Synaptic Transmission:

• neurotransmitters:

e.g. dopamine:

 

 

e.g. adrenaline:

 

 

Process of Synaptic Transmission:

• 1st:

• 2nd:

• 3rd:

• receptor sites are specialized for a particular neurotransmitter

• 4th:

• excitatory synapse: the receptor sites open the gates that allow Na+ to enter the neuron

 

 

 

 

 

 

• inhibitory synapse: the receptor sites open gates that allow Na+ to leave the neuron

 

 

 

 

 

• A neuron will only fire if many neurotransmitters bind to the dendrite through excitatory synapses

 

 

• 5th:
  • the neurotransmitter could diffuse away, become reabsorbed by the first axon, or bounce around and bind with the postsynaptic neuron again.

Neurotransmitters and Drug Effects:

• the brain has dozens of different types of neurotransmitters and each controls somewhat different aspects of behavior.

 

• any drug that increases (agonist) or decreases (antagonist) the activity of a particular type of receptor will produce specific effects on behavior.

 

examples:

• nicotine: mimics acetylcholine

 

 

 

symptoms:

 

 

 

• curare:

 

 

 

symptoms:

 

Nervous System: the main system of communication within the body.

2 main divisions of nervous system:

 

1. Central Nervous System (CNS):

 

• Brain (contains about 80 billion neurons) - structure located in the skull and is crucial for sensation, movement, and information processing.

 

• Spinal Cord (contains about 1 billion neurons) - runs inside the bone of spinal column that transmits signals between the brain and the rest of the body.

 

 

2. Peripheral Nervous System (PNS):

 

 

 

PNS has 2 systems:

a) autonomic nervous system (ANS):

 

 

 

 

 

 

• parasympathetic nervous system:

 

 

 

 

• sympathetic nervous system:

 

 

 

 

b) somatic nervous system (nerves in skeletal system):

 

 

 

• efference nerves: nerves that run from the brain and spinal cord to the limbs (to activate the muscles)

 

 

• afferent nerves: nerves that run from the limbs to the spinal cord and brain. (to provide information about touch and pain)

 

 

Brain Anatomy & Functioning:

The Brain Stem (Hindbrain):

• Medulla - connects the brain and spinal cord
  
  
  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Pons -
  
  
  
  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    

   

• Cerebellum -

   

   

  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Reticular Formation -

   

  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  • 
    
    
    

 

Forebrain & Midbrain:

 

• Thalamus -

   

  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
• The Limbic System - structures surrounding thalamus which promotes survival of the individual and thus continuation of the species.

 

• Hypothalamus - important for a variety of functions

 

 

 

•  

 

 

 

 

 

•  

 

 

 

 

 

• Amygdala -
  
  
  
  
  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
• Hippocampus -

  
  

  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    

• The Cerebral Cortex - the outer layer of the brain responsible for higher processing (ours is much larger than other species) -- consists of many folds to increase surface area for more processing.

• Cerebral Hemispheres:
  

 

• Corpus callosum:

 

 

• Severing the corpus callosum:

 

 

• each hemisphere consists of four lobes:

   

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Primary Cortical Areas:

 

• Parietal lobe -
  
  • 
    
    
    
    
  • Somatosensory cortex
    
    
    
    
    
  • Damage to Parietal lobe:
    
    
    
• Temporal lobe -

   

  • 
    

   

  • Primary auditory cortex

   

   

  • Damage to Temporal Lobe

   

  • Language association area

• Broca's area:

   

  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
  • 
    
    
    
    
    

e.g. when asked about family dentist appointment said "Monday...Dad and Dick ... Wednesday nine o'clock ... doctors and teeth"

 

• Wernicke's area:

   

  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
  • 
    
    
    
    
    
    
    

e.g. "Mother is away here working her work to get her better, but when she's looking the two boys looking in the other part. She's working another time."

 

• Occipital lobe -

   

  • Primary visual cortex

   

   

   

  • Damage to Occipital lobe

 

 

 

• Frontal Lobes:

   

  • motor cortex: area in frontal lobes

   

 

• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

•  

 

• 
  
  
  
  
  
  
•  

 

 

• Damage to Frontal Lobe

 

 

e.g. Phineas Gage - (1848)