Name _______________________________________________________ Number ___________

The Body and BehaviorThe Nervous System: The Basic Structure

How the Nervous System Works

Neurons: the long, thin cells of ______________________________ along which

_________________________travel to and from the brain

Transmission between neurons or nerve cells occurs whenever the cells are stimulated past a minimum point and emit a signal.

Structurally, the nervous system is divided into two parts.

1. Central nervous system [CNS]: ___________________________________

_________________________

2. Peripheral nervous system [PNS]: the

__________________________ that reach

the other parts of the body

- The nerves of the peripheral system conduct information from the bodily organs to the central nervous system and take information back to the organs.

Neuron Activity The ______________________ of activity in each neuron depends on how many other

neurons are acting on it.

Each individual neuron is either _________ or __________, depending on whether most of the

neurons acting on it are exciting it or inhibiting it.

Voluntary and Involuntary Activities Some of the actions that your body makes in response to impulses from

the nerves are _____________________________ acts, such as lifting your hand to turn a

page (which actually involves many impulses to many muscles).

Others are __________________________ acts, such as changes in the heartbeat, in the

blood pressure, or in the size of the pupils.

Somatic nervous system (SNS): the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls

___________________________ activities.

Autonomic nervous system (ANS): the part of the nervous system that controls

_____________________________activities, or those that ordinarily occur “automatically.”

The autonomic nervous system itself has two parts:

The ______________________________ nervous system prepares the body

for dealing with emergencies or strenuous activity.

In contrast, the _____________________________nervous system works to

conserve energy and to enhance the body’s ability to recover from strenuous

activity.

The Brain*Download the free app “3D Brain” to guide you through the parts of the brain!*

The Three Brains

The Forebrain Thalamus: integrates __________________________.

A relay station for all the information that travels to and from the cortex.

Hypothalamus: controls functions such as _______________________

_____________________ and temperature reactions.

The “higher” thinking processes–those that make us unique–are housed in the forebrain. Cerebral cortex: gives you the ability to _____________ and store complex and abstract

information, and to think into the future

Cerebrum: the site of your conscious __________________________________

Limbic system: found in the core of the forebrain; regulates our _____________ and

______________________

Hindbrain: a part of the brain located at the rear

base of the skull that is involved in the

_____________________________________ of life

Midbrain: a small part of the brain above the pons

that integrates ____________________________

______________________ and relays it upward

Forebrain: a part of the brain that covers the brain’s

_______________________________

Includes the hypothalamus (formation of memories), amygdala (rage and fear),

thalamus, and hippocampus.

The Lobes of the Brain The cerebral hemisphere is connected by a band of fibers called the

__________________________________.

Left and Right Hemispheres The left hemisphere controls the movements of the _______________ side of the body; for

most people, _____________ is located here; specialized for mathematical ability, calculation

and ___________.

The right hemisphere controls the _________ side of the body; the right hemisphere is more

adept at _____________ and spatial relations; ____________________ and intuition are also

found in the right hemisphere.

Lobes: the different regions into

which the cerebral cortex is

______________________.

- Occipital lobe- where the visual

signals are processed

- Parietal lobe- information from the

senses all over the body

- Temporal lobe- hearing, memory,

emotion and speaking

- Frontal lobe – organization,

planning and creative thinking

Split-Brain Operations In a normal brain, the two hemispheres communicate using the ______________

___________________.

Whatever occurs on one side is communicated to the other side.

Many psychologists became interested in differences between the cerebral hemispheres when

“split brain” operations were tried on ___________________.

Not only did the operation reduce the severity of seizures, but it also resulted in

_______________________________.

Research on split-brain patients has presented evidence that each hemisphere of the brain is unique

with specialized functions and skills.

Accidents Psychologists can learn from the tragedies when some people suffer accidents.

Psychologists try to draw a connection between the damaged parts of the brain and a person’s

behavior.

Example: Phineas Gage’s Skull

Critical Thinking: If a person suffers a traumatic head injury and then begins behaving differently, can we assume that brain damage is the reason for the personality change? Why or why not?

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

The Endocrine SystemThe Endocrine System

The nervous system is one of two communication systems for sending information to and from

the brain; the second is the endocrine system.

Endocrine system: a _____________________________________________________,

using ____________________, by which messages are sent through the bloodstream

Hormones: chemical substances that carry messages through the body in blood

The Pituitary GlandUnder the direction of the hypothalamus in the brain, the pituitary gland acts as the

“_______________________.”

Pituitary gland: the center of control of the endocrine system that secretes a large number of

hormones

Secretes a large number of hormones, many of which control the output of hormones by

other endocrine glands.

What do hormones tell the body to do? They carry messages to organs involved in regulating and storing nutrients so that despite

changes in conditions outside the body, cell metabolism can continue on an even course.

They also control growth and reproduction.

Hormones affect behavior. They affect the growth of bodily

structures such as muscles and

bones–so they affect what you

can do physically.

Hormones affect your metabolic

processes; that is, they can

affect how much energy you

have to perform actions.

Essentially all the physical

differences between boys and

girls are caused by a hormone

called ____________________.

The Thyroid Gland

Adrenal Glands Become active when a person is angry or frightened

They release ___________________________ (also called adrenaline) into the bloodstream.

The adrenal glands also secrete _____________________________________. Cortical steroids help muscles develop and cause the liver to release stored sugar when

the body requires extra energy for emergencies.

Apply what you’ve learned! List the endocrine glands that would secrete hormones for each of these behaviors.

Fear –

Lethargy –

Anxiety –

Identify the hormones produced by the glands and the function of those hormones.

Gland Hormone(s) released

1. Pituitary

2.Thyroid

3. Adrenal

Produces the hormone _________________

Thyroxine stimulates certain chemical reactions that are

important for all tissues of the body.

Too little thyroxine makes people feel ____________ and

lethargic–a condition known as hypothyroidism.

Too much thyroxine may cause people to _________________

and sleep and to be overactive–a condition known as

hyperthyroidism.

What is the major difference in how the nervous and endocrine systems work to help the brain monitor and control most human behavior? The ____________________________________sends ___________________________messages

directly to the neuron of the cell it wishes to direct, creating rapid responses. The

_______________________ secretes____________________________(chemical messages) into

the bloodstream to create slower but more widespread communication within the body.

Vocabulary Review ActivityComplete on your own.

1. The brain and spinal cord comprise the ________________________________.

2. Messages move to and from the brain along thin cells called

________________________.

3. Voluntary movements are controlled by the _____________________________.

4. One’s heartbeat is controlled by the ___________________________________.

5. The ______________________ is involved in the part of the brain involved in the

most basic processes of life.

6. The _________________ covers the brain’s central core.

7. The cerebral cortex is divided into different regions known as _______________.

8. The ____________________ system sends chemical messages to and from the

brain.

9. The master gland that controls the chemical messages of other glands is the

____________________________.

10. The pituitary gland is located in the __________________________.