© robert j. atkins, ph.d. neuroscience and behavior how does your brain work? 1 the biology of the...

© Robert J. Atkins, Ph.D.

Neuroscience and BehaviorHow does your brain work?

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How do they transmit information?

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Neurons Nerve cells

◦Basic building blocks of the body’s information processing system.

Made up of ◦Dendrites◦Axons

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Ask yourself …


Receive information

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Transmit information to other ◦Neurons◦Muscles◦Glands

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© Robert J. Atkins, Ph.D.7

Ask yourself …


The junction between the sending and receiving neuron Chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) bridge the

gap

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Rats in an enriched environment will increase their neurons and synapses.

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Chemicals Enable

communication between neurons

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Think about …


Neurotransmitters (similar to morphine)

Reduces pain◦E.g. Childbirth

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Can you draw and label the parts of a neuron?◦ Dendrites, body, axons

What is a synapse, and how do neurotransmitters aid neural communication?

What are endorphins?

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What do these parts do?

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Ask yourself …


Central nervous system◦Brain and spinal column

Peripheral nervous system◦Links central nervous system

(spinal cord) to sense receptors, muscles and glands

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Ask yourself …


Brain and spinal column Severed spinal cord E.g. E.g. -Sally - knee jerk reaction

without sensation of a tap on the knee if spinal column is broken.

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Ask yourself …


Sympathetic nervous system (Arousing)◦Increases

heartbeat & blood pressure

Parasympathetic nervous system (Calming)

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Ask yourself …

“Para is peaceful”

“Sympathetic creates symptoms”


Reflex Simple reflex pathway

◦Knee-jerk reaction

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Think about …


What is the difference between the central and peripheral nervous systems?

What is the difference between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?

What is an example of a simple reflex pathway?

If the spinal cord is broken, how does that effect the perception of sensation?

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Brain stemLimbic systemCerebral cortex


Brainstem the oldest part of your brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells and enters your skull. Responsible for your automatic survival functions.

Ask yourself …


Medulla base of the brainstem, controls your heartbeat and breathing.

Reticular Formation a nerve network in the

brainstem that plays an important role in

controlling your arousal.


Coordinates your movements “A bell helps me be coordinated”

Ask yourself…


Between the brain stem and the Cerebral cortex

Includes: Hippocampus

◦ Memory “Hippos can remember”

Amygdala ◦ Emotion

Aggression & Fear “Amy makes me mad”

Hypothalamus◦ Hunger, thirst,

temperature, & sex

Ask yourself …


Amygdala [ah-MIG-dah-la] two almond-shaped neural clusters linked to your emotion of fear and anger.

What does Amy do? “Amy makes me mad.”


Hypothalamus lies below (hypo) the thalamus;

directs several maintenance activities

like eating, drinking body temperature, and

emotions. Helps govern the endocrine system via

the pituitary gland. “Thal maintains my body”


What parts of your brain evolved first and last?

What makes up the limbic system?◦ What does each part focus on?

What does the cerebellum do?

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Brain plasticity Brain adjusts after damage

◦Blind learning to read brail Think: “Your brain can bend like plastic”

Think about …


Damage to frontal lobe


Corpus Callosum “It can call the other side” Sends information from one cerebral hemisphere to

the other.


Think about …


Left = Logical (Math) Right = Creative (Music)

Remember, all thinking requires both sides of the brain.


What characteristic of the brain allows it to adjust after damage?

How does information get from one side of your brain to the other?

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Brain waves – Amplifies and records electrical activity across the surface of the brain.


CT Scan◦ Computed

tomography X-ray photographs “Scan the cat with X-

rays.”

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Think about …


MRI Scan (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Magnetic fields and radio waves create images of the brain’s soft tissues.

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Think about …


fMRI Scan (Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging) Identifies specific brain areas during mental tasks

Think about …


Detects and amplifies magnetic fields generated by the electric current in neurons

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PET Scan Positron emission tomography

scan Radioactive glucose “Feed your pet radioactive sugar.”

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What does an EEG measure? What imaging method using radioactive

glucose is used for identifying which of Lucy’s brain areas was most active when she talked?

What does a fMRI do? How does magnetoencephalography

(MEG) work?

© robert j. atkins, ph.d. neuroscience and behavior how does your brain work? 1 the biology of the...

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