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Neurons and Neurotransmission: An Introduction to the Biological Foundations of Behavior -, Study notes of Psychology

Cuyahoga Community College (also known as Tri-C)Psychology
Prof. Nahla Harik-Williams

An overview of the structure and function of neurons, the fundamental units of the nervous system. It covers the different types of neurons (sensory, motor, interneurons), their parts (cell body, dendrites, axon, myelin sheath), and how they communicate through electrical and chemical signals. The document also discusses neurotransmitters, their roles in various functions such as muscle movements, learning and memory, and the consequences of their disruption in diseases like alzheimer's, parkinson's, and schizophrenia.

Typology: Study notes

Pre 2010

Uploaded on 08/10/2009

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The Biological Foundations
of Behavior
What is a Neuron?
Spinal
Cord
Brain
Sensory
Neuron
Sensory Neurons
• Carry information from sensory organs to
the brain and spinal cord
Drawing shows a
somatic neuron Spinal
Cord
Brain
Sensory
Neuron
Motor
Neuron
Motor Neurons
• Carry information from the brain and
spinal cord, to the muscles and
glands
Spinal
Cord
Brain
Sensory
Neuron
Motor
Neuron
Interneurons
• Interneurons
carry
information
between other
neurons only
found in the
brain and
spinal cord
Parts of a Neuron
pf3
pf4
pf5

Partial preview of the text

Download Neurons and Neurotransmission: An Introduction to the Biological Foundations of Behavior - and more Study notes Psychology in PDF only on Docsity!

The Biological Foundations

of Behavior

What is a Neuron?

Spinal Cord

Sensory Brain Neuron

Sensory Neurons

  • Carry information from sensory organs to the brain and spinal cord

Drawing shows a somatic neuron Spinal Cord

Sensory Brain Neuron

Motor Neuron

Motor Neurons

  • Carry information from the brain and

spinal cord, to the muscles and

glands

Spinal Cord

Sensory Brain Neuron

Motor Neuron

Interneurons

  • Interneurons

carry

information

between other

neurons only

found in the

brain and

spinal cord

Parts of a Neuron

The Cell Body

Contains the cell’s nucleus

Dendrites

  • Receive inputs from neighboring neurons
  • Mature neurons generally can’t divide
  • But new dendrites can grow
  • New connections are basis for learning

Axon

  • Sends information to other cells
  • One axon per cell, 2 distinct parts
    • tube-like structure
    • branches at end that connect to dendrites of other cells

Myelin Sheath

  • White fatty casing on axon
  • Acts as an electrical insulator
  • Not present on all cells
  • When present, increases the speed of neural signals down the axon

How Neurons Communicate

  • Neurons communicate by means of an electrical signal called the Action Potential
  • When an Action Potential occurs, the neuron receives a message from another cell
  • This electrical impulse is generated at the dendrite
  • It travels down the dendrite, through the cell body and down the axon

Neuron to Neuron

  • Axons branch out and end near dendrites of neighboring cells
  • Axon terminals are the tips of the axon’s branches
  • A gap separates the axon terminals from dendrites
  • Gap is the Synapse

Disruption of

Acetylcholine Functioning

  • Curare—blocks ACh receptors
    • paralysis results
  • Nerve gases and Black Widow

spider venom; too much ACh

leads to severe muscle spasms

and possible death

Alzheimer’s Disease

  • Deterioration of memory, reasoning,

and language skills

  • Symptoms may be due to loss of

ACh neurons

Dopamine

• Involved in movement, attention

and learning

• Excessive Dopamine involved in

schizophrenia

• Loss of dopamine-producing

neurons is cause of Parkinson’s

disease

Serotonin

• Involved in sleep

• Involved in depression

  • Prozac works by keeping serotonin in the synapse longer, giving it more time to exert an effect

Endorphins

  • Control pain and pleasure
  • Released in response to pain
  • Morphine and codeine work on endorphin receptors; involved in healing effects of acupuncture
  • Runner’s high— feeling of pleasure after a long run is due to heavy endorphin release

Parts of the Nervous System

  • Central Nervous System (CNS)
    • Brain and spinal cord
  • Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
    • Carries messages to and from CNS

Central nervous system Peripheral nervous system

Brain

  • Images
  • Brainstem
    • Hindbrain
    • Midbrain
  • Forebrain
    • Limbic system
    • Cortex

Cortical Specialization

  • Localization—notion that different functions are located in different areas of the brain
  • Lateralization—notion that different functions are processed primarily on one side of the brain or the other

Lobes of the Cortex

  • Frontal lobe—largest lobe, produces voluntary muscle movements, involved in thinking, planning, emotional control
  • Temporal lobe—primary receiving area for auditory information
  • Occipital lobe—primary receiving area for visual information
  • Parietal lobe—processes somatic information