Synapse

PHYSIOLOGICAL BASES OF BEHAVIOR Functional connections between neurons

Central Nervous System
Types of synapses:
1. axo-somatic
CELLS THAT COMPOSE THE BRAIN 2. axo-dendritic
3. axo-axonic
1. Glial cells: cells that guide the growth of developing
neurons and support mature neurons
2. Neurons: brain cells that receive and transmit electrical
signals

NEURONS

Brain cell with two specialized extensions: one for receiving

signals (dendrites) and a second, for transmitting signals
(axons)

1. synthesis of neurotransmitter and formation of

vesicles
2. transport of neurotransmitters down the axon
Parts of a Neuron 3. action potential is generated by ions inside the axon,
impulse that travels from the soma to the end of the
 Cell body/Soma: axon
provides fuel, manufactures chemicals and maintains the 4. release of neurotransmitter to the synaptic cleft
entire neuron in working order 5. neurotransmitter attaches to specific receptors,
 Dendrites: activating the next neuron
Receives signals and pass these signals to the cell body 6. separation of neurotransmitter from receptors
 Axon: 7. reuptake of neurotransmitters
Carries signal away from the cell body
 Myelin sheath: * Nerve impulse – series of separate action potentials
Wraps around and insulates an axon, prevents
interference from electrical signals generated in adjacent
axons; facilitates the transmission of electrical signals Classification of neurons according to function:
down the axon Sensory/Afferent neuron: sends impulses from the
*runs along the axon, interrupted at fairly regular receptor to the brain
intervals producing the nodes of Ranvier Motor/Efferent neuron: sends impulses from the brain to
*Schwann cells supply the myelin to the peripheral peripheral organs
NS while oligodendrocytes supply it to the central NS
*considered the white matter of the brain
*myelinated fibers conduct neural impulses faster NEUROTRANSMITTERS
than the smaller unmyelinated fibers due to the saltatory
type of transmission from node to node: a jumping Chemicals that relay, amplify and modulate signals between
characteristic neurons
*Multiple sclerosis: degeneration of the myelin
sheath 2 types:
 Synaptic knobs: Excitatory
Stores neurotransmitters used to communicate to • Stimulates the brain, brings about a
neighbouring cells transmission of neural impulses
• e.g. dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine
*Alzheimer’s disease is caused by an excessive buildup of a Inhibitory
substance which gradually interferes with and destroys • Calms the brain and helps create balance,
neurons. prevents conduction
*Multiple sclerosis is caused when myelin sheaths of the brain • e.g. dopamine, serotonin, gamma amino
and spinal cord are damaged butyric acid

PHYSIO BASES 1
NERVOUS SYSTEM REGIONS OF THE HUMAN BRAIN

• System that controls all

activities of the body
• Allows you to react to a
stimulus

ORGANIZATION OF THE
NERVOUS SYSTEM

Brain

Central
Nervous System

Spinal Cord
Nervous System
Somatic System
Peripheral
Nervous System FRONTAL LOBE
• Involved in performing voluntary motor movements,
Autonomic System interpreting and performing emotional behaviors,
behaving normally in social situations, maintaining a
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM healthy personality, paying attention, making
decisions and executing plans
• Made up of neurons located in the brain and spinal • Frontal Lobotomy: Surgical procedure in which about
cord. one-third of the front part of the frontal lobe was cut
away from the rest of the brain

PARIETAL LOBE
• Involved in processing sensory information from
body parts: touching, locating positions of limbs, and
feeling temperature and pain; and carrying several
cognitive functions like attending to and perceiving
BRAIN objects

• Protected by the skull, pinkish-white OCCIPITAL LOBE

color, relatively small,  involved in processing visual information, which
melon-shaped structure, includes seeing colors and perceiving and recognizing
weighs less than 3 pounds and has a consistency of objects, animals and people
firm Jell-O
Major structures found in the occipital lobe:
3 Parts of the Brain • PRIMARY VISUAL CORTEX – receives signals from
receptors in the eyes and transforms these signals
1) CEREBRUM into meaningless basic visual sensations, such as
 Largest part of the brain lights, lines, shadows, colors and textures
• Regulates our higher intellectual processes • VISUAL ASSOCIATION AREAS – transforms basic
• Controls thinking, memory, speaking and movement sensations into complete, meaningful visual
• Identifies information gathered by the sense organs perceptions such as persons, objects or animals

• Recognized by its-
GYRUS/GYRI:
• Ridge on the cerebral cortex
SULCUS/SULCI:
• Depression or fissure on the cerebral cortex
• Major sulci of the cerebral cortex: Medial
Longitudinal Fissure, Central sulcus, Sylvian
fissure
*Cortex: outermost neural tissue of the
cerebrum, gray in color: gray matter
TEMPORAL LOBE
• Involved in hearing, speaking coherently, and
understanding verbal and written material
Major structures found in the temporal lobe:
• PRIMARY AUDITORY CORTEX – receives signals from
receptors in the ears and transforms these signals
into meaningless sound sensations such as vowels
and consonants
• AUDITORY ASSOCIATION AREAS – transforms basic
sensations into recognizable auditory information,
such as words or music
• BROCA’S AREA – necessary for combining sounds
into words and arranging words into meaningful
sentences
• WERNICKE’S AREA – necessary for speaking
coherent sentences and understanding speech
PHYSIO BASES 2
 LIMBIC SYSTEM
CORPUS CALLOSUM • Involved in the regulation of motivated behaviors:
fleeing, feeding, fighting and sexual behavior
• Facilitates communication between the left and right
hemispheres
• Largest white matter in the brain
• Consisting of 200-250 million contralateral axonal
projections

Major parts of the limbic system:

LEFT-BRAIN, RIGHT-BRAIN
There are no two brains but two halves working as one.
• THALAMUS – involved in receiving sensory
information, doing some initial processing, and then
relaying the information to the areas of the cortex
• HIPPOCAMPUS – involved in saving many kinds of
fleeting memories by putting hem into permanent
storage in various parts of the brain
• AMYGDALA – involved in forming recognizing, and
remembering emotional experiences and facial
expressions
• HYPOTHALAMUS – regulates many motivational
behaviors including eating, drinking, sexual
responses and other emotional behaviors, and
secretion of hormones, such as occurs at puberty

2) CEREBELLUM
• LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS
uses logic • Below and to the back of the cerebrum
detail oriented • Controls your balance and posture
facts rule
words and language 3) BRAIN STEM
present and past
math and science • Connects the brain to the spinal cord
can comprehend • Nerves in the brain stem controls your heartbeat,
knowing breathing, and blood pressure
acknowledges
order/pattern perception
knows object name Parts of the Brain Stem:
reality based
forms strategies  Medulla Oblongata
practical Takes part in inducing sleep, attention, movement and the
safe maintenance of muscle tone, and various cardiac, circulatory
and respiratory reflexes
• RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS  Pons and cerebellum
uses feeling Control of one’s movement
"big picture" oriented • Midbrain
imagination rules Takes part in some sensorimotor, auditory and visual
symbols and images functions
present and future  Thalamus and Hypothalamus
philosophy & religion Thalamus: Receives signal from sensory receptors, processes
can "get it" (i.e. meaning) them and transmits them to appropriate areas of sensory
believes cortex
appreciates Hypothalamus: Regulation of some
spatial perception motivated behavior, regulation of release of
knows object function hormones
fantasy based
presents possibilities SPINAL CORD
impetuous
risk taking • Sends messages to the brain
• Connects the brain to the rest of
the nervous system

PHYSIO BASES 3
References:

Pinel, J. (2000). Biopsychology. (4th ed.). USA: Allyn & Bacon.

Plotnik, R. (2005). Introduction to Psychology. (7 th ed.). Ca:

Wadsworth Publishing Company

Smith, E., Nolen-Hoeksema, S., Fredrickson, B. & Loftus, G.

(2003). Atkinson & Hilgard’s Introduction to
Psychology. Singapore: Thomson Learning.

Images:

http://www.csmc.edu/7140.html

http://www.squidoo.com/braintest?utm_campaign=direct-
discovery&utm_medium=sidebar&utm_source=zerounu

http://wps.prenhall.com/hss_wade_mru_2/0,7992,823168-
,00.html

www.fotosearch.com

http://quantumlearningblog.wordpress.com/2009/02/

http://www.macalester.edu/psychology/whathap/ubnrp/Split_
Brain/Corpus%20Callosum.html

PHYSIO BASES 4