Chapter 3: Neuroscience and behaviour Slides prepared by Randall E. Osborne, Texas State University-San Marcos, adapted by Dr Mark Forshaw, Staffordshire University, UK 1

Neurons: The Origin of Behaviour 2 2

Neurons Dendrites — “tree” Cell body — “soma” Axon — “myelin” 3

Neurons Glial cells –support cells Synapse –electrical to chemical –100 billion cells –100–500 trillion synapses 4

Neurons Major types of neurons –sensory –motor –interneurons 5

Electric Signalling: Conducting Information Within a Neuron 6

Electric Signalling Conduction and transmission Resting potential –natural electric charge –concentration of ions inside and outside cell 7

Electric Signalling Action potential –threshold –myelin and nodes of Ranvier –refractory period 8

Chemical Signalling: Transmission Between Neurons 9

Chemical Signalling Electrical to chemical Terminal buttons Neurotransmitters Receptors –key and lock –reuptake 10

Neurotransmitters 11

Neurotransmitters Most drugs have their effects by enhancing or interfering with synaptic transmission –As an agonist –Or as an antagonist Prozac –selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor 12

The Organization of the Nervous System 13

Nervous System Central (brain & spinal cord) Peripheral –somatic –autonomic sympathetic parasympathetic 14

Nervous System Somatic –gather information from external world Autonomic –complementary systems 15

Central Nervous System Brain Spinal cord –spinal reflexes –sensory receptors –interneurons 16

Structure of the Brain Hindbrain –medulla –reticular formation –cerebellum –pons 17

Structure of the Brain Midbrain –tectum –tegmentum 18

Structure of the Brain Forebrain –cerebral cortex Subcortical structures –thalamus –hypothalamus –pituitary gland 19

Structure of the Brain Limbic system –hypothalamus –Hippocampus –amygdala –basal ganglia 20

Structure of the Brain Cerebral cortex –frontal lobe –temporal lobe –occipital lobe –parietal lobe –corpus callosum –association areas 21

Somatosensory and Motor Cortices 22

The Evolution and Development of Nervous Systems 23

Evolutionary Development Flatworm –collection of neurons Invertebrates — neural tracts Vertebrates — tubular structure –lower vertebrates — forebrain just cluster of neurons –higher vertebrates — larger forebrain 24

Genes and the Environment Gene –DNA Chromosomes Monozygotic twins Dizygotic twins Heritability 25

Investigating the Brain 26

Investigating the Brain Studying the damaged brain - Alexander Laing – frontal lobe injury left him obsessed with sex Phineas Gage –Damage to frontal lobe through work accident –Emotional functions of the frontal lobes –He lived after the accident, but with unfortunate changes to personality 27

Investigating the Brain Distinct roles of left and right hemispheres –split-brain procedure 28

Listening to the Brain Electroencephalogram (EEG) Brain patterns while sleeping Brain patterns while awake –perceiving –learning –remembering 29

Brain Imaging Neuroimaging techniques –computerized axial tomography (CT) –magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) –positron emission tomography (PET) –functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) detects oxygenated haemoglobin and provides a picture of the level of activation in each brain area 30