Biological Psychology

1. Neurons Nervous System Endocrine System The Brain Biological Psychology

2. Biological Psychology • A branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behavior/mental processes • We are all biopsychologicalsystems. • Systems are composed of subsystems and then even smaller systems. • Separate but interconnected

3. Neurons

4. Neuron • Nerve cell • Building block of the nervous system • Found all over the body • Brain • Legs • Eyes • Anywhere there are nerves

5. Dendrites • The bushy extensions of a neuron that receive messages Dendrites

6. Soma • Cell body • Contains nucleus – DNA, genetics, etc Soma

7. Axon • The extension of a neuron through which electrical messages pass AXON

8. Multiple sclerosis – a disease in which the myelin sheath degenerates resulting in a slowing of all communication to muscles and the eventual loss of muscle control Myelin Sheath • Layer of fatty tissue on the axon that… • Protects axon • Speeds neural impulse (the message) Myelin Sheath

9. DENDRITES LISTEN… … AXONS SPEAK

10. Axon Terminals • Branches at the end of an axon that send messages to the dendrites of another neuron. • End in axon terminal buttons Axon Terminals Axon Terminal Buttons

11. Synapse • The junction between neurons. • Synaptic gap, synaptic cleft, etc • Less than a millionth of an inch wide Synapse

12. Action Potential • A neural impulse in the form of a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon • A neuron fires an impulse when it receives a signal from sense receptors or by the neurotransmitters from another neuron. Direction of ACTION POTENTIAL

13. Threshold • The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse. • All-or-nothing It either fires… … or it doesn’t.

15. I need 5 volunteers… • Stand next to each other facing the class. • Hold hands. • The person farthest to the RIGHT wants to send a message to the person farthest to the LEFT (without actually talking)– how will we do this? • When you feel the squeeze of your right hand, squeeze the right hand of the person beside you.

16. Right hand and arm • DENDRITES • Chest • SOMA • Left arm • AXON • Left hand • AXON TERMINALS

17. Neurotransmitters • Chemical messengers that travel across the synaptic gap between neurons • How neurons talk to each other • Action potential reaches the axon’s terminal buttons. • Buttons release neurotransmitters (chemicals) • Travel across the synapse • Bind/connect to receptor sites on the next neuron’s dendrites

18. Neurotransmitters • Lock-and-key relationship between the neurotransmitter and the receptor site. • When the neuron receives neurotransmitters, it will fire/not fire

20. Dopamine Serotonin Neurotransmitters • Many types of neurotransmitters that affect us differently and are found in different parts of the brain

21. Endorphins “Happy people don’t kill their husbands!” • Natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters linked to pain control and pleasure • Inhibit (block) pain • Ex: Runner’s high • One of the top suggested remedies for depression is exercise naturally produce chemicals that will stimulate pleasure and happiness INTERACTIVE NEURON

22. IMPORTANT • Communication WITHIN a neuron… • ELECTRICAL – action potential • Communication BETWEEN neurons… • CHEMICAL - neurotransmitters

23. Nervous System

24. Nervous System • The body’s speedy electrochemical communication network consisting of all nerve cells • Building blocks are neurons • 2 parts • Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) • Central Nervous System (CNS)

25. Central Nervous System (CNS) • The brain and the spinal cord

26. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) • the sensory and motor neurons that connect the CNS to the rest of the body. • Everything but the brain and spinal cord

27. Nerves • In the PNS • Neural cables • Connect the CNS to muscles, glands, and sense organs • Ex: optic nerve connects the eye to the brain (sense organ – PNS to the brain – CNS)

28. Nervous System Neurons • Information travels through the nervous system in 3 type of neurons. • Sensory neurons – carry incoming information from the senses to the CNS • Interneurons – CNS neurons that internally communicate between sensory inputs and motor outputs • Motor Neurons – carry out going information from the CNS to muscles and glands Sensory feel… Inter interpret… Motor move

29. What happens if the Spinal Cord is severed? • Paralysis because sensory messages cannot reach brain and motor messages cannot leave brain • Paraplegia - patient can still move two limbs • Quadriplegia - all four limbs are paralyzed • Most famous case in recent times was the actor Christopher Reeves ( d. 2004)

31. Somatic and Autonomic Nervous Systems • Somatic – controls the body’s skeletal muscles • Running, dancing, etc • Autonomic – controls the glands and the muscles of internal organs • Heartbeat, digestion, sweating Somatic – Skeletal Autonomic - Automatic

32. Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems • Sympathetic – arouses the body • Parasympathetic – calms the body • Parasympathetic - paralyzing

33. Let’s Put It All Together!

34. The Endocrine System

35. Endocrine System • The body’s “slow” chemical communication systemmade of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream • Hormones – chemical messengers manufactured by glands • Travel slowly in the bloodstream • When hormones act on the brain, they can trigger interest in sex, food, aggression, “flight or fight” • Gland - An organ in the body that secretes a substance for use somewhere else in the body

36. Hormones vs Neurotransmitters Hormones Neurotransmitters • chemical messengers for the endocrine system • Travel in the blood stream • Chemical messengers in the brain • Travel in the brain in the synapse between neurons The endocrine system tries to keep a balance in the body while we respond to feelings of stress, anger, fear, and exertion.

37. Adrenal Gland • Pair of glands above the kidneys that release adrenaline and noradrenalin which helps to arouse the body in times of stress • Increase heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar for energy • Hormones can last in the bloodstream after the triggering event. Daughter Lifts Car Off Dad

38. Pituitary Gland • Small pea-shaped gland in the limbic system of the brain • Most influential gland – “master” gland • Regulates growth (growth hormone) and controls other glands • Controlled by the hypothalamus Gigantism – caused by a tumor on the pituitary gland

39. The Brain

40. The Brain • Brain size ≠ Intelligence • Brain structure and complexity = Intelligence

41. Brainstem • Begins where the spinal cord enters the brain, responsible for basic survival functions • severe brainstem injuries = death Brainstem = area in the red box

42. Medulla • At the base of the brain stem • Controls heartbeat and breathing

43. Pons • Above the medulla • Helps coordinate movement by relaying information to the cerebellum

44. Thalamus • On top of the brainstem • The brains sensory switchboard, directs sensory input to the correct areas in the brain

45. Reticular Formation • A nerve network in the brainstem • Helps control arousal and sleep • When stimulated, it arouses your focus. • If severed, you could enter a coma. • Narcolepsy = malfunction of reticular formation

46. Cerebellum • Attached at the rear of the brainstem • “little brain” • Processes sensory input and coordinates movement and balance

47. Limbic System • In the core of the brain above the brainstem • Associated with emotion and smell

48. Hippocampus • In the temporal lobe • Processes/stores memories

49. Amygdala • Bean sized structures above the hippocampus • Helps in the storage of emotional events/memories • Influences fear and aggression

50. Hypothalamus • Below the thalamus • Directs maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp.) • Controls the pituitary gland • Interprets emotions and tells the pituitary gland which glands need to secrete hormones