1. The Brain and How it Affects Behavior Neurotransmitters and Hormones

2. A Brief Tour of the Brain Localization of Function – The idea that different parts of the brain perform separate, but overlapping functions

3. Brain Stem Made of the Medulla,Pons, and Reticular Activating System (RAS) – Medula: responsible for unconscious processes like breathing and heart rate – Pons: involved in sleeping, waking, dreaming – RAS: dense network of neurons, screens incoming information, arouses brain when it needs to be alert to something

4. Cerebellum Sits on top of the brain stem Two lobes Means “lesser brain” Helps with balance and coordination Helps remember simple skills and reflexes

5. Thalamus Deep in interior brain “Traffic officer of the brain” – Guides information to the right part of the brain for processing… You see a beautiful beach scene…the thalamus directs the sight to the visual-processing part of the brain – Except for smell…it has it’s own processing area by the “emotional” part of the brain

6. Hypothalamus “Under” thalamus Involved in drives associated with survival – Hunger – Thirst – Emotion – Sex Also regulates body temperature and natural rhythms Controls the Autonomic Nervous System (glands, blood vessels, internal organs)

7. Pituitary Gland Cherry-sized Controlled by the Hypothalamus Master Gland – Sends hormones out to other glands

8. The Limbic System Loosely connected structures involved in emotional reactions and motivated behavior “Pleasure Center” and rat experiment (pg 141) – Amygdala Takes in sensory info, evaluates, and determines its emotional importance, helps decide…fight or flight? Mediates anxiety/ depression – Hippocampus “seahorse” – for its shape Takes in senses, compares them to what you’ve learned about them Helps form new spatial memories and memories about facts and events

9. Cerebrum Largest brain structure In charge of sensory, motor, and cognitive processing Has two hemispheres connected by band of fibers called the corpus callosum Has 4 lobes: – Occipital: visual – Parietal: pain, touch, pressure, temperature – Temporal: memory, perception, emotion, hearing, language – Frontal: short-term memory, planning, thinking, speech, etc.

10. Neurotransmitters Messengers of the Brain

11. Neurons Building block cells of nervous system Cells that transmit messages throughout the body They communicate through electrical and chemical signals Neurons stop being produces shortly after birth and are “pruned” throughout life

12. Neuron Structure

13. What is a neurotransmitter? A chemical substance that is sent from one neuron to another causing changes in the activity of the receiving neuron Can be – Excitatory (fires up an action) – Inhibitory (slows down an action) Thousands of neurotransmitter messages are being fired at a time…the receiving neuron must average out the messages and decide what to do. www.youtube.com/watch?v=haNoq8UbSyc

14. Where are neurotransmitters? Brain Spinal cord Peripheral nerves Some glands

15. Well-known neurotransmitters Serotonin – Sleep, appetite, sensory perception, temperature regulation, pain suppression, mood Dopamine – Voluntary movement (you choose to do), learning, memory, emotion Acetylcholine – Muscle action, cognitive functioning, memory, emotion Norepinephrine – Heart rate, stress reactions, learning, memory, dreaming, waking, emotion GABA – The major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain Glutamate – Excitatory neurotransmitter….critical for long-term memory

16. NeurotransmitterFunctionDrugs that Affect Neurotransmitters Neurotransmitter Deficiencies Result In NorepinephrineArousal, energy, drive Cocaine, speed, caffeine, tobacco Lack of drive, depression, lack of energy GABAStaying calm, relaxation, focus Valium, alcohol, marijuana, tobacco Free-floating anxiety, fearfulness, insecurity, can't relax or sleep, unexplained panic EndorphinsPsychological / physical pain relief, pleasure, reward, good / loving feelings toward others Heroin, marijuana, alcohol, sugar, tobacco Overly sensitive, feelings of incompleteness, anhedonia (inability to experience pleasure normally), world lacks color, inability to love SerotoninEmotional stability, pain tolerance, self- confidence Sugar, marijuana, ecstasy, tobacco Depression, obsession, worry, low self- esteem, sleep problCES, hunger, irritability

17. Neurotransmitter study/drugs

18. Endorphins Like natural opiates (they reduce pain and promote pleasure) Play a role in appetite, sexual activity, blood pressure, mood, learning, and memory. Most kinds alter the effects of neurotransmitters…prolonging or limiting what they do. Endorphins shoot up in times of stress – Evolutionary advantage when you don’t feel pain during stress and then are able to act quickly Some have suggested that endorphins come when comforted by mother…child attached to parent because addicted to “love”/ good feelings from endorphins?

19. Hormones Released directly into blood stream from glands in body Can do things like regulate digestion, increase growth, promote aggression, mess with emotion!....ladies…?

20. Adrenal Hormones Come from adrenal glands…above kidneys Involved in emotion and stress – Fire up when emotional event occurs (good or bad) Cortisol – increases blood-sugar/energy Epinephrine(adrenaline) and norepinephrine These hormones activate the sympathetic nervous system which increases arousal and prepares you for action – Slows metabolism…pulls resources from stomach and intestines to be used elsewhere…why you lose appetite when very stressed or happy or emotional

21. Melatonin Produced deep within the brain Helps regulate biological rhythms – Urine volume, blood pressure, menstruation, stomach contractions, alertness, daydreaming, etc. Circadian Rhythms (more later) – Follow the rotation of the earth….like the sleep-wake cycle Melatonin rises and falls in your body according to light and dark conditions

22. Sex Hormones Secreted by the gonads (ovaries or testes) Androgens: masculinizing hormones (like testosterone) – mostly in testes, but in ovaries and adrenal glands as well Estrogens: feminizing hormones Some research about Estrogen aiding in learning and memory, but no research about “emotional” women or “angry” men.