Psychology of the Nervous System: Brain Structures and Functions

1. Chapter 3 Psychology and the Brain

2. Chapter Objectives • 3.1: Understand how the nervous system and the endocrine system work. • 3.2: Compare the differences between the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system. • 3.3: Explore the different structures and functions of the brain

3. Objective 3.1:I. Overview of the Nervous System • Coordinate and controls all the actions of the body • Brain is the most important part • Processes information from the body’s organs and outside the body • Massive information highway from the brain down the spinal cord and through a network of nerves throughout the body.

4. II. Nerve Cells • About 100 billion in the brain • Powerhouse of the nervous system • 2 types • Glial • 10-50 times more than neurons • Participate in the movement of nerve impulses • Produce myelin to speed up impulses • Neurons • Have dendrites and axons

5. A. How Nerve Cells Communicate • Firing electrical impulses down the axon. • Crosses synapse • Triggers release of neurotransmitters • Neurotransmitters either instruct it to fire another signal (action potential) or to remain silent.

6. B. The Importance of Neurotransmitters • Many disorders are linked to problems with receptors and/or neurotransmitters • More than 50 known • Many behaviors are linked to a specific neurotransmitter

7. Objective 3.2:III. Peripheral Nervous System • Carries info between organs and CNS • 2 Parts: • Autonomic Nervous System • Controls our automatic body functions • Somatic Nervous System • Sensory and motor neurons • Reflexes - don’t reach the brain

8. IV. The Central Nervous System • Info from peripheral nervous system is conveyed, processed, and relayed to make a response. • Consists of: • Spinal cord - main pathway for info because the cord is made of neurons and housed by a protective vertebrae • Brain - command central • Different parts composed of different consistencies

9. How the Brain Thinks • Cerebral cortex and the cerebrum is where the thinking takes place. • These parts make use uniquely human

10. Objective 3.3:Two Hemispheres • Hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum - a bundle of nerve fibers • Most important functioning utilizes both sides of the brain • In most people the left hemisphere dominates

11. Hemisphere Functions • Left: • Controls the right side of the body • Controls language, speech and reading • Plans the day and keeps the time • Right: • Controls the left side of the body • Identifies patterns • Controls artistic tendencies, holistic thinking abilities, and imagination

12. Four Functional Lobes • 1) Frontal • Motor, creativity, emotional reactions • Language area: judgment, abstract thought and speech • Olfactory bulb - smell • 2) Parietal • Body senses, position, orientation, pressure, heat, cold, pain, reading and thinking

13. 3) Occipital • Vision • 4) Temporal • Hearing, music, understanding speech, memory for nonverbal events • Language Area: hand skills, sensory, reading, writing, numbers

14. V. The Endocrine System v. Nervous System • Nervous systems partner in controlling and coordinating the body’s functions • Nervous system controls immediate functions; Endocrine system controls functions body must perform over days or weeks. • Nervous system has neurotransmitters; Endocrine system has hormones

15. Pituitary Gland • Controlled by hypothalamus in the brain. • Called the master gland because hormones it produces influences many of the other glands • Makes growth hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone, and oxytocin

16. Thyroid Gland • Produces energy the body can use from nutrients • Parathyroid Gland • Controls the level of calcium in the blood • Pineal Body • Produces melatonin (sleep and tanning)

17. Thymus Gland • Role in body’s immune system recognizing and destroying viruses and bacteria • Adrenal Gland • Influences body type and metabolism • Pancreas • Makes insulin

18. Ovaries • Produce estrogen and progesterone • Testes • Produce testosterone