General Psychology (PY110) Chapter 2 Neuroscience
Feb 24, 2016
General Psychology (PY110)
Chapter 2Neuroscience
Neuroscience and BehaviorAll sensory organs
– ReceptorsMuscles and Glands
– EffectorsNeurons
– Communication channel
The Structure of a Neuron
How Neurons Communicate
Communication within
a neuron is electrical
Communication between
neurons is chemical
Types of Neurons
Interneurons exist only in the central nervous system
Sensory neurons carry information to the central nervous system from sensory receptors in the eyes, muscles, and glands
Motor neurons carry movement commands from the central nervous system to the rest of the body
Neurotransmitters, Drugs, and PoisonsKey terms:
Agonists Antagonists
Drugs and poisons that increase the activity of one or more neurotransmitters
Drugs and poisons that decrease the activity of one or more neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters1.Acetylcholine (ACh) is involved in both learning
and memory and muscle movement2.Dopmaine impacts our arousal and mood states,
thought processes, and physical movement3.Serotonin and norepinephrine are
neurotransmitters involved in levels of arousal and mood, and play a major role in mood disorders such as depression
4.GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system; glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter
5.Endorphins are a group of neurotransmitters that are involved in pain perception and relief
DopamineLow levels are associated
with Parkinson’s disease, and excessively high levels are associated with schizophrenia
L-Dopa is an agonist that increases production of dopamine
Anti-psychotic drugs are antagonists that block the receptor sites for dopamine so that this neurotransmitter cannot send its messages
Amphetamine acts as an agonist by stimulating the release of dopamine from axon terminals
Cocaine is an agonist that blocks the re-uptake of dopamine
Nervous System Subdivisions
The Central Nervous SystemConsists of the spinal cord and the brain
◦The spinal cord has two functions Conduit for incoming
sensory data and outgoing movement commands
Provides for spinal reflexes, which are simple automatic actions not involving the brain
◦The brain is the control center for the entire nervous system
The Peripheral Nervous SystemConsists of two parts:
◦ The somatic (or skeletal) nervous system carries sensory input from receptors to the CNS and relays commands from the CNS to the skeletal muscles to control their movement
◦ The autonomic nervous system regulates our internal environment and consists of two parts The sympathetic nervous system is in
control when we are very aroused and prepares us for defensive action (such as running away or fighting)
The parasympathetic nervous system is in control when the aroused state ends to return our body to its normal resting state
Components of Emotion
An emotion is a complex psychological state that involves three components:
Physical Behavioral Cognitive
A physiological state of arousal triggered by the
autonomic nervous system
An outward expression including facial expressions,
movements and gestures
An appraisal of the situation to determine which emotion we are experiencing and how
intensely
• James-Lange Theory
• Cannon-Bard Theory
• Schachter-Singer Theory
Emotion Theory Comparison
Stimulus:Sight of bear
Stimulus:Sight of bear
Stimulus:Sight of bear
Physiological Arousal
Emotional Response
(Fear)
Emotional Response
(Fear)
Emotional Response
(Fear)Cognitive Appraisal
Physiological Arousal
Physiological Arousal
The Central Core Brain Structures
The Limbic System
The Four Lobes and the Sensory-Motor Processing Areas
The Case of Phineas GagePhineas Gage was railroad worker
who survived when a metal tamping iron flew through his left cheek and head, exiting through his frontal lobes
He became irresponsible, impulsive, disorderly, indecisive, and cursed, leading neuroscientists to think the frontal lobes are important in such behaviors
Language
Fluentspeech
productionComprehension
of speech & reading
What we know…Left hemisphere
◦ Language◦ Math and logic skills◦ More analytical,
analyzing wholes intopieces
Right hemisphere◦ Spatial perception◦ Solving spatial
problems◦ Drawing◦ Face recognition
A band of neurons called the Corpus Callosum joins the two hemispheres ◦ Allows communication and coordinates functions
Five Stages of SleepBrain wave taken by Electroencephalogram (EEG)
SleepCycles
• Cycles last about 90 minutes.
• 4-6 cycles each night
Nature of Sleep & Dreams
2 Types of Sleep – REM and Non-REM Non-REM = Quantity REM = Quality REM Sleep reduced by alcohol and sleeping pills Sleep Deprivation (or Dream Deprivation)
◦ Moderate – Sleep rebound◦ Severe – depression, impaired memory, decreased immune response
Circadian cycles – Biological clock
Sleep (Hrs)
Awake (Hrs) % REM
Adults 8 16Babies 16 8
Stage
Wave Form
Remarks
Non –REM
1 Alpha & Theta
‘Falling’ asleep
2 Theta Light sleep3 Delta Deep Sleep
- Night terrors, Sleep walking, Sleep talking, Etc.4 Delta
3 Delta2 Theta Light sleep
REM Paradoxical Sleep - Dreaming occurs