Chapter 3: Neuroscience and Behavior

Psychology 100 with Rahhal at University of Massachusetts, Amherst

About this deck

By: Daryl Choa
Textbook:

Forty Studies that Changed Psychology: Explorations into the History of Psychological Research (6th Edition)

Understanding Psychology
Created: 2012-02-15
Size: 34 flashcards
Views: 11

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neurons

dendrite, cell body, axon, myelin sheath, terminal vesicles, synapse, receptor sites

dendrite

the ‘in-box’; receives signals from sensory structures (ex. taste buds) and other neurons

cell body

basic cell functions

axon

the ‘out-box’ (axon-away); sends signals to other neurons and effector cells (muscles)

myelin sheath

a fatty substance that encases the axons of some cells, increase speed of transmission

terminal vesicles

stores and eventually releases enzymes called neurotransmitters (NT), the NTs are released into the synapse

synapse

small space between the axons of one cell and the dendrites of the next cell

receptor sites

locations on the dendrite of the next neuron; NTs bind to receptor sites and the whole process begins anew

action potential

neural-chemical impulse of all or nothing response

How do neurons communicate?

1. all neurons have a resting state (-70mv)

2. Dendrite is stimulated, positive ions flow into the cell until...

3. threshold is reached (-65mv), action potential is triggered (all or nothing response)

4. wave moves down the axon

5. wave reached the terminal vesicles

6. neurotransmitters are released into the synapse

7. NTs bind with receptors on dendrite of next neuron

8. process starts in the next cell (NTs can excite or inhibit the next neuron)

9. refractory period

refractory period

brief period when the neuron is unable to fire again, reuptake occurs, excess NTs are taken back for reuse in the axon of the neuron that released them, axon returns to resting state of -70mv

neurotransmitters

chemicals that either inhibit or excite other neurons

i.e. acetylcholine, endorphins, serotonin, dopamine, GABA

acetylcholine

· movement, learning, memory

· Alzheimer’s patients have too little

· If you block it, you can paralyze someone

Endorphins

· Natures pain reliever

· Eating chocolate, athletics, stress

· Cracking knuckles, releases endorphins

Serotonin

· Mood, sleep, hunger, arousal

· Prozac increases seratonin levels

Dopamine

· Movement, learning, attention, emotion

o Too much- schizophrenia

o Too little- parkinson’s

GABA

· Eating, sleeping

· Inhibitory, rather than excitatory

drugs

effect neural communication by either mimicking the action of the NT or block the action of the NT

agonists

"the enhancer"

§ binds at neurotransmitter sites (receptor sites)

§ blocks reuptake of neurotransmitter (leaving more)

§ counteracts enzymes that clean out synapse

antagonists

"the blocker"

§ blocks neurotransmitter sites

§ destroys neurotransmitter (leaving less)

§ decreases effectiveness of the neurotransmitter

Nervous system - structure

peripheral (autonomic and somatic)

central (brain and spinal cord)

add info from tb

types of neurons

1. sensory neurons (afferent) (from the body towards the brain, for sensations)

2. motor neurons (efferent) (from the brain to the body)

3. interneurons (communicates between 1 and 2)

reflexes

1. skip the brain

2. info is fed up and down the spinal cord only

phrenology

tried to relate behavior to bumps on the skull, but the shape of the brain and skull don't always match, and it was difficult to falsify

CAT scan

x ray of your brain

MRI

· Bombard your brain with radio waves, which affects the naturally occuring magnetic fields of your brain

· Active areas produce different megnetic fields than inactive areas

PET scan

· Inject with radioactive glucose

· Active areas in the brain use the glucose and « glow »

Brainstem

medulla oblongate- breathing, heart rate, etc

pons- pathway from spinal cord to higher brain

reticular formation- sleep/wake; arousal

cerebellum (little brain)

coordination, movement, balance

thalamus/hypothalamus

switchboards for the brain

limbic system

amygdala- emotion

hippcocampus- memory

cerebral cortex

sensation, movement, and all higher-order behaviors

1. frontal lobes- strategic behavior, emotional behavior, contains the motor cortex to send information out to the body, related to movement

2. parietal lobe- contains the sensory cortex, receives incoming information, related to sensation

3. occipital lobe- vision

4. temporal lobe- auditory behavior, language, memory

hemispheric differences

left- logic, speech analytical processing, right side of the body

right- emotion, music, artistic, holistic processing, left side of the body

corpus collosum- membrane that connects/divides halves

severed corpus callosum results in 2 brains that can't communicate with one another

Reading 1: One Brain or Two?

Discovered: that in order to vocally say that you saw something you had to see it with your left brain

Methods: visual test, tactile test, auditory test

Results: Left brain better at speaking, writing, mathematical calculation and reading, Right brain is able to recognize faces, solve problems involving spatial relationships, symbolic reasoning and artistic activities