COMMUNICATION, CONTROL AND RESPONSE Nervous System

Nervous System – Overview 1. How do billions of neurons make us who we are? 2. How do patterns of electrical impulses passing through cells create consciousness and thought? 1. Why us? What does a human brain have that no other brain on earth has?

Nervous System – Overview 1. How do billions of neurons make us who we are?  Nature (genetics) and nurture (environmental stimuli) lead to differences in:  Amounts of neurons  Amounts of neurotransmitters  Connections between neurons

Nervous System – Overview 2. How do patterns of electrical impulses passing through cells create consciousness and thought?

Nervous System – Overview 3. Why us? What does a human brain have that no other brain on earth has? Human Brains

Nervous System – Overview The Brain Initiative

Can we explain human behavior by understanding the physiology of the organs, tissues, cells and biochemicals of the nervous system? Product: Research and Seminar Presentation Project-Neurophysiology and Behavior TopicLabs/ActivitiesCase StudyAssessment Brain  Brain Dissection  Teenage Brain Quiz Neurons  Neuron Model  Nerve Transmission Model  Learning Quiz Neurotransmitters  Article  Alcohol

Nervous System – Overview Structures  Brain  Spinal Cord  Sensory Nerves  Motor Nerves  Sensory Receptors Function

Nervous System – Levels of Organization Organ System Organs SmallMolecules Nervous System Brain Spinal Cord Sensory Receptors Sensory Nerves Motor Nerves Neurons Neurotransmitters Big Tissue/Cells

Nervous System - Organization Nervous System Brain Spinal Cord Peripheral Nervous System Central Nervous System Motor Nerves “out” Motor Nerves “out” Sensory Nerves “in” Sensory Nerves “in” Somatic “voluntary” Somatic “voluntary” Autonomic “involuntary” Autonomic “involuntary” Diencephalon Cerebellum Brain Stem Cerebrum

Nervous System - Pathways Sensory Receptors Sensory Nerves Brain and Spinal Cord Motor Nerves Autonomic Nerves (glands/organs) Autonomic Nerves (glands/organs) Somatic Nerves (muscles) Somatic Nerves (muscles)

Brain Structure Regions of the brain  Brain stem  Cerebellum  Diencephalon  Cerebrum

Brain Structure

Brain Regions – Brain Stem StructuresFunctions Midbrain Medulla Pons Controls autonomic functions -respiration -blood pressure -heart rate Location of cranial nerves

Brain Regions – Cerebellum StructureFunction CerebellumUnconscious movement and coordination

Brain Regions – Diencephalon StructuresFunctions Thalamus Pituitary gland Hypothalamus Amygdala Cingulate gyrus Hippocampus Corpus callosum Relay center Emotions Mood Memory

Brain Regions – Cerebrum Also called cerebral hemisphere or cerebral cortex Site of conscious human behavior + thought Organized by sections/lobes Frontal Occipital Parietal Temporal

Brain Regions - Cerebrum StructureFunction Frontal Lobe – association area ‘Executive’ functions – planning + behavioral control Emotions + personality Speech + language Frontal lobe – motor area Controls movement of voluntary muscles

Brain Regions - Cerebrum StructureFunction Temporal Lobe Hearing Smell Visual + Auditory Memory Occipital Lobe Vision

Brain Regions - Cerebrum StructureFunction Parietal Lobe– sensory area Sensory input from skin (temp, pressure, touch, pain) Parietal Lobe– association area Sensory elaboration Mathematical reasoning

Brain Regions and Senses Brain areas devoted to sensory input  Vestibular = balance  Somatosensory = touch  Olfactory = smell  Gustatory = taste  Auditory = sound  Visual = light

Brain Regions – Motor and Sensory Cortex Motor cortex – controls voluntary muscles

Brain Regions – Motor and Sensory Cortex Somatosensory cortex – receives touch input (heat, cold, pain, light touch + pressure) Some areas require more brain than others

Brain Regions – Motor and Sensory Cortex Homunculus = ‘little man’ represents the amount of sensory brain devoted to each body part

Brain Regions