Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Chapter 3 Biopsychology and the Foundations of Neuroscience This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law: Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network; Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, of any images Any rental, lease or lending of the program. ISBN:

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 What is Biopsychology? Biopsychology – The specialty in psychology that studies the interaction of biology, behavior, and the environment Neuroscience – Interdisciplinary field that focuses on the brain and its role in psychological processes

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The body’s two communication systems, the nervous system and the endocrine system, both use chemical messengers to communicate with targets throughout the body How Does the Body Communicate Internally?

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Neuron Types of Neurons Sensory neurons (carry messages from sense receptors towards the CNS) Motor neurons (carry messages from CNS toward muscles and glands) Interneurons (carry messages between nerve cells)

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Structure of a Neuron

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Neural Impulse Neural impulse – Brief electric surge that carries the neuron’s message Ions – Charged particles that are moved across the cell membrane

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Neural Impulse Resting potential Action potential Synapse Synaptic transmission

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Neurotransmitters Neurotransmitters – Chemical messengers that relay neural messages across the synapse

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Seven Important Neurotransmitters Dopamine Serotonin Acetylcholine Glutamine Norepinephrine GABA Endorphins

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007NeurotransmittersDopamine Serotonin Acetylcholine Glutamine Norepinephrine GABA Endorphins Normal Function: Produces sensations of pleasure and reward; used by CNS neurons in voluntary movement Problems with Imbalance: Schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease Substances that Affect: Cocaine, amphetamines, Ritalin, alcohol

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007Neurotransmitters Dopamine Serotonin Acetylcholine Glutamine Norepinephrine GABA Endorphins Normal Function: Regulates sleep and dreaming, mood, pain, aggression, appetite and sexual behavior Problems with Imbalance: Depression, certain anxiety disorders, obsessive- compulsive disorder Substances that Affect: Prozac, hallucinogenics (e.g. LSD)

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007Neurotransmitters Dopamine Serotonin Acetylcholine Glutamine Norepinephrine GABA Endorphins Normal Function: Controls heart rate, sleep, sexual responsiveness, stress, vigilance and appetite Problems with Imbalance: High blood pressure, depression Substances that Affect: Tricyclic antidepressants, beta blockers

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007Neurotransmitters Dopamine Serotonin Acetylcholine Glutamine Norepinephrine GABA Endorphins Normal Function: Primary transmitter used by neurons carrying messages from CNS; involved in some kinds of learning and memory Problems with Imbalance: Certain muscular disorders, Alzheimer’s disease Substances that Affect: Nicotine, botulism toxin, curare, atropine

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007Neurotransmitters Dopamine Serotonin Acetylcholine Glutamine Norepinephrine GABA Endorphins Normal Function: Most prevalent inhibitory neurotransmitter in neurons of CNS Problems with Imbalance: Anxiety, epilepsy Substances that Affect: Barbiturates, tranquilizers (e.g. Valium, Librium), alcohol

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007Neurotransmitters Dopamine Serotonin Acetylcholine Glutamine Norepinephrine GABA Endorphins Normal Function: Primary excitatory neurotransmitter in CNS; involved in learning and memory Problems with Imbalance: Brain damage after stroke Substances that Affect: PCP (“angel dust”)

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007Neurotransmitters Dopamine Serotonin Acetylcholine Glutamine Norepinephrine GABA Endorphins Normal Function: Pleasurable sensations and control of pain Problems with Imbalance: Lowered levels resulting from opiate addiction Substances that Affect: Opiates: opium, heroin, morphine, methadone

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Plasticity Plasticity – Ability of the nervous system to adapt or change as the result of experience; sometimes helps the nervous system adapt to physical damage

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Glial Cells Glial cells Provide structural support for neurons Help in forming new synapses Form myelin sheath

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 How Does the Brain Produce Behavior and Mental Processes? The brain is composed of many specialized modules that work together to create mind and behavior

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Windows on the Brain EEG (electroencephalograph) – Device for recording brain waves, typically by electrodes placed on the scalp Brain waves – Patterns of electrical activity generated by the brain

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Windows on the Brain Epilepsy – Brain disorder that is often marked by seizures and loss of consciousness; caused by out-of-control electrical activity in the brain

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Windows on the Brain Lesions – Tissue damage that results from disease or injury

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Windows on the Brain Brain scans – Recordings of the brain’s electrical or biochemical activity at specific sites CT scanning (computerized tomography) PET scanning (positron emission tomography) MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Three Layers of the Brain Brain stem and cerebellum Drive vital functions, such as heart rate, breathing, digestion Limbic system Adds emotions, complex motives, increased memory abilities Cerebrum Enables reasoning, planning, creating, problem solving

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Brain Stem and Cerebellum Thalamus Pons Cerebellum Medulla Brain stem

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Limbic System Hypothalamus – Serves as the brain’s blood- testing laboratory, constantly monitors blood to determine the condition of the body

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Limbic System Amygdala – Involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Limbic System Hippocampus – Involved in establishing long-term memories

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Cerebrum Cerebrum – Topmost layer of the brain; the bulbous cap over the limbic system Cerebral cortex – Thin gray-matter covering of the cerebrum; carries on thinking and perceiving Cerebral hemispheres – The two walnut shaped halves of the cerebrum, connected by the corpus callosum

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Four Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex Frontal lobes (movement and thinking) Parietal lobes (touch sensation and spatial relationships) Occipital lobes (contain visual cortex) Temporal lobes (process sounds, including speech)

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Cooperative Brain Association cortex – Cortical regions that combine information from various other parts of the brain

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Cerebral Dominance Cerebral dominance – Tendency of each brain hemisphere to exert control over different functions Aphasia – The loss of speech caused be brain damage

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 Specialization of the Cerebral Hemispheres Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere Spontaneous speaking and writing Responses to complex commands Word recognition Memory for words and numbers Sequences of movements Feelings of anxiety Positive emotion Repetitive but not spontaneous speaking Responses to simple commands Facial recognition Memory for shapes and music Spatial interpretation Emotional responsiveness Negative emotion

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 The Split Brain Split-brain patients – Individuals who have had the corpus callosum surgically severed Duality of consciousness – Condition in which a split-brain patient has a separate consciousness in each hemisphere

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007 End of Chapter 3