Chapter 2- The Biology of Mind

Biopsychosocial systems

biological, psychological, and social cultural factors interact to influence behavior 

Through neuroplasticity 

The brain changes throughout life by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience, New neural pathways reflect personal experiences

Neurons

Elementary components of the nervous system; the body’s speedy electrochemical system

Dendrites

Receive messages from other cells

Axon

Passes messages away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles, or glands

Myelin sheath

covers the axon of some neurons and helps speed neural impulses

Gilal Cells

provide myelin and support, nourish, and protect neurons

Cell body

the cell’s life support center

Neuron firing is…

an all or none process

Neurotransmitters

travel over designated pathways in the brain and may influence specific behaviors and emotions

Acetylcholine (ACh)

affects muscle action, learning, and memory

Endorphins

natural opiates released in response to pain and exercise

Acetylcholine (ACh) Examples of Malfunctions

With Alzheimer’s disease, ACh-producing neurons deteriorate

Dopamine

Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

Dopamine Examples of Malfunctions

Oversupply linked to schizophrenia, undersupply linked to tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson’s disease

Serotonin

Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

Serotonin Examples of Malfunctions

Undersupply linked in depression. Some antidepressant drugs raise serotonin levels.

Agonist

molecule that increases a neurotransmitters action

Antagonist

molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitters action

The nervous system

The body's speedy electrochemical communication network, which consists of all the nerve cells of the central and peripheral nervous system 

Central nervous system (CNS)

The brain and the spinal cord are the body's decision makers

Peripheral nervous system (PNS) 

Sensory and motor neurons connect the CNS to the rest of the body for gathering and transmitting information; Somatic nervous system and automatic nervous system 

Divisions of the Human Nervous System

There are multiple divisions

What are the types of neurons?

Sensory, Motor, Interneurons

Sensory neurons 

Carry messages from the body's tissues and sensory receptors inward to the spinal cord and brain for processing 

Motor neurons

Carry instructions from the central nervous system out to the body's muscles 

Interneurons within the brain and spinal cord 

Communicate with one another and process information between the sensory input and the motor output 

What are the subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system?

Somatic nervous stem and Autonomic nervous system

What are the subdivisions of the Autonomic nervous system?

Sympathetic nervous system, Parasympathetic nervous system

Sympathetic subdivision

Arouses and expends energy and enables voluntary control of skeletal muscles

Parasympathetic subdivision

Calms and conserves energy, allowing routine maintenance activity, and controls involuntary muscles and glands 

Endocrine system

a set of glands that secrete hormones into the blood stream

Pituitary gland

Master gland that influences hormone release by other glands, including the adrenal glands 

Intricate feedback system for Endocrine System

The brain's hypothalamus influence the pituitary gland which influences other glands that release hormones and influence the brain