Introduction to Psychology Biological Foundations Biological Psychology studies how the physical structure and function of the body influences the mind and human behavior Neuroscience The scientific study of the nervous system including psychology biology physiology genetics and neurology The Nervous System The Central Nervous System The Peripheral Nervous System components are the front lines per say the brain and spinal cord these components are the ones in charge neural tissue outside the brain and spinal cord these The Somatic Nervous System sensory and motor nerves that are voluntary You control The Automatic Nervous System internal processes that are involuntary You don t Sympathetic Division Parasympathetic Division troubleshooter housekeeping The Somatic Nervous System do with motor commands brain involvement Spinal Nerves peripheral nerves that carry sensory info towards the spinal cord These have to o Spinal reflex simple automatic behavior that is processed in the spinal cord without Cranial Nerves nerve fibers that carry sensory information into and out of the brain stem Axons of the Somatic Nervous System this control this o Afferent towards the CNS input info o Efferent away from the CNS output info The Automatic Nervous System Sympathetic Division Fight or flight response to extreme stimuli Flight Fighting Feeding Hooking up Symptoms dilated pupil accelerated heart rate inhibited digestion relaxed bladder piss yourself Parasympathetic Division Rest and Digest slower heart rate contracted bladder normal digestion etc 1 Introduction to Psychology Biological Foundations The Neuron Parts of a Neuron Soma Provides necessary process for keeping the neuron alive Dendrites Receive input from other neurons Axon Carries neurotransmitters to relay output to other neurons o Axon terminals release input ends to dendrites of other neurons o Synapse gap between the axon terminal of one neuron and the dendrite of another Glial Cells o Support cells that provide Structural support Nutrition Myelin sheath A white fatty covering that increases communication speed wrapped around axons o Multiple Sclerosis disease in which myelin sheath deteriorates interrupting neural signals Types of Neurons Sensory towards CNS away from sense receptors Motor away from CNS towards muscles and glands Interneurons messengers between the sensory and the motor neurons Communication between Neurons 1 Neurotransmitters are normally packaged in membrane vesicles synaptic vesicles 2 When the action potential reaches the terminal button the vesicles are released into the 2 Introduction to Psychology Biological Foundations synapse and their contents are released as well 3 The neurotransmitters then bind to receptors that then initiate an action potential and response 4 The neurotransmitters are then released packaged back into vesicles and return to their in that other neuron original neuron reuptake 5 These responses will ultimately trigger a motor or sensory input or output response Effects of Neurotransmitters Excitatory Message increases the likelihood of post synaptic activation Inhibitory Message increases likelihood of deactivation of post synaptic action Neurotransmitters and their Functions Serotonin autonomic processes arousal depression Dopamine increased levels related to schizophrenia Acetylcholine memory loss respiratory failure Endorphins emotional behavior and pain response Norepinephrine decreased levels related to depression GABA related to anxiety Glutamate emotion learning memory disruption associated with addiction and schizophrenia Effects of Drugs on Neurons Increase or decrease production of a neurotransmitter Reuptake blockers inhibits reuptake to increase activation of neurons Drugs that emulate neurotransmitters o Antagonists poorly fits receptors and inhibits action o Acts like a transmitter and increases activation The Brain Neuroplasticity ability to change function and structure of the brain o Functional plasticity brain s ability to shift function from damaged to undamaged areas of the brain o Structural Plasticity ability to physically change the brain s structure in response to learning practice and environmental situations Neurogenesis development of new neurons The Brain s Protection Meninges covers and protects the brain Dura Matter hard tough Arachnoid Matter spider like Pia Matter soft Lobes of the Frontal Brain Types of Matter Cerebrospinal Fluid fluid that suspends the brain in the cerebral cortex Ventricle hollow space in the middle of the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid 3 Introduction to Psychology Biological Foundations o Gray Matter glial cells and neuron cell bodies and axons o White Matter white myelinated axons extending inward from cerebral contex Frontal higher level reasoning and cognition expressive language our personalities Parietal motor and tactile function somatosensory cortex each part of the human body gets a part of this region of the brain Temporal speech and language Wernicke s area language comprehension Broca s area speech production Occipital visual input Midbrain Involved in processing auditory and visual sensory information Substantia Nigra Black Substance involved in motor control o Contains a large concentration of dopamine producing neurons Parts of the Limbic System Hippocampus memory Amygdala controls emotion emotional memory Hypothalamus regulates motivated behavior four F s and homeostasis The Hindbrain The Brain Stem Medulla breathing blood pressure heartbeat Pons Provides input to other brain stem structures Reticular Formation Circadian rhythms keeps you awake Cerebellum coordinates bodily movements Corpus Callosum connects the two brain hemispheres Brain Hemispheres Left Hemisphere o Language abilities speech reading writing o Aphasia inability to articulate ideas or understand spoken or written language because of brain injury Broca s Aphasia can comprehend but can t speak Wernicke s Aphasia can speak easily but can t comprehend what they re saying so they make no sense Right Hemisphere o Non verbal emotional expression and visual spatial tasks o Lateralization of function 4