Name _______________________________________________________ Number ___________
The Body and Behavior
The Nervous System: The Basic Structure
How the Nervous System Works
Structurally, the nervous system is divided
into two parts.
1. Central nervous system [CNS]:
___________________________________
_________________________
2. Peripheral nervous system [PNS]: the
__________________________ that reach
the other parts of the body
- The nerves of the peripheral system
conduct information from the bodily organs
to the central nervous system and take
information back to the organs.
 Neurons: the long, thin cells of ______________________________ along which
_________________________travel to and from the brain
Transmission between neurons or nerve cells occurs whenever the cells are stimulated past a
minimum point and emit a signal.
Neuron Activity
 The ______________________ of activity in each neuron depends on how many other
neurons are acting on it.
 Each individual neuron is either _________ or __________, depending on whether most of the
neurons acting on it are exciting it or inhibiting it.
Voluntary and Involuntary Activities
 Some of the actions that your body makes in response to impulses from
the nerves are _____________________________ acts, such as lifting your hand to turn a
page (which actually involves many impulses to many muscles).
 Others are __________________________ acts, such as changes in the heartbeat, in the
blood pressure, or in the size of the pupils.
 Somatic nervous system (SNS): the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls
___________________________ activities.
 Autonomic nervous system (ANS): the part of the nervous system that controls
_____________________________activities, or those that ordinarily occur “automatically.”
 The autonomic nervous system itself has two parts:
 The ______________________________ nervous system prepares the body
for dealing with emergencies or strenuous activity.
 In contrast, the _____________________________nervous system works to
conserve energy and to enhance the body’s ability to recover from strenuous
activity.
The Brain
*Download the free app “3D Brain” to guide you through the parts of the brain!*
The Three Brains
Hindbrain: a part of the brain located at the rear
base of the skull that is involved in the
_____________________________________ of life
Midbrain: a small part of the brain above the pons
that integrates ____________________________
______________________ and relays it upward
Forebrain: a part of the brain that covers the brain’s
_______________________________
The Forebrain
 Thalamus: integrates __________________________.
A relay station for all the information that travels to and from the cortex.
 Hypothalamus: controls functions such as _______________________
_____________________ and temperature reactions.
The “higher” thinking processes–those that make us unique–are housed in
the forebrain.
 Cerebral cortex: gives you the ability to _____________ and store complex and abstract
information, and to think into the future
 Cerebrum: the site of your conscious __________________________________
 Limbic system: found in the core of the forebrain; regulates our _____________ and
______________________
 Includes the hypothalamus (formation of memories), amygdala (rage and fear),
thalamus, and hippocampus.
The Lobes of the Brain
 The cerebral hemisphere is connected by a band of fibers called the
__________________________________.
Lobes: the different regions into
which the cerebral cortex is
______________________.
- Occipital lobe- where the visual
signals are processed
- Parietal lobe- information from the
senses all over the body
- Temporal lobe- hearing, memory,
emotion and speaking
- Frontal lobe – organization,
planning and creative thinking
Left and Right Hemispheres
 The left hemisphere controls the movements of the _______________ side of the body; for
most people, _____________ is located here; specialized for mathematical ability, calculation
and ___________.
 The right hemisphere controls the _________ side of the body; the right hemisphere is more
adept at _____________ and spatial relations; ____________________ and intuition are also
found in the right hemisphere.
Split-Brain Operations
 In a normal brain, the two hemispheres communicate using the ______________
___________________.
Whatever occurs on one side is communicated to the other side.
 Many psychologists became interested in differences between the cerebral hemispheres when
“split brain” operations were tried on ___________________.
Not only did the operation reduce the severity of seizures, but it also resulted in
_______________________________.
Research on split-brain patients has presented evidence that each hemisphere of the brain is unique
with specialized functions and skills.
Accidents
 Psychologists can learn from the tragedies when some people suffer accidents.
 Psychologists try to draw a connection between the damaged parts of the brain and a person’s
behavior.
 Example: Phineas Gage’s Skull
Critical Thinking:
If a person suffers a traumatic head injury and then begins behaving differently, can we
assume that brain damage is the reason for the personality change? Why or why not?
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
The Endocrine System
The Endocrine System
 The nervous system is one of two communication systems for sending information to and from
the brain; the second is the endocrine system.
 Endocrine system: a _____________________________________________________,
using ____________________, by which messages are sent through the bloodstream
 Hormones: chemical substances that carry messages through the body in blood
Hormones affect behavior.
They affect the growth of bodily
structures such as muscles and
bones–so they affect what you
can do physically.
Hormones affect your metabolic
processes; that is, they can
affect how much energy you
have to perform actions.
Essentially all the physical
differences between boys and
girls are caused by a hormone
called ____________________.
The Pituitary Gland
Under the direction of the hypothalamus in the brain, the pituitary gland acts as the
“_______________________.”
 Pituitary gland: the center of control of the endocrine system that secretes a large number of
hormones
Secretes a large number of hormones, many of which control the output of hormones by other
endocrine glands.
What do hormones tell the body to do?
 They carry messages to organs involved in regulating and storing nutrients so that despite
changes in conditions outside the body, cell metabolism can continue on an even course.
 They also control growth and reproduction.
The Thyroid Gland
Produces the hormone _________________
Thyroxine stimulates certain chemical reactions that are
important for all tissues of the body.
Too little thyroxine makes people feel ____________ and
lethargic–a condition known as hypothyroidism.
Too much thyroxine may cause people to _________________
and sleep and to be overactive–a condition known as
hyperthyroidism.
Adrenal Glands
Become active when a person is angry or frightened
 They release ___________________________ (also called adrenaline) into the bloodstream.
 The adrenal glands also secrete _____________________________________.
Cortical steroids help muscles develop and cause the liver to release stored sugar when the body
requires extra energy for emergencies.
Apply what you’ve learned!
List the endocrine glands that would secrete hormones for each of these behaviors.
Fear –
Lethargy –
Anxiety –
Identify the hormones produced by the glands and the function of those hormones.
Gland
1. Pituitary
2.Thyroid
3. Adrenal
Hormone(s) released
What is the major difference in how the nervous and endocrine systems work to help the brain
monitor and control most human behavior?
The ____________________________________sends ___________________________messages
directly to the neuron of the cell it wishes to direct, creating rapid responses. The
_______________________ secretes____________________________(chemical messages) into
the bloodstream to create slower but more widespread communication within the body.
Vocabulary Review Activity
Complete on your own.
1. The brain and spinal cord comprise the ________________________________.
2. Messages move to and from the brain along thin cells called
________________________.
3. Voluntary movements are controlled by the _____________________________.
4. One’s heartbeat is controlled by the ___________________________________.
5. The ______________________ is involved in the part of the brain involved in the
most basic processes of life.
6. The _________________ covers the brain’s central core.
7. The cerebral cortex is divided into different regions known as _______________.
8. The ____________________ system sends chemical messages to and from the
brain.
9. The master gland that controls the chemical messages of other glands is the
____________________________.
10.
The pituitary gland is located in the __________________________.