The Nervous System Organization -Nervous System - Brain Structure Meets Function -Neuron -Synapse

Organization of the Nervous System CNS & PNS

Nerve Circuit

Organization of the Brain 4 Main Parts – Brain Stem Basic Functions – Cerebellum Balance and Coordination – Limbic System Emotion Sensors – Cerebral Cortex Cognition and Thinking

Responding to Stimuli Sensory Neurons – Connect the sense organs to the brain Autonomic vs. Somatic Motor Neurons Transmit the brain’s response to the appropriate muscles – Somatic  skeletal muscles (conscious) – Autonomic  smooth muscles

Sympathetic or Parasympathetic Sympathetic—”Fight or Flight” – Speeds up breathing and heart rate – Stops digestion and urination – Dilates Pupils Parasympathetic—Normal Body Maintenance – Moderates breathing and heart rate – Allows for digestion and urination – Constricts Pupils *Why do we need these responses? *What if we are experiencing sympathetic type responses during our normal day-to-day activities?

Functional Unit: Neuron

Multiple Sclerosis…A degenerative Disorder Slow loss of ability to control muscle movement. Autoimmune Body “eats” myelin sheath If myelin sheath is similar in function to insulation on wires, why is this disease so bad?

Action Potential--Communication within a Neuron! The change in charge that travels from the dendrite of a neuron down the axon. Can be represented on a graph as a nerve impluse:

Action Potential Activity How does the sodium potassium pump work? What is resting potential? How does a nerve impulse change charge? Website: d.edu/animations/actionpot ential.swf

Synapse--Communication between neurons!!! Signals can be transmitted from one nerve to another nerve or muscle.

Serotonin An example of a neurotransmitter that affects mood, sleep, heart rate. Can be a cause of depression and anxiety. – Depression—too little – Anxiety—too much What is depression? What is anxiety? Are these biological diseases?

Treating Depression Prozac and Zoloft are medicines used to treat depression. They are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Let’s watch the commercial and see if we can determine how it works. 0

Depression and Treatment Depression medications are bandaids for a biological imbalance. What is meant by that analogy? How might therapy help cure depression? Is depression genetic? Environmental? Both?

Alzheimer’s Memory is caused by another neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Complete the activity to see how Alzheimer’s might be caused by an imbalance of this neurotransmitter and how Aricept might treat (but not cure) Alzheimer’s symptoms. Watch the video that shows the biochemistry of Alzheimers and how Aricept treatment works!

Schizophrenia Overstimulation of a neurotransmitter called Dopamine. Cocaine is a mimic of dopamine Treatment: Thorazine blocks receptors and stops signal!

Summary Be able to explain how a signal is sent from one neuron to another. Identify three ways to alter the signal and explain whether the signal is INCREASED or DECREASED!

Smarts and the Brain Does a bigger brain make you smarter? Yes and No Within and individual human’s brain Connections matter More than size… Active learning prunes connections!