Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Biological Bases of Behavior What do neurons look like I These are the basic parts Types of Neurons 1999 Prentice Hall 1 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 What do neurons really look like What do neurons do Collect inputs on their If sufficient input then produce an Send action potential down where it can influence other process with effects like a battery Neurons die and Neurons in the News The production of new neurons from immature stem cells cells cells Immature cells that renew themselves and have the potential to develop into mature cells 1999 Prentice Hall 2 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 How do neurons communicate The The axon of one neuron connects with the dendrites of the next What s an I Objective 14 What s an II An electro chemical event A Like a digital computer 1 or 0 1999 Prentice Hall 3 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 How do communicate are chemical junctions between neurons How do work How do work Action potential comes down Action potential arrives at Causes is released Into cleft absorbed on 1999 Prentice Hall 4 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Three Major Chemical Messenger Classes Released by neurons cause other neurons to fire Aka Endogenous opioid peptides Also function as or neurotransmitter modifiers Released by glands into Help regulate normal bodily functioning Major neurotransmitters a selection Acetylcholine Dopamine Endorphins Norepinephrine Serotonin GABA First identified Involved in control Disorders implicated in disease dementia of aged loss poison black widow spider 1999 Prentice Hall 5 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Drugs affecting Promotes release of acetylcholine can cause paralysis death toxin Poisonous agent produced by bacteria Blocks release of acetylcholine Reduces breathing rate rate can cause death Binds to and activates cholinergic receptors Blocks cholinergic receptors Quick acting quickly cleared from the body Involved in Disorders implicated in Reward control disease mainly motor but also emotional blunting disease di cognitive confusion Drugs that stimulate Alcohol indirectly indirectly indirectly 1999 Prentice Hall 6 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Involved in cycles state happy sad Drugs that alter LSD magic mushrooms Disorders implicated in Gamma aminobutyric acid Major neurotransmitter in the brain Involved in disorders Drugs that h affect ff major tranquilizers minor tranquilizers Gamma hydroxybutyrate Structure of the Nervous System Brain Spinal Cord Nervous N System S t Sympathetic NS Parasympathetic NS 1999 Prentice Hall 7 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Nervous System Cord cortexes compared The Structure of the Brain The brain can be divided into the and 1999 Prentice Hall 8 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Cortex I Cortex II Saggital Section Cerebral cortex Corpus callosum Limbic system Medulla Brain stem 1999 Prentice Hall Cerebellum 9 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Brain Damage Phineas Gage Phineas Gage Tamping iron blew up in his face Phineas Gage Phineas Gage Took two years to recover Changed personality Gage was no longer Gage Doctor 1999 Prentice Hall 10 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Dogs with cut brains were calmer late 1890 s 1930 s lobes are severed using a variety of Results Patients generally calmer less Patients have difficulty things planning or following through on activities Suggests functions of lobe Many patients have rather extensive brain damage more than was purposeful The Callosum Millions of connecting the brain s hemispheres Provides a p pathwayy for between hemispheres If surgically severed to treat hemispheres cannot directly 1999 Prentice Hall 11 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Experiment Subjects were presented information to one or the other side of their brains Patients P ti t id identified tifi d th the pictures i t tto th the i e boy When asked to to the face seen the patients pointed to the picture Two Hemispheres Split Brains 1999 Prentice Hall 12 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 The Two Hemispheres Allies or Opposites Research on split brain patients show us Nearly all right handed and the majority of left handed individuals process mainly in the hemisphere Many researchers believe in dominance Others insist important for spatial visual problem solving comprehending non verbal sounds and some language abilities Peripheral Nervous System Nervous System Sensory afferent inputs Motor efferent outputs Nervous System Objective 5 Somatic Nervous System Reflex Arc 1999 Prentice Hall 13 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Autonomic Nervous System ANS Sympathetic Fight or Flight ANS Parasympathetic 1999 Prentice Hall 14 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Genes Evolution and Environment Gene environment Both and play a role in behavior Nature nurture debate still strong Focused on the DEGREE of influence Unlocking the Secrets of Genes structures within cells that carry genes functional units of heredity which are composed of and specify the structure of proteins acid transfers characteristics by way of coded instructions for the structure of proteins 1999 Prentice Hall 15 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Each human has of chromosomes Sex chromosomes X Y Differences in Can have too many or too few chromosomes E g Down s Syndrome structure Joined by pairs of 4 amino acids Adenine Thymine Cytosine Guanine Errors in DNA can cause problems disease 1999 Prentice Hall 16 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Definitions A change in within a population over many generations A by which genetically influenced characteristics of a population may change Changes may occur due to or errors occurring during copying of original DNA sequence selection Evolution Selection Individuals with genetically influenced traits that are adaptive in a particular environment tend to and to in greater numbers As a result their traits become more in the population Natural Selection Misconceptions 1999 Prentice Hall 17 Behavioral Neuroscience 8 26 2008 Natural Selection Fitness Natural Selection Every human gene has features Many features come along for the ride Associated or linked to adaptive traits Examples Any others 1999 Prentice Hall 18