1. Discussion Week 5

2. The Human Brain
What are the different structures that make up the brain?
Cerebrum
Cerebral cortex, white matter, basal nuclei
Diencephalon
Thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus
Midbrain
Part of the brainstem
Pons
Also part of the brainstem, cerebellum
Medulla oblongata
ALSO part of the brainstem

3. Brain Organization Cerebrum Cerebellum Controls skeletal muscle
Center for learning, emotion, memory, and perception
Cerebral cortex – perception, voluntary movement, and learning
Corpus callosum is necessary for the left and right cerebral hemispheres to communicate
Movement and balance
Learning and remembering motor skills
Hand-eye coordination

4. Brain Organization Diencephalon Brainstem
Thalamus – sensory information gets sorted and sent to the cerebrum
Hypothalamus – body’s thermostat and central biological clock
Pituitary gland - Hunger, thirst, sexual/mating behaviors, fight-or-flight response
Epithalamus – pineal gland as source of melatonin
Midbrain, pons, medulla
Midbrain – Sensory information and visual reflexes
Medulla – homeostatic functions: breathing, heart and blood vessel activity, swallowing, vomiting, and digestion
Pons – helps regulate breathing centers in the medulla

5. Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters allow communication between neurons and other cells
Neurotransmitters travel across synapses between neurons and targets
Acetylcholine tells muscles to contract

6. What happens if you block acetylcholine release?

7. What happens if you block inhibition of acetylcholine?

8. Action Potentials What is the threshold for this neuron?
What does letter A represent?
What does letter B represent?
-50 mV
Graded potential
Inhibitory signals

9. Adding cholesterol, more saturated
Cell Membranes
Which cell membrane is more fluid?
How could a cell decrease membrane fluidity? B
Adding cholesterol, more saturated
fatty acids

10. Osmosis Frog eggs are placed in solutions of different concentrations
What concentrations are
Hypertonic
Isotonic
Hypotonic
> 0.4 M
0.4 M
< 0.4 M

11. DNA Content The graph shows relative DNA content
Match the samples to the following cells:
Sperm
Neuron
Dividing endothelial cells 3 1 2