
  • (^) Brain’s ability to reorganize or reshape in response to internal and external sources
• (^) When does the brain reach full maturity?
• (^) Growth occurs in spurts from conception into adulthood.
• (^) Childhood and adolescent growth is associated with physical and intellectual advances
• (^) Each growth spurt involves different brain area.
• Age 17-20 frontal lobe growth ability to plan and control emotions.
• (^) Synaptogenesis
• (^) Dendrites and axons grow as synapses develop
• (^) Myelination
• (^) Development of myelin sheaths around axons
• (^) Plasticity
• (^) Brain’s ability to reorganize or reshape in response to internal and external sources

Age differences

(cont.)

Age differences

(cont.)

• (^) Synapses decrease throughout life
  • (^) When older synapses new growth slower than decay
• (^) Brain weight decreases begin around 30 years old.
• (^) Stroke
  • (^) Artery blockage or blood vessel bursting cuts off blood supply to brain
  • (^) Most common cause of brain damage
  • (^) Physical therapy can help recover some brain functioning.
• (^) Synapses decrease throughout life
• (^) When older synapses new growth slower than decay
• (^) Brain weight decreases begin around 30 years old.
• (^) Stroke
• (^) Artery blockage or blood vessel bursting cuts off blood supply to brain
• (^) Most common cause of brain damage
• (^) Physical therapy can help recover some brain functioning.