PSYC 1315 1st Edition Lecture 5 Outline of Last Lecture I Cautions of experimental research II Research sample III Research settings IV Analyzing and interpreting data V Research ethics VI Animal research VII Conducting ethical research Outline of Current Lecture I Nervous system II Neurons and neurotransmitters Current Lecture I The Nervous System The body s electrochemical communication circuitry a Uses electricity and chemicals to communicate b Neuroscience study of the body s electrochemical communication circuitry c Characteristics of the nervous system i complexity ii integration iii adaptability plasticity iv electrochemical transmission d Pathways i Afferent Nerves 1 carry information spinal cord and brain 2 to the brain and spinal cord ii Efferent Nerves 1 carry information muscles 2 away from the brain and spinal cord These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute II e 2 Main Divisions in the Nervous System f 1 Central Nervous System CNS 1 brain and spinal cord g 2 Peripheral Nervous System PNS 1 somatic nervous system sensory motor nerves a Voluntary muscular activity 2 autonomic nervous system internal organs a sympathetic nervous system arouses i fight or flight mechanism b parasympathetic nervous system calms h Two Types of Cells in the Nervous System i Neurons 1 Majority information processing 2 The basic unit of the nervous system 3 about 100 billion in brain 4 mirror neurons in primates ii Glial Cells 1 provide support and nutrition 2 Greek for glue 3 The neurons helper i Structure i cell body ii dendrites iii axon iv myelin sheath j Neural Impulse i Axons ii ions ion channel iii negatively positively charged iv semipermeable membrane v polarization k Resting Potential i stable charge of an inactive neuron ii About 70 mV l Action Potential i A brief wave of positive electrical charge results from a cell firing ii once initiated cannot be stopped Neurotransmitters and Receptors a Neurotransmitters NTs are chemicals that transmit information from one cell to another b Stored in vesicles of the presynaptic cell in terminal buttons c Released in response to the action potential from the presynaptic membrane d Molecules NTs diffuse across the synaptic cleft and bind to postsynaptic receptors e Synapse Synaptic Gap i space between sending axon s terminal buttons and the receiving dendrite or cell body f Synaptic Transmission i electrical impulse is converted into a chemical signal ii axon vesicle releases neurotransmitter into gap iii dendrite receptor site detects neurotransmitter g Neurotransmitters carry information across the synaptic gap to next neuron h Types of neurotransmitters i Acetylcholine 1 Regulates muscle action learning and memory 2 muscle actions learning memory 3 black widow venom Ach levels 4 botox botulin Ach levels 5 Alzheimer s disease Ach levels ii GABA 1 Regulates firing rate 2 anxiety GABA levels iii Glutamate 1 excitatory 2 learning memory 3 involved in many psychological disorders iv Norepinephrine 1 stress and mania norepinephrine levels 2 depression norepinephrine levels 3 regulates sleep states in conjunction with ACh v Dopamine 1 The feel good chemical 2 Voluntary movement 3 reward anticipation 4 stimulant drugs activate dopamine receptors 5 Parkinson s disease dopamine levels 6 schizophrenia dopamine levels vi Serotonin 1 regulation of sleep mood attention learning 2 depression serotonin levels 3 prozac serotonin levels vii Endorphins 1 natural opiates 2 mediate feelings of pleasure and pain viii Oxytocin 1 both a hormone and a neurotransmitter 2 related to onset of lactation in new mothers 3 related to attachment emotional bonds