The Biological Perspective

Chapter 2Ciccarelli and Meyer

Overview of the Nervous System• Neuroscience• Nervous System (Figure 2.1)– Central Nervous System

• Brain• Spinal Cord• Plasticity

– Peripheral Nervous System• Autonomic Nervous System

– Parasympathetic Division– Sympathetic Division

• Somatic Nervous System– Three Functions of the Nervous System

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Three Functions of the Nervous System

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Structure of the Neuron

Biological Psychology/Behavioral NeuroscienceGeneral Cell StructureNeurons are Specialized Cells

-Definition of Neuron-Three Types of Neurons

1) Sensory Neurons (Afferent Neurons)2) Interneurons 3) Motor Neurons (Efferent Neurons)

Parts of a NeuronParts of a Neuron

SomaDendritesAxon

Neurons in the BodyNeurilemma

Glial CellsOligodendrocytesSchwann Cells (Nodes of Ranvier)AstrocytesMicroglia

Nerves

Image of a Neuron

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Central Nervous System: The Reflex Arc

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Basic Structure of a Cell

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Generating the Message Within the Neuron

Ionic SolutionResting PotentialAction PotentialAll or none Video

Sending the message to other cells: The Synapse

Axon TerminalsSynaptic KnobSynaptic Vesicles

NeurotransmittersSynaptic Gap or SynapseReceptor SitesHow do Neurotransmitters get across the synapseVideo

Neurotransmitters, Messengers of the Network

• Neurotransmitters• Agonists/ Antagonists• Acetylcholine• Glutamate• GABA• Serotonin• Dopamine• Neural regulators/ Neural Peptides/ Endorphins

Agonist for GABA

• GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that results in calming anxiety

• If a person has anxiety and they are given Diazepam, an agonist for GABA

• What happens to someone who takes diazepam

Answer

• The person becomes calm and the anxiety is reduced.

Antagonist for Norephinephrine

• Norepinephrine is an excitatory neurotransmitter involved in arousal (wakefulness)

• If a patient has excessive arousal and presents with difficulty sleeping and they are given an antagonist for norepinephrine what happens?

Answer

• They are able to sleep

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Cleaning up the Synapse: Reuptake and Enzymes

• Reuptake• Acetylcholine• Enzymatic Degradation• SSRI

The Central Nervous System: The Central Processing Unit

• Central Nervous System• The Brain• The Spinal Cord• Neuroplasticity• Stem Cells

Figure 2.6- The Spinal Cord Reflex

• Reflex Arc• RETURN

Superman

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Looking Inside the Living Brain

• Lesioning Studies• Brain Stimulation– Invasive techniques– Noninvasive techniques

• Mapping Structure• Mapping Function

From the Bottom Up: Structures of the Brain

The Hindbrain•The Brain Stem– Medulla– Pons

•The Reticular Formation– Raphe Nuceli

•Cerebellum– Alcohol– Alcohol 2

Structures under the cortex: Limbic System

• Thalamus• Hypothalamus• Hippocampus• Amygdala• Cingulate Cortex

Cortex

• Lobes• Association Areas• Cerebral Hemispheres

4 Lobes of the Cortex

• Occipital Lobes• Parietal Lobes• Temporal Lobes• Frontal Lobes– Mirror Neurons

Association Areas of the Cortex

• Broca’s Area• Wernicke’s Area• Spatial Neglect

Cerebral Hemispheres

• Split Brain Research

• Sex Differences

Left Hemispheres Right Hemispheres

Controls the right hand Controls the left hand

Spoken language Nonverbal

Written language Visual-spatial perception

Mathematical calculations Music and artistic processing

Logical thought processes Emotional thought and recognition

Analysis of detail Processes the whole

Reading Pattern recognition/facial recogniiton

Applying Psychology to Everyday Life

• ADHD• 3 Diagnostic Specifications– 1) ADHD, predominantly hyperactive– 2) ADHD, predominantly inattentive– 3) ADHD, combined type

• Brain Areas involved– Prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia, cortical structures,

cerebellum, corpus callosum

• Causes

The Peripheral Nervous System

• Somatic Nervous System• Autonomic Nervous System

Somatic Nervous System

• Sensory Pathway• Motor Pathway

Autonomic Nervous System

• Sympathetic Division• Parasympathetic Division

Distant Connections: The Endocrine Glands

• Pituitary• Pineal• Thyroid• Pancreas• Gonads• Adrenal

Psychology in the News

• Myths• Sources

Sex Differences

• Mental Process Male Female• Emotional Expression Right Both Sides• Visual/Spatial Perception Left Both Sides• Vocabulary/Definitions Left Both Sides• Grammar/Language Mechanics Left Left Front• Hand Movements Left Left Front

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Neuronal Transmission