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Neurons and The Nervous SystemAP Psychology Unit III: part oneNeural CommunicationBiological Psychologybranch of psychology concerned with the links between biology and behaviorsome biological psychologists call themselves behavioral neuroscientists, neuropsychologists, behavior geneticists, physiological psychologists, or biopsychologistsNeurona nerve cellthe basic building block of the nervous systemNeural CommunicationDendritethe bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive messages and conduct impulses toward the cell bodyAxonthe extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers, through which messages are sent to other neurons or to muscles or glandsMyelin [MY-uh-lin] Sheath a layer of fatty cells segmentally encasing the fibers of many neuronsenables vastly greater transmission speed of neutral impulsesNeural Communication

http://youtu.be/WyQbME6ilV4

Neural CommunicationAction Potential a neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axongenerated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of channels in the axons membraneThreshold the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

http://youtu.be/R0TdXkxBOkE

NeuronsMotor (Efferent) Neuronscarry outgoing information from the CNS to muscles and glandsSensory (Afferent) Neurons neurons that carry incoming information from the sense receptors to the central nervous systemInterneurons CNS neurons that internally communicate and intervene between the sensory inputs and motor outputs

MotorSensoryInterNEURONSNeural CommunicationSynapse junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the receiving neurontiny gap at this junction is called the synaptic gap or cleft

The average neuron has 1,000 synapses with other neurons.

What does a synapse look like?

Electron MicrographMicroscopy withFluorescent ProteinsMicroscopy withFluorescent Proteinshttp://youtu.be/LT3VKAr4roo

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that traverse the synaptic gaps between neuronswhen released by the sending neuron, neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing whether it will generate a neural impulse

Using the definition of a neurotransmitter and your knowledge of a neuron, draw a picture that you could use to explain a neurotransmitter to a 10-year-oldCREATE YOUR OWN DIAGRAM OF A NEURON+NEUROTRANSMITTERNeural Communication

Neurotransmitters

There are dozens of different neurotransmitters (NT) in the neurons of the body.NTs can be either excitatory or inhibitoryEach neuron generally synthesizes and releases a single type of neurotransmitterhttp://youtu.be/haNoq8UbSyc Neural Communication

Heroin is an agonist for endorphinsAlcohol is an antagonist for glutumate (excitatory) Agonists:Chemicals that mimic the effects of a neurotransmitter and therefore produce similar effects

Antagonists:Chemicals that block the neurotransmitter effectsNeural Communication: Agonists/Antagonists

Neurotransmitter moleculeReceiving cellmembraneReceptor site onreceiving neuronAgonist mimicsneurotransmitterAntagonistblocksneurotransmitter

Nicotine and Dopamine transmission

Nicotine binds to the presynaptic receptors exciting the neuron to fire more action potentials causing an increase in dopamine release.Nicotine also affects neurons by increasing the number of synaptic vesicles released.Is nicotine an agonist or antagonist for dopamine?Neural Communication

Serotonin Pathways

Dopamine PathwaysReuptake Mechanismthe absorption of a secreted substance by the cell that originally produced it.

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI) affect the level of serotonin in the brain. What would this look like as it relates to your neurotransmitter diagram?The Nervous System

Nervous System http://youtu.be/cqvoV4R7T2g

the bodys speedy, electrochemical communication system consists of all the nerve cells of the peripheral and central nervous systems Nerves neural cables containing many axonspart of the peripheral nervous systemconnect the central nervous system with muscles, glands, and sense organs

http://youtu.be/vGxho71tScM

Central Nervous System (CNS) the brain and spinal cord

The Nervous SystemCentral(brain andspinal cord)NervoussystemAutonomic (controlsself-regulated action ofinternal organs and glands)SomaticSkeletal (controlsvoluntary movements ofskeletal muscles)Sympathetic (arousing)Parasympathetic (calming)PeripheralAutonomic Nervous System the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart)SympatheticParasympatheticSomatic Nervous Systemthe division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the bodys skeletal muscles

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)The Autonomic Nervous System

http://youtu.be/YFYRosjcVuU

Sympathetic Nervous System division of the autonomic nervous system that arouses the body, mobilizing its energy in stressful situationsParasympathetic Nervous System division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energyLabel the chart above to include the parts and functions of the peripheral nervous system The Nervous System

The Nervous SystemReflexa simple, automatic, inborn response to a sensory stimulus

SkinreceptorsMuscleSensory neuron(incoming information)Motor neuron(outgoing information)BrainInterneuronSpinal cordParasympathetic Nervous System

The Nervous SystemNeural Networksinterconnected neural cells with experience, networks can learn, as feedback strengthens or inhibits connections that produce certain results computer simulations of neural networks show analogous learning

InputsOutputsNeurons in the brain connect with oneanother to form networksThe brain learns by modifyingcertain connections in response to feedbackNervous System

Central Nervous Peripheral Nervous System System

BrainSpinal cordAutonomic Somatic

SympatheticParasympathetic