Chapter 3 - Biological Psychology
LECTURE 3
Neural Cells
The structures that make up the neural calls
a) Cell Body (Soma)
-the body of the nerve cell.
-manufactures new cell components
-contains nucleus
b) Dendrites
-branch-like portion of neuron that receives signals
-act as receptors for signals traveling from other neurons, carrying information toward the main body of the nerve cell
c) Axons and Axon Terminal
-axons: portion of neuron that sends signals to other neurons (transmitters)
-synaptic vesicle: sac containing neurotransmitters that travels the length of the axon towards the terminal
Major Neurotransmitters
Dopamine: produces pleasure sensation
Seratonin: regulates sleep, dreams, mood, pain, appetite, sexual behaviour
Nonephrine: used in ANS in almost every region of the brain (fight-or-flight)
Acetylcholine: used by efferent neurons for memory and learning
GABA: most prevelant inhibitory neurotransmittor in CNS
Glycine: always carry inhibitory messages
Aspartate: always carry excitory messages
Adrenaline: involved in stress response
The Brain
Carebral Cortex
Brain Imaging Techniques
Synapses (lock and key):
How two neurons communicate and connect with one another to release one or more neurotransmitters
Amino Acid Neurotransmittor
Amine Neurotransmittor
Peptide Neurotransmittor
Endorphins: pleasure sensation which controls pain
Glutamate: always carry excitory messages for learning and memory
Hind Brain
Limbic System
Medulla Oblongata
(lower end)
Mid Brain
(upper end)
Pons
(center end)
Brain Stem
-responsible for basic bodily functions such as heartbeat and respiration
-acts as the bridge between the lower and upper ends, responsible for motor control and sensory analysis
-responsible for processing vision, hearing and eye movement
Cerebellum
-responsible for coordinating movement and balance (4 F's)
The structures and functions of the parts of the hind brain
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Amygdala
Hippocampus
-conveys sensory information to the cortex
-endocrine oversees ANS (homeostasis) along with the pituitary glans
-regulates fear and arousal
-memory for spatial locations
The structures and functions of the parts of the limbic system
Frontal Lobe
Parietal Lobe
Temporal Lobe
Occipital Lobe
-motor planning, language, memory (complex brain functions and decision making)
-integrates touch and vision for spacial awareness and orientation
-processes auditory info, language and auditory memories
-receives visual information
**CORPUS CALLOSUM:
connects the left and
right brain hemispheres
Right Hemisphere: controls creative, artistic and emotional functions
Left Hemisphere: controls academic, verbal and analytical functions
Hind Brain
Limbic System
Neo-Cortex
1700 BCE: Egyptian Mummification
2500 BCE: Trepanation
Middle of 19th Century: Started to really understand the importance of brain
460 BCE: Hippocrates
387 BCE: Plato
335 BCE: Aristotle
CAT/CT Scans
Look at brain structure only
Used for quick assessment
MRI
Looks at brain structure and brain tissue
Yields a more 3D image
PET
Looks at brain structure and brain tissue, shows brain activity during specific tasks
Limitations: needs a radioactive tracer to be injected, there is a delay in reading (40 secs) and it does not shoe which specific area the activity is occuring
fMRI
Looks at structures of the brain and the functions
Uses change in blood flow to generate images - best non-invasive technique for brain imaging