The Nervous System and the Brain

All of our thoughts, feelings, and emotions result from:

Neurotransmitter messages flashing between tiny nerve cells

Psychologists who stress the biological perspective argue that:

"everything psychological is biological”

The basic building blocks of the nervous system

Neurons

Neurons are responsible for:

Receiving, processing, and transmitting electrochemical information to other neurons, muscles, and glands

Each human body may have as many as how many neurons?

1 trillion

How big are neurons?

As tiny as a millimeter or as long as the length of your leg

The large part of the neuron that contains the nucleus, the cell's life support center

Cell body

"Dendrite" means _____ in Greek

"little tree"

Dendrites resemble:

Branch-like extensions

What do dendrites do?

Receive neural impulses from other neurons and convey impulses to the cell body

Long, tube-like structures that convey impulses away from a neuron's cell body toward other neurons or to muscles or glands

Axons

A protective layer of fatty insulation wrapped around the axons of some neurons

Myelin sheath

The presence of myelin sheath does what?

Increases the speed of neural impulses

The absence of myelin sheath does what?

Decreases the speed of neural impulses

The progressive deterioration of the myelin sheath causes:

The disease of multiple sclerosis

What happens during multiple sclerosis?

A person gradually loses muscular coordination

Terminal buttons located at:

The tip of each axon branch

What do terminal buttons do?

Release chemicals caused neurotransmitters

Two types of neurons:

Sensory and motor

Sensory neurons respond to:

Physical stimuli

How do sensory neurons respond to physical stimuli?

By sending neural messages to the brain and nervous system

Example of how sensory neurons work:

Sensory neurons pick up the flashing red, green, and orange lights from
traffic signals

Motor neurons respond to:

Sensory neurons

How do motor neurons respond to sensory neurons?

By transmitting signals that activate muscles and glands

Example of how motor neurons work:

Motor neurons allow a driver to press the gas or brake pedals in his or her car

Glial cells are known as the:

"Supporting cells" of the nervous system

What do glial cells do?

Surround neurons and hold them in place, supply nutrients and oxygen to neurons, insulate one neuron from another, and remove dead neurons

Bodily sensations and actions happen when:

Neurons are stimulated enough that the membrane's electrical charge reaches a threshold

What happens when the neurons are stimulated enough that the membrane’s electrical charge reaches a threshold?

Neurons “fire” a brief traveling electrical charge called an action potential

Where does the action potential travel?

Down the axon

What does the action potential do?

Transmit message to other neurons, muscles, or glands

Do neurons touch each other?

No

The microscopic space between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite and/or cell body of the receiving neuron is called the:

Synaptic gap

How wide is a synaptic gap?

Less than a millionth of an inch wide

When the action potential reaches an axon's end it triggers:

The release of chemical messengers called neurotransmitters

Where do neurotransmitters travel?

Across synaptic gap

What do neurotransmitters do after traveling across synaptic gap?

Bind to receptor sites on the receiving neurons

Neurotransmitters binding to receptor sites on the receiving neurons allows:

Electrically charged atoms to enter the receiving neurons and excite or inhibit a new action potential

What happens during reuptake?

Excess neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the sending neuron

The prefix “re” means:

“Back”

"reuptake" literally means:

"To take back up”

Four key neurotransmitters:

Acetylcholine, Dopamine, Serotonin, Endorphins

Short form of acetylcholine:

Ach

Acetylcholine facilitates:

Memory, learning, and muscle movement

A deficiency of acetylcholine plays a suspected role in:

Alzheimer's disease

A deficiency of acetylcholine causes:

Decline in memory and muscle coordination

A decline in memory and muscle coordination due to a deficiency of acetylcholine causes:

A person’s ability to function independently to be disrupted

How to remember that a deficiency of acetylcholine plays a suspected role in Alzheimer’s Disease?

Both acetylcholine and Alzheimer's begin with the letter A

Dopamine has generated a(n) significant/insignificant amount of scientific attention

Significant

During the last 10 years, research scientists have included dopamine in over ______ research papers

110,000

An oversupply of dopamine is linked to:

Schizophrenia

A serious psychological disorder that disrupts thought processes and produces delusions and hallucinations

Schizophrenia

An undersupply of dopamine is linked to:

Parkinson's disease

A disorder that includes tremors and decreased mobility.

Parkinson’s disease

Addictive drugs cause:

The release of dopamine

What contributes to addictive drugs’ addictive properties?

The release of dopamine

Serotonin affects:

Mood, appetite, sleep, and arousal

An undersupply of serotonin is linked to:

Depression

Example of antidepressant drugs:

Prozac

Antidepressant drugs work by:

Boosting available levels of serotonin

Endorphins are involved in:

Pain control, pleasure, and memory

Doing what increases the level of endorphins?

Exercise

6 examples of neurotransmitters:

Dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid), endorphins

Functions of dopamine:

Movement and thought processes

Diseases associated with dopamine:

Parkinson’s disease and Schizophrenia

Function of serotonin:

Emotional state sleep

Diseases associated with serotonin:

Depression, Anxiety, OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder)

Functions of norepinephrine:

Physical arousal, learning and memory

Diseases associated with norepinephrine:

High blood pressure, anxiety

Functions of acetylcholine:

Learning and memory, muscle contraction

Diseases related to acetylcholine:

Alzheimer’s Disease, Muscular disorders