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UNC-Chapel Hill PSYC 101 - Unit Three- The Biological Bases of Behavior

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I. Neural CommunicationA. Neuron - building block of the nervous system. It uses both chemical and electrical signals to communicate messages to other neurons or muscles.Several components of the neuron:■ Cell body - contains the nucleus and it receives information from the dendrites.■ Dendrites - receive and send nerve signals from nerve to nerve■ Axon - sends the signal down the neuron and away from the cell bodyC. Action PotentialA brief electrical impulse by which information is transmitted along the axon of a neuron. ■ All neurons have a charge associated with them.B. Passage of a Nerve to a Reflex Action■ Synapse - the gap between nerve cells or a nerve cell and a muscle cell■ Synaptic vesicle - a small membrane that holds the neurotransmitter and eventually releases it into the synapse■ Postsynaptic Membrane - the surface of the cell body/axon that is on the opposite side of the synapse. It receives neurotransmitter and propagates the signalC. Neurotransmitter - are chemical messengers made by a neuron■ The human body contains hundreds of neurotransmitters.■ Endorphins are the best-known neurotransmitters. They can reduce pain or produce feelings of pleasure.■ Neurotransmitters play a role in your eating habits and body weight. When levels of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin are low you are hungry.■ Neurotransmitters play a role in influencing or causing psychological disorders: ● Dopamine -- Parkinson's Disease, Schizophrenia, ADHD● Serotonin -- Depression, Anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder ● Norepinephrine -- Anxiety, High Blood Pressure ● Acetylcholine -- Alzheimer’s Disease, Muscular disordersD. Drug Effects on Nervous System■ Psychoactive drugs have inhibitory or excitatory effects on the nervous system.■ Agonists -- drugs that mimic the effect of the neurotransmitter■ Antagonists -- drugs that inhibit the effect of the neurotransmitter■ Prozac -- an antidepressant that works as an agonist of serotonin■ Many drugs may have side effects because the drugs of choice may work on different neural pathways.III. Nervous SystemA. The Central Nervous System■ Comprised of the brain and spinal cord, the command center of the body■ spinal cord deals with the reflex or involuntary actions. The higher the site of damage to the spinal cord, the more severe the injury■ A common reflex is known as the “knee-jerk” reflex, used in a clinical neurologic exam■ The brain is required for voluntary movements.B. Peripheral Nervous System■ Connects the CNS with the rest of the body through nerves■ PNS carries incoming messages to the brain and outgoing signals to the body’s muscles and glands■ Somatic Division of the PNS● The somatic division of the PNS allows communication with the outside world. It carries information to the CNS and sends voluntary signals to your muscles. ■ Automatic Division of the PNS● The automatic division of the PNS carries information to the CNS and sends involuntary signals to the muscles.● Automatic divisions regulates digestion, respiration, sleep, and other vital functions. body functions and emotions● Sympathetic Nervous System -- the part of the autonomic system responsible for arousing the body and mobilizing its energy during time of stress. The “fight-or-flight” response allows you to either attack or flee from a situation.● Parasympathetic Nervous System -- part of the autonomic nervous system that allows a person to return to a calm and collected state after arousal from the sympathetic divisionIV. Endocrine SystemA. The endocrine system is a system of hormones that carries messages through different glandsB. Major glands and tissues■ Hypothalamus -- links the nervous and endocrine systems by receiving signals and causing the endocrine response. Also allows a human to sense thirst or hunger.■ Pituitary gland -- known as the “master gland” because it regulates the activity of several other glands. It is under the control of the hypothalamus. Controls human growth, abnormalities could cause extreme height or shortness■ Thyroid gland -- located near the trachea (throat) chemical thyroxin. inactive thyroid weight gain and eye distortion [overactive thyroid -- Graves’ Disease] lack of iodine result goiter. ■ Parathyroid gland -- located on the surface of the thyroid gland, produce parathormone■ Pancreas -- located near the kidneys; contains specialized cell that secrete hormones (insulin), regulate blood sugar.■ Adrenal glands -- located on top of the kidneys. In an emergency, the adrenal glands secrete hormones that cause an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and sugar levels, while simultaneously reducing blood flow to the digestive system.■ Gonads -- testes (Testosterone) and ovaries (Estrogen, Progesterone)V. The BrainA. Tools for Brain Research■ Electroencephalogram (EEG) -- electrical activity throughout the brain sweeps on regular waves across its surface● records the patterns of these waves● reveals areas of the brain that are most active during a particular task or changes in mental states.● can trace abnormal brain waves caused by brain malfunctions such as epilepsy■ Positron Emission Tomography (PET)● researchers inject radioactive glucose into a person’s bloodstream● produces color-coded images of the brain that give information about glucose metabolism● used to identify brain areas active during ordinary activities■ Computerized Tomography (CT)● uses x-rays to create a static picture of the brain● widely used, least expensive■ Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)● uses high-frequency magnetic field to produce detailed pictures of the brain● used to map brain structure and identify abnormalities (white and grey matter)● Functional MRI (fMRI) -- use of oxygen change by neurons to examine activityB. Hindbrain■ A region at the base of the brain that includes the medulla, the pons, and the cerebellum. It’s the oldest (first) part of the brain to develop and controls automatic behaviors such as respiration and heartbeat.● Medulla -- controls vital life functions such as breathing, circulation, and swallowing● Pons -- it is responsible for sleeping, walking, and dreaming● Cerebellum -- located at the back of the brain, it is responsible for conditioning fine muscle movement and maintaining posture and equilibriumC. The Midbrain■ It integrates auditory and visual information and muscle movement■ The


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UNC-Chapel Hill PSYC 101 - Unit Three- The Biological Bases of Behavior

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