Psychology 202 Lecture Jan 29 2015 The machinery of the mind underlies psychological realities what goes on in our brain affects how we perceive the world Neurons are cells In psychology mostly focus on brain neurons Myelin sheath is made of fatty glial cells like an electrical wire protecting electrical signal multiple sclerosis damage to deterioration of the myelin sheath Afferent sensory versus efferent motor nerves Interneurons vastly outnumber sensory and motor neurons Glial cells provide nourishment and protection and sped up neural transmission outnumber neurons Action potentials jump across the nodes of Ranvier for electrical impulse to occur you need to have gaps between myelin sheath sections action potentials CAUSE neuronal communication Depolarization due to excitatory signal sodium rushes into the neuron inside of neuron more positively charged than outside causes action potential Hyper polarization due to inhibitory signal less likely to fire sodium channels are less likely to allow sodium into neuron More negative inside neuron than outside of it only slightly during resting potential Lithium helps eliminate manic symptoms release of excess epinephrine Mirror neurons in frontal and parietal lobes and occur in species other than humans recognizing another person s goals or intentions activated when you see someone else engaging in a certain behavior Agonist increase neurotransmitter effects antagonist block neurotransmitter effects Lower levels of dopamine to relieve psychotic symptoms in a person use an antagonist SSRI serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor MAOI improve depression by increasing serotonin levels enzyme inhibitor Ach Acetylcholine very important for memory and other bodily regulations Adult brains can make new connections and synapses too Exercise density of blood vessels learning more connections Scopolamine antagonist Physostigmine agonist facilitates learning Monoamine involved in affection arousal and motivation Study the common neurotransmitters and their functions Curare acetylcholine antagonist heart and lungs stop functioning Epinephrine serotonin and dopamine most common monoamines Norepinephrine increases arousal but too much can cause mania Serotonin involved in sleep and wakefulness Dopamine experience reward pleasure motivation In Parkinson s disease dopamine neurons degenerate in the basal ganglia Excess dopamine schizophrenia Peptides CCK learning memory pain can cause panic attack related to the sense of being full Endorphins natural pain relievers bind to same sites as heroin and morphine Substance P pain perception Endorphin deficit chronic pain or difficulty with self soothing