Psychology Chapter 2

Nervous System

(Left) Central Nervous system (CNS) is connected to the Brain and Spinal cord, connects brain and peripheral nervous system. (Right) Peripheral nervous system, carries messages to and from the CNS is connected to Somatic nervous system and Autonomic nervous system. Somatic system which controls voluntary muscles and transmits sensory info to the CNS. Autonomic nervous system controls involuntary body functions. Autonomic connects to Sympathetic nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. Sympathetic n. syst. arouses body to expend energy. Parasympathetic n. syst. calms the body to conserve and maintain energy.

How many neurons does your brain control?

100 billion neurons.

Lock-and-key system

A neurotransmitter's shape must precisely match that of a receptor site on the post synaptic neuron for the neurotransmitter to affect that neuron.

Pituitary gland

A pea-sized gland just under the brain. The hormones regulate the production of other hormones by many of the glands in the endocrine system. Also produces the growth hormone.

What is the study of Phrenology?

A pseudoscience founded by Frank Gall. Size and Shape of forehead.

Myelin Sheath

A white, fatty covering formed by glial cells. It helps insulate an axon from other axons. If damaged it becomes rapidly apparent.

Pons

Above the medulla. Represents the uppermost level of the hindbrain. Info from various other brain regions located higher up in the brain in relayed to the cerebellum via the pons.

Endorphins

Are released in response to stress or trauma and that they reduce the perception of pain. Runner's high.

What are spinal reflexes?

Automatic behaviors that occur without any brain involvement.

Cerebellum

Behind the pons. It controls balance, muscle tone, and coordinated muscle movement. Also involved int he learning of habitual or automatic movements and other motor skills.

How are messages transmitted from neuron to neuron?

By action potential.

Neuron

Cells that are highly specialized to recieve and transmit info from one part of the body to another.

Thyroid

Controls metabolism

Scientific findings from Phineas Gage's incident.

Damage to the are of the frontal lobes is associated with an impaired ability to make rational decisions in personal and social matters and also compromises the processing of emotions.

Two forms of communication between neurons.

Electric communication between the two neurons is instantaneous. Chemical communication occurs when the pre-synaptic neurons creates a chemical substance that diffuses across the synaptic gap.

Phineas Gage

He was blasting rock. The sand was not set on top of powder, and it blew up when Gage taped it with a pipe. The pipe went under his left eye to the right side of his head. He became stubborn, ill tempered, profane, and unreasonable. Incapable of carrying out plans and could no longer hold down a job.

GABA or gamma-aminobutyric acid

Helps balance and offset excitatory messages. Alcohol makes people feel relaxed partly by increasing GABA activity.

Norepinephrine

Helps the body gear up in the face of danger or threat. A key player in learning and memory retrieval. Mental disorders, especially depression.

Hippocampus

In temporal lobe in each hemisphere. Plays a role in the ability to form new memories of events.

Dopamine

Involved in movement, attention, learning, and pleasurable or rewarding sensations. Causes Parkinson's disease, which is characterized by rigidity, muscle tremors, poor balance, and difficulty movements. Excessive brain levels of dopamine are sometimes involved in the hallucinations and perceptual distortions that characterize the severe mental disorder called schizophrenia.

Serotonin

Involved in sleep, moods and emotional states, including depression.

Melatonin

Involved in the regulation of sleep and wakefulness.

Electroencephalograph

It allowed scientists to record the brains electrical activity through the use of large, disk-shaped electrodes placed harmlessly on a person's scalp.

Peripheral nervous system

It comprises all the nerves outside the central nervous system that extend to the outermost borders of your body, including skin.

Adrenal gland

It consist of the adrenal cortex which is the outer gland, and the adrenal medulla, which is the inner gland. Both adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla produce hormones that are involved in the human stress response.

What makes up the Central nervous System?

It includes the brain and the spinal cord.

Action Potential

It is produced by movement of electrically charged particles, called ions.

-70 millivolts negative charge

It is referred to as the neuron's resting potential.

Forebrain

Largest region of the brain. Also called cerebrum represents about 90% of the brain.

Medulla

Lies directly above the spinal cord and contains centers active in the control of sch vital autonomic functions as breathing, heart rate, and digestion. Also controls swallowing, coughing, vomiting, and sneezing.

Endocrine system

Made up of glands. involves the use of chemical messengers to transmit info from one part of the body to another by secreting messenger chemicals called hormones into the bloodstream.

Three structures make up the hindbrain

Medulla, pons, cerebellum.

What is a nerve. How is it different from a neuron.

Nerves are made up of large bundles of neuron axons. Unlike neurons, many nerves are large enough to be seen easily with the unaided eye.

All or none

Once the action potential starts it cannot be stopped. It's one way or its the other, there is on partial.

The Endocrine System Glands

Pineal gland, Hypothalamus, Pituitary gland thyroid gland, Adrenal Gland, Pancreas, Ovaries, Testes.

Adrenal medulla

Plays a key role in the fight or flight response. Sympathetic nervous system stimulates the adrenal medulla.

Pineal gland

Produces the hormone Melatonin

Pancreas

Regulates blood sugar levels and plays a key role in hunger, and eating.

Autonomic nervous system

Regulates involuntary functions, such as heartbeat, blood pressure, breathing, and digestion.

Thalamus

Rounded mass of cell bodies located within each hemisphere. It processes and distributes motor info and sensory info going to and from the cerebral cortex.

Name 3 types of neurons and give the function of each

Sensory neurons convey info about the environment. Also carry info from the skin and internal organs to the brain. Motor neurons communicate info to the muscles and glands of the body. Inter- neurons communicate info between neurons.

Hypothalamus

Serves as the main link between the endocrine system and the nervous system. It directly regulates the release of hormones by the pituitary glands.

Gonads

Sex organs. The ovaries and testes.

The point of communication between neurons

The Synapse

Definition of the Nervous System

The body's primary communication network.

The brain is referred to as "The Toughest Case to Crack"

The brain is encased in bone.

3 basic components of a neuron and how each helps the neuron do it's job.

The cell body contains structures that make proteins and process nutrients. Dendrites receive messages from other neurons or specialized cells. Axons carry info from the neuron to other cells in the body.

Neurogenesis

The development of new neurons.

Synaptic Transmission

The entire process of transmitting info at the synapse.

Acetylcholine

The first neurotransmitter discovered. Found in all motor neurons. Muscles contract, including the heart and stomach muscles. Important in memory, learning. and general intellectual functioning. Alzheimer's disease, progressive loss of memory and deterioration of intellectual functioning.

Post-synaptic neuron

The message receiving neuron.

Pre-synaptic neuron

The message sending neuron.

Stimulus threshold

The minimum level of stimulation.

Biological Psychology

The scientific study of the biological bases of behavior and mental processes.

Neuroscience

The scientific study of the nervous system.

Two branches of the autonomic system.

The sympathetic nervous system is the body's emergency system (fight or flight). The parasympathetic nervous system conserves and maintains your physical resources. Calm down.

Neurotransmitter

The synaptic vesicles hold special chemical messengers made by the neuron.

Four ways drugs affect synaptic transmission

They can block the reuptake of the neurotransmitters by sending neuron. Drugs can mimic specific neurotransmitters. A drug can block the effect of a neurotransmitter by fitting into the receptor sites, preventing the neurotransmitter from acting.

Glial cell

They provide structural support for neurons.

Primary function of a Neuron

To transmit info throughout the nervous system.

Nervous System, two main divisions

Up to 1 trillion neurons are linked throughout your body in a complex, organized communication network. Central nervous system, peripheral nervous system.

Hindbrain

connects the spinal cord with the rest of the brain. Sensory and motor pathways pass through the hindbrain to and from regions that are situated higher in the brain.

What is at the end of axons?

small branches called axon terminals.