Nervous System

Central Nervous System

(CNS) brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous system

Body Nerves that connect to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord). Connects the central nervous system to the body's organs and limbs.

Autonomic Nervous System

Controls involuntary bodily functions (not consciously controlled), such as breathing, the heartbeat, and digestive processes

Somatic Nervous System

Controls voluntary bodily functions (consciously controlled), such as controlling skeletal muscles

2 Major Functions of Nervous System

1. Sensory Reception-end of peripheral neurons monitor conditions( light,sound,temperature)

2. Integrative Functions- Sensory messages that get sent repeatedly get remembered "motor functions" (subconscious actions)

Order of Stimulus (from sensory to effector)

1. Stimuli: physical or chemical signal (ex. hot room)
2. Nerve impulse (ex. sends signal to brain)
3. Effectors: muscle & glands react (ex. sweat glands start sweating)

Stimulus

Things that initiate nerve impulses (ex. hot room)

Effector

Response (ex. Sweating)

Motor Functions

Complex muscle-and-nerve acts that produce movement (walking, writing, typing running etc.)

"Electrochemical"

A nerve impulse is partially electric (change in polarity/charge) and partially chemical (neurotransmitters)

Synapse

Where the nerve impulse is sent (connection of 2 neurons) .

Action Potential changes the charge of the synapse (causes electricity) and Neurotransmitters are sent.

Myelin Sheath

Covering of Schwann Cells, Speeds up nerve impulses.

Axon

The long threadlike part of a nerve cell that carry the nerve impulse

Dendrites

Branch like extensions on a neuron that GET signals and connect to the synapse

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals that transmit signals across a synapse from one neuron to another 'target' neuron

Multipolar Neuron

Most of the brain/spinal cord & is mylinated

Bipolar Neuron

Found in eyes, nose, and ears

Classified as an "Interneuron": connects PNS to CNS

Unipolar Neuron

Accepts Sensory messages (feelings & senses)

Found outside of the brain and spinal cord

Sensory Neuron

Nerve cells that transmit sensory information (sight, smell, sound etc.)

Unipolar shaped Neurons

Interneuron

Nerve cells that serve as that connection between Peripheral Nerves to Central Nervous System.


Bipolar shaped Neurons

Motor Neuron

Nerve cells responsible for making an action or movement happen.

Multipolar Shaped Neurons

Sodium Potassium Pump

A protein on the outside membrane of a neuron at the Synapse.

Changes the charge (aka. polarity) of the neuron.

Moves sodium and potassium ions across the cell membrane to change the "electricity" of the neuron.

The order of events during an Action Potential caused by the Sodium Potassium Pump

1.) Sodium Channel Opens
2.) Sodium Channel Closes
3.) Potassium Channel Opens
4.) Potassium Channel Closes

Depolarization

During nerve impulse, electrical charge increases to Action Potential (30mV)

Repolarization

During nerve impulse (Action Potential), electrical charge decreases to Resting Potential (-70mV)

Significance of 30mV

Action potential- highest charge

Significance -70mV

Resting Potential
(both the start and end in Sodium Potassium Pump)

Resting Potential

Non-active state of a neuron (not sending an impulse)

Action Potential

Highest charge of a neuron, 30mV (caused by Sodium Potassium Pump) -- causes a Nerve Impulse

Threshold Potential

Starts an action potential.

5 milliseconds

Time it takes to send a nerve impulse (Action Potential of Sodium Potassium Pump)

4 Major Brain Structures

1. Cerebellum
2. Cerebrum
3. Diencephalon
4. Brainstem

Cerebrum

"Brain" area

Divided into Right and left hemispheres, connected by the Corpus Callosum

Diencephalon

"Middle of brain"- in between Cerebrum & Brain Stem

Consists of:
1. Hypothalamus
2. Thalamus

Cerebellum

Coordinates voluntary movements such as posture, balance, coordination, and speech, resulting in smooth, balanced muscular activity
-

Injury to the Cerebellum leads to this...

Tremors or movement issues.

Brain Stem

Connects brain to spinal cord

Made up...
1. Midbrain
2. Pons
3. Medulla Oblongata

Right Cerebral Hemisphere

Controls left body,

Creative, Visual, facial recognition, visual, and musical traits

Left Cerebral Hemisphere

Controls Right Body

Logical, Math, Calculations, Organized traits

Corpus Callosum

Connects the left and right hemispheres(sides) of the brain

Gyri

Brain ridges or Brain wrinkles

Sulcus

Shallow wrinkles of the brain

Fissure

Deep groove of the brain

Split Brain Experiment (1981)

An experiment that discovered differences in the right and left brain hemispheres; won a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine

Frontal Lobe

Controls your logic, decision making, concentration, and personality

Parietal Lobe

Touch, pressure, temperature, pain

Temporal Lobe

Controls your hearing & memory.

Occipital Lobe

Controls vision/sight

Brocas & Wernicke's Area

Controls Language and Speech

Brocas: hearing and interpreting speech

Wernickes's: writing

Hippocampus

Controls Memory

important in forming new memories and connecting emotions and senses, such as smell and sound, to memories.

Thalamus

Accepts sensory messages

Hypothalamus

Takes messages from the Thalamus and sends signals to glands.

Helps regulate body temperature, certain metabolic processes and other autonomic activities

Amygdala

Controls Emotions
"almond" shaped

Limbic System (and the organs that make up the Limbic System)

Controls Emotion.

Includes:
1.Thalamus & Hypothalamus
2. Amygdala
3. Hippocampus
4. Olfactory bulbs.

Midbrain

A portion of the Central Nervous System controls reflexes

Medulla Oblongata

Transfers messages along the spinal cord.

Located below the pons

Controls some autonomic functions (ex. breathing, swallowing)

Autonomic functions

Regulate involuntary actions like the intestines, heart, and glands.

Reticular Formation

Mediates the overall level of consciousness

During Sleep: Reticular Formation off

Comatose

Damage to Reticular Formation leads to...

Effect of consistent Barbituate Drug use (depressants like alcohol, Xanax) on Reticular Formation

Decreases Reticular Formation (ability to turn brain on or off)

Meninges

The protective covering over the brain & spinal cord.

Meningitis

Infection of meninges, causes of infection include bacteria, viruses, cancer, and brain injury

meningitis

Spinal Tap can test for this...

Ascending Nerves

A nerve pathway that goes upward from the spinal cord toward the brain carrying sensory information

Descending Nerves

Nerves pathway going down the spinal cord

Cervical Plexus

The first four cervical spinal nerves. (C1-C4)

Brachial Plexus

A network of nerves that send signals to your spine, shoulders, arms, and hands. (C5-T1)

Intercostal Nerves

Network of nerves found in between the thoracic region of the spine. (T1- T11)

Lumbosacral Plexus

Network of nerves found at base of spinal cord (T11 - S5)

Sciatic Nerve

A major nerve extending from the lower end of the spinal cord down the back of the thigh, and dividing above the knee joint.

It is the nerve with the largest diameter in the human body

Common Injury

Spinal Cord cross section

Excitatory Neurtransmitters

Starts up (stimulates the brain)

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Calms the brain and helps create balance

Acetylcholine

Neurotransmitter, skeletal muscle contractions

Endorphins

Neurotransmitter, Reduces pain, fight or flight

Norepinephrine

Neurotransmitter, feel good

(low amounts: depression)

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter, feel good

Regulates attention, cognition, movement, pleasure, and hormonal processes

(Low amounts: Parkinson's)

Serotonin

Neurotransmitter, that causes the feeling of sleepiness

(Low amounts: Aggression)

Why are Personality Disorders difficult to treat?

There is not one cure for any type of personality disorder. Every person is different and must be treated differently

Since there is a personality issue, drugs do not necessarily fix the issue

Symptoms begin to show around age 18 in men and age 25 in women.

The worst symptoms begin to show from ages 25-40

What age do those suffering from Schizophrenia typically begin to show symptoms

Olfactory Bulb

Sense Smell

Linked to the Hippocampus (the reason why smell is so related to memory)