1. Nervous System

2. It is the master controlling and communicating system of the
Nervous system
It is the master controlling and communicating system of the
body. Its signaling device, or means of communicating with body cells, is
electrical impulses, which are rapid and specific and cause almost
immediate responses.
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General Psychology

3. Three Overlapping Functions
1) Much like a sentry, it uses its millions of sensory receptors to monitor changes occurring both inside and outside the body. These changes are called stimuli and the gathered information is called sensory input.
2) It processes and interprets the sensory input and makes decisions about what should be done at each moment- a process called integration.
3) It then effects a response by activating muscles or glands; the response is called sensory output.
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General Psychology

4. Structural Classification
The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord, which occupy the dorsal body cavity and act as an integrating and command centers of the nervous system. They interpret the incoming sensory information and issue instructions based on past experience and current conditions.
The peripheral nervous system (PNS), the part of the nervous system outside the CNS, consists mainly of the nerves and extend from the brain and spinal cord.
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General Psychology

5. Central Nervous System
Brain
Spinal cord

6. Peripheral Nervous System
somatic nervous system (voluntary movements)
autonomic nervous system (involuntary movements)
sympathetic nervous system (arouses/excites the body)
parasympathetic nervous system (relaxes or calms the body)

8. Cell Structure
Neuron: cell composed of a cell body, an axon and dendrites, forming a functional unit of the nervous system. Cell body: part of the nerve cell between the axon and the dendrite.
Nucleus: central part of a cell, containing the chromosomes. Dendrite: receives information from other neurons Axon: brings information away from the cell body and send information towards other neurons
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General Psychology

10. Neurotransmitters
These are chemicals located and released in the brain to allow an impulse from one nerve cell to pass to another nerve cell.
There are approximately 50 neurotransmitters identified. There are billions of nerve cells located in the brain, which do not directly touch each other. Nerve cells communicate messages by secreting neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters can excite or inhibit neurons (nerve cells) or both.
Drugs that interfere with neurotransmitters are called agonist (drugs that increase or mimics the neurotransmitters) and antagonist (those that blocks the effects of the transmitters)
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General Psychology

12. Some Common Neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine (Ach)
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (usually abbreviated to GABA)
Norepinephrine
Dopamine
Serotonin
Endorphine
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General Psychology

13. acetycholine (Ach) simulates firing of neuron
involved in the action of muscles, learning and memory
found in the CNS and PNS
eg: venom/poison of a black widow = stimulates to make spasms
poison dart/tranquilizers = blocks the receptors for Ach, paralyzing the person
nicotine = stimulates the receptors
Alzheimer’s disease (Ach deficient)

14. acetycholine (Ach)

15. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
found in the CNS (1/3 of the brains synapse)
keeps many neurons from firing
controls the preciseness of the signals carried from 1 neuron to the other
low level of GABA = anxiety
valium increases inhibiting effect of GABA

16. Norepenipherine Both a hormone and a nuerotransmitter
usually inhibits firing of neurons BUT excites the heart muscles, intestines etc.
eg: stress stimulates the release norepenipherine
controls allertnes
Too little of norepenipherine = depression ; too much = manic states

17. Dopamine mainly inhibits helps control voluntary movement
affects sleep, mood, attention and learning
eg. Stimulants like cocaine/amphetamines produce excitement, alertness, decreased fatigue and increased motor activity
facilitates critical brain functions and, when unusual quantities are present, abnormal dopamine neurotransmission may play a role in Parkinson's disease, certain addictions, and schizophrenia.

18. Dopamine

19. Serotonin also inhibits regulates sleep, mood, attention and learning
regulates sleep and wakefulness w/ acetycholine and norepinepherine
low level of serotonin is associated with depression
PROZAC (antidepressant) increase the brain levels of serotonin
concentrated in certain areas of the brain; the hypothalamus and midbrain contain large amounts, while the cortex and cerebellum contain low concentrations.

20. Serotonin

21. Endorphins
is one of the body's own painkillers, an opioid (morphine-like) chemical produced by the body that serves to suppress pain.
Manufactured in the brain, spinal cord, and many other parts of the body.
Endorphins act as analgesics (diminishing the perception of pain) and as sedatives.
natural opiate
stimulates other neurons
protects the body from pain and elevates pleasure
eg. morphines - anesthesia

22. Levels of
Organization of the
Brain

24. Hindbrain

25. a. Medulla When the spinal cord enters the skull Controls breathing
Regulates reflexes
Allows us to maintain an upright

26. b. Cerebellum rear of hindbrain, just above the medulla
rounded structure that are important in motor coordination
ex. Arm and leg movement.: playing the piano, playing

27. c. Pons bridge in the hindbrain
contains several fibers involved in sleep and arousal

28. Midbrain located in between the hindbrain and forebrain
contains several nerve fibers that ascend and descend to connect higher and lower portions of the brain.
Relays information between the brain and eyes & ears.
Linked to our ability to attend to an object visually

29. a. reticular formation
collection of neurons involved in stereotyped patterns of behavior eg. Walking, sleep, turning to attend to a sudden noise.

30. Brain stem
-includes most of the hindbrain and midbrain (except the cerebellum)
- Connects the spinal cord until the reticular formation
- Most ancient part of the brain (500 Million yrs”)
- Clumps of cells that determine alertness and regulates basic survival functions ex. Breathing, heart beat, blood pressure.

31. Forebrain
highest level of the human brain

32. A. LIMBIC SYSTEM
loosely connected of structures under the cerebral cortex
important in memory and emotion

33. 1. AMYGDALA (Latin for “almond” shape)
- located at the base of the temporal lobe
- involved in the discrimination of objects necessary for survival
Ex food, mates ,social rivals
- neurons in the amygdala fires selectively to such stimuli
- involved in emotional awareness and expression
DAMAGE: eat, fight or mates with inappropriate objects

34. 2. HIPPOCAMPUS role in storage of memories
DAMAGE: Individuals do not retain new conscious memories after the damage
NOTE: Memories are not stored in the limbic system but determine what information should have a lasting neural traces in the cortex.

35. B. Thalamus
located on top of the brain stem in the central core of the brain.
sorts information and send it to the appropriate places in the forebrain for further information and integration
involved in sense receptors
involved in sleep and wakefulness
(with reticular formation)
Ex. cerebellum-thalamusmotor area(cerebral cortex)

36. C. Basal Ganglia located above the thalamus, under the cerebral cortex
clusters of neurons
works with the cerebellum and cerebral cortex to control and coordinate voluntary movement
enables for habitual behavior
Ex. riding a bicycle, driving
DAMAGE: can cause unwanted movements
Ex. jerking of limbs
Or too little movement
Ex. like Parkinson’s disease

37. D. Hypothalamus small forebrain structure below the thalamus
monitors three pleasurable activity
1. Eating 2. drinking 3. sex
involved in emotion, stress, rewards
sensitive to change in blood & neural output

38. E. Cerebral cortex highest region in the forebrain
most recently developed
involved in highest mental function: thinking/planning
convoluted

39. E. Cerebral cortex

41. F. LOBES

42. 1. Occipital lobe back of the head responds to visual stimulus
connect to process info. On visual stimuli
ex. Color, shape, motion
damage: blindness

43. 2. Temporal lobe part of cerebral cortex above the ears
involved in hearing, language, processing & memory
connected to the limbic system
damage: can not retain experiences to long term memory

44. 3. Frontal lobe found in the cerebral cortex behind the for brain
involved in control of voluntary muscles, intelligence and personality
eg. Phineas Gage (Sept 13, 1848) prefrontal cortex (responsible for planning and monitoring/organizing thinking) was damaged.

45. 4. Parietal lobe located on top of the rear head
involved in registration of spatial location, attention and motor cortex
eg. Judging how far the buildings are

46. G. Cortexes visual cortex: vision and sight
auditory cortex: hearing and sound
prefrontal cortex: planning, reasoning
motor cortex: voluntary movement
somatosensory: body sensation

47. Association cortex/Association areas
comprises 75% of the cerebral cortex
integrates information among the other cortex
+ a damage to a specific part does not result in specific loss of a function (except for the language areas
eg:
 Broca’s area which is involved in speech production
 Wernicke’s area which is involved in comprehending language.

48. Cerebral Hemispheres

49. Connected by the corpus callosum
Cerebral Hemispheres
Roger Sperry (1974) had an epileptic patient called W.J.
created the split brain theory
Left
Right
Connected by the corpus callosum
Receives information from the right side of the body
Receives information from the left side of the body
Speech & grammar
Appropriate use of language
Logic, mathematics
Processes non-verbal info.
Processes verbal information
Spatial reasoning, visual recognition, and emotional recognition