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Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed)

Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed). Chapter 2 Neuroscience, Genetics and Behavior James A. McCubbin, PhD Clemson University Worth Publishers. Neural Communication. Biological Psychology branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior

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Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed)

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  1. Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed) Chapter 2 Neuroscience, Genetics and Behavior James A. McCubbin, PhD Clemson University Worth Publishers

  2. Neural Communication • Biological Psychology • branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior • some biological psychologists call themselves behavioral neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, behavior geneticists, physiological psychologists, or biopsychologists • Neuron • a nerve cell • the basic building block of the nervous system

  3. Neural Communication • Dendrite • the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body • Axon • the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages are sent to other neurons or to muscles or glands • Myelin [MY-uh-lin] Sheath • a layer of fatty cells segmentally encasing the fibers of many neurons • enables vastly greater transmission speed of neutral impulses

  4. Neural Communication

  5. Neural Communication • Action Potential • a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon • generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axon’s membrane • Threshold • the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

  6. Cell body end of axon Direction of neural impulse: toward axon terminals Neural Communication

  7. Neural Communication • Synapse [SIN-aps] • junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neuron • tiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or cleft • Neurotransmitters • chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neurons • when released by the sending neuron, neuro-transmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether it will generate a neural impulse

  8. Neural Communication

  9. Neural Communication

  10. Neurotransmitter molecule Receiving cell membrane Agonist mimics neurotransmitter Receptor site on receiving neuron Antagonist blocks neurotransmitter Neural Communication

  11. End Day 2

  12. The Nervous System • Nervous System • the body’s speedy, electro-chemical communication system • consists of all the nerve cells of the body • Neurons are the elementary components – the smallest Lego pieces, if you will • There are 2 major divisions of the nervous system • central nervous system • peripheral nervous system

  13. Central Nervous System (CNS) • the brain and spinal cord • Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) • the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system (CNS) to the rest of the body (sense receptors, muscles, glands) • Axons carrying PNS info are bundled together in groups called nerves

  14. 3 Types of Neurons • Sensory neurons • Sends info from body tissues and sensory organs to the CNS’s brain and spinal cord • Motor neurons • CNS send messages to the body’s tissues • Interneurons • CNS internal communication neurons

  15. Nervous system Peripheral Central (brain and spinal cord) Autonomic (controls self-regulated action of internal organs and glands) Somatic (controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles) Sympathetic (arousing) Parasympathetic (calming) The Nervous System

  16. Further Division • The PNS can be further divided down • PNS can be divided into 4 more branches of the nervous system • Somatic nervous system • Autonomic nervous system • Sympathetic nervous system • Parasympathetic nervous system

  17. The Branches of the Peripheral Nervous System Somatic Nervous System • Controls the body’s skeletal muscles • Voluntary Autonomic Nervous System • Controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart) • Automatic pilot, but can be overridden • 2 sub-branches – sympathetic and parasympathetic • Work together to keep a steady internal state • Sympathetic Nervous System • Arousing – if something alarms, enrages, or challenges you • Mobilizing body’s energy in stressful situations • Parasympathetic Nervous System • Calms the body, conserving its energy

  18. The Sympathetic Nervous System

  19. The Parasympathetic Nervous System

  20. More on the CNS • Almost unimaginable wiring diagram of a very complex computer • Complex circuits that allow for learning, feeling and thinking • 10 of billions of neurons communicate to make all this happen • Spinal cord is the super highway of all “talking” and “communicating” • Connects the PNS to the brain • Ascending fibers send info up the spinal cord • Descending fibers send info down the spinal cord

  21. Brain Sensory neuron (incoming information) Interneuron Motor neuron (outgoing information) Muscle Spinal cord Skin receptors The Reflex • Reflex • a simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus • A reflex involves one simple pathway • A single sensory neuron and a single motor neuron, connected by an interneuron • Knee-jerk reflex for example • Everything goes through spinal cord • Even is spinal cord severed, reflexes can still occur below where it was severed

  22. Neurons in the brain connect with one another to form networks Inputs Outputs The brain learns by modifying certain connections in response to feedback Neural Networks • Neural Networks • interconnected neural cells • with experience, networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results • computer simulations of neural networks show analogous learning

  23. End Day 3

  24. Endocrine System • The other communication system • Glands secrete chemical messengers called hormones • Hormones start in one tissue and travel through the bloodstream to affect other tissues, including the brain • They act on the brain and influence behavior

  25. Hormones • Some hormones are chemically identical to neurotransmitters • This makes the nervous system and endocrine systems kindred spirits • Hormones are slower than the zippy messengers of the nervous system • Their effects outlast the effects of the neurotransmitters • Hormones influence many aspects of our lives – growth, reproduction, metabolism and mood

  26. Functions/Locations of Endocrine Glands • Pituitary – many hormones, affect other glands • Hypothalamus – are of the brain, controls pituitary • Thyroid – metabolism • Parathyroids – regulate calcium in blood • Adrenal – fight or flight • Pancreas – sugar in blood • Ovary/Testes – male and female sex hormones

  27. Specific Examples of Effects • Adrenal Glands • Top of kidneys • Release epinephrine and norepinephrine • aka adrenaline and noradrenaline • Increase heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar • Extra surge of energy • Pituitary Glands • In the core of the brain, pea-sized • Controlled by hypothalamus • Influence growth • Master gland – controls other glands

  28. Endocrine and Brain/Behavior Brain (hypothalamus)  pituitary  other glands  hormones  brain The 2 systems work so closely together than the line between them can be blurred

  29. End Day 3

  30. Technology and The Brain • With technology – we can now see the brain • We can also lesion (damage) tiny clusters of normal or defective brain cells • All these techniques are to psychology what a microscope was to biology and a telescope was to astronomy.

  31. Electroencephalogram (EEG) • Brain has mental activity that gives off electrical, metabolic, and magnetic signals • These signals can now be read by science • An EEG is an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface • Waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp • We can see, through waves, what wave was caused by what stimulus

  32. “Seeing” the Brain • PET (positron emission tomography) Scan • a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task • Active neurons are glucose hogs • MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) • a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain • fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) • Can reveal functioning as well as structure • Blood goes where the brain is active • Watch the brain light up with bloodflow (see what part of the brain is working based on certain stimuli) • How the brain divides its labor

  33. MRI Scan - Schizophrenia

  34. The Brain • Brainstem • the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull • responsible for automatic survival functions • Crossover point – nerves to and from each side of the brain crossover to connect with the body’s opposite side. • Reticular formation is inside the brainstem • Finger-shaped network of neurons from the spinal cord to the thalamus • Traffic control – tells messages where to go in the brain • Arousal • Begins where the spinal cord enters the skull and swells slightly to form the…

  35. The Brain Stem

  36. Brain Stem - Medulla • Medulla [muh-DUL-uh] • base of the brainstem (lower half) • controls heartbeat, breathing, vomiting (thanks a lot), blood pressure, sneezing, coughing, and swallowing • Autonomic functions (involuntary)

  37. Brain Stem - Recticular Formation • Reticular formation • Inside the brainstem • Finger-shaped network of neurons from the spinal cord to the thalamus • Traffic control – tells messages where to go in the brain • Arousal

  38. Brain Stem - Thalamus • Thalamus [THAL-uh-muss] • the brain’s sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem • Joined egg-shaped structures • Receives all sense messages, except smell, and routes them the areas of the brain that deal with each sense • transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

  39. Cerebellum Cerebellum [sehr-uh-BELL-um] the “little brain” attached to the rear of the brainstem Baseball-sized, 2 wrinkled halves it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance Nonverbal learning and memory enabled by it Judge time, modulate emotions, discriminate sounds and textures

  40. The Limbic System

  41. Limbic System • Limbic System • a doughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres • associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex • includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus.

  42. Limbic - Amygdala • Amygdala [ah-MIG-dah-la] • two almond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotions • Aggression and fear • Be careful though – fear and aggression are NOT driven by just the amygdala • One link in an integrated and complicated system

  43. Limbic - Hypothalamus • Hypothalamus • neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities • Eating/hunger • Drinking/thirst • body temperature • sexual behavior • Hypothalamus secretes hormones that control the pituitary, which stimulates other glands to release other hormones that the brain wants/needs

  44. Limbic - Hypothalamus • Reward centers • Pleasure centers • Motivates activities that are essential to survival • Reward deficiency syndrome • Alcoholism, drug abuse, and binge eating • May stem from a genetically disposed deficiency in the brain system for pleasure and well-being • Leads people to crave whatever provides that missing pleasure or relieves negative feelings

  45. End Day 5

  46. The Cerebral Cortex • Cerebral Cortex • the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres • Like the bark of a tree • the body’s ultimate control and information processing center • The larger cortex in mammals allow for increased capacities for learning and thinking • Make us more adaptable • It is a “thinking crown”

  47. Glial Cells • Glial Cells • cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons • They are like the glue that guide neural connections, provide nutrients and insulate myelin. • Also mop up ions and neurotransmitters • May play a role in learning and thinking • Chat with neurons to transmit information and memory

  48. The Cerebral Cortex • Wrinkled – the folds increase surface area • 4 lobes are divided by fissures (divides) • Many functions require the interplay of several regions/lobes • Frontal Lobes • involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments • Parietal Lobes • include the sensory cortex • Occipital Lobes • include the visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field • Temporal Lobes • include the auditory areas

  49. The Cerebral Cortex

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