PSY2012 Exam 2 Study Guide a k a Biological Psychology Physiological Psychology Neuropsychology Biopsychology 40 100 billion neurons in the average human brain Neurons body s information system built from billions of these interconnected cells Signal can move up to 250 mph A collection of neurons make up your nerves Parts of a Neuron long single extensions of a neuron covered with myelin sheath to insulate and Cell Body Dendrites life support center of the neuron branching extensions at the cell body Receive messages from other neurons Learning leads to growth of a dendrite Axon speed up messages through neurons Myelin Sheath a layer of fatty tissues encasing the fibers of many neurons Enables faster transmission speed of impulses Axons myelinate more as we get to teenage years frontal cortex Leads to more inhibition goals etc Deterioration of myelin sheath leads to Multiple Sclerosis Physical and cognitive disabilities Scars no cure Terminal Buttons branched endings of an axon that transmits messages to other neurons Form junctions with other cells Synapse the gap at the end of a terminal button Tiny gap synaptic cleft or gap Junction between terminal button and dendrite of receiving neuron Action Potential A neural impulse a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon to the terminal branches Neural impulse charge travels down the axon and is generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon s membrane Threshold Each neuron must reach a minimum intensity threshold in order to fire Action Potential Properties All or None Response Intensity neuron either fires or does not an action potential stays the same throughout the length of the axon Neurotransmitters Chemicals that determine if the neurons fire or not Drugs facilitate or inhibit neurotransmitters Dopamine serotonin Zoloft happiness Nervous System Central Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System CNS brain and spinal cord rest of the body sensory receptors muscles glands etc Somatic Nervous System movement of skeletal muscles regulated actions of internal organs and glands Autonomic Nervous System PNS sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the controls volitional portions of movement voluntary controls involuntary processes heartbeat digestion self Sympathetic Nervous System Dilates pupils inhibits digestion stimulates release of glucose stimulates responds to arousal excitement release of epinephrine stimulates ejaculation increases heart rate Parasympathetic Nervous System conserves energy and lowers level of arousal calming Example You see a bear in the woods Your sympathetic nervous system takes over raise heartbeat dilate pupils secrete glucose etc Then you realize it was not a bear but it was a bush so the parasympathetic nervous system takes over and you calm down Does larger brain smarter brain Not Really Humans only organism with complex thought Elephant brain is larger Forebrain most highly functioning part of brain 85 of human brain Super small in fish and crocodiles Larger portions of brain for movement and sensation so large animals have large brains Increased complexity from Hindbrain lowest to Forebrain highest 3 Levels of Complexity Forebrain Midbrain and Hindbrain Hindbrain Medulla Pons projections from the brain that communicate movement and sleep ANS controls heartbeat and breathing Projections to the cerebellum Communicate things between high and low areas of the brain Reticular Formation deals with waking and arousal Injury can result in coma Difference in being awake and asleep has to do the with reticular formation which has to do with getting knocked out Cerebellum coordinates fine tune motor movement Midbrain Tectum and Tegmentrum implications in visual and auditory system and motor movement Telling eyes to quickly orient to stimuli Forebrain Cerebrum Limbic System Processes memory and emotional processes Includes the hypothalamus hippocampus amygdala regulation of ANS maintaining equilibrium sympathetic and Hypothalamus parasympathetic 3 F s fighting fleeing mating Thalamus distribution center for brain Receives and relays important neural information Relays important information from areas of lower complexity to higher complexity Ex Visual Information Processing optic nerves connect to the thalamus in the middle of the brain and the thalamus connects to the visual cortex storing and retrieving declarative memories Hippocampus Not where memories are stored Case of Clive Wearing chronic amnesia cannot create new memories Consolidating information into long term memory Amygdala fear and emotional memory feelings of fear works with hippocampus Anxiety depression PTSD If damaged or removed fear is eliminated fear is important for attentiveness Monkeys would pick up snakes even though monkeys are scared of snakes Lobes of the Forebrain cerebrum is divided into lobes Occipital Lobe important for visual processing Not final place for visual information Parietal Lobe Implications for spatial awareness Sense of touch Sensory combination and comprehension Somatosensory Cortex Sensory Cortex feel sensation in corresponding body part Sensory strip has big portion for detailed body parts thumbs face Homunculus represents this disfigured looking drawing of person if stimulated with electrode corresponding body part moves Motor Cortex Brain Plasticity and Motor cortex What happens when we train at a certain task Temporal Lobe important for memory emotional and language Mostly deals with speech especially left temporal lobe Hearing memory fear recognizing objects language some behaviors emotions Frontal Lobe last to develop and first to atrophy Higher functioning that is special to humans Mostly associated with planning and inhibition Abstract thoughts problem solving attention creative thought reflection coordinating movements Ex Phineas Gage iron in frontal lobe Became aggressive and couldn t do his job ADHD related to frontal love inhibition Inability to inhibit distractions Adderall stimulates the brain which stimulates inhibition Left Brain vs Right Brain Left Brain synthesis Right Brain Serial Processing Right hand Writing Language Scientific skills Math Lists Logic Linear thinking Left hand Emotional expression Music Creativity Spatial awareness Imagination Dimension Holistic thinking the right brain controls the left side of the body If your right side gets shot the left side of the body will not function Contralateral Processing some processes
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