Neuroscience and Behavior
Neural Communication
Neural Communication
Terminating Synaptic transmission
• Reuptake
• Enzymatic Deactivation
Don’t forget the glial cells...
Neural Communication
Neurotransmitter
molecule
Receiving cell
membrane
Agonist mimics
neurotransmitter
Receptor site on
receiving neuron
Antagonist
blocks
neurotransmitter
L-dopa
Haldol
Your brain is always changing
• Motion Adaptation is due to synaptic fatigue
How do we know
what’s going on in
there?
Methods of Investigation….
Patient Case Study: Phineas Gage
Manipulating the Brain
• Lesion
– a brain lesion is a
naturally or
experimentally
caused
destruction of
brain tissue
Lesion 2.0: TMS
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Dr. Murali Rao of Loyola Univesity Medical Center administers
transcranial magnetic stimulation to patient Nan Miller.
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
– an amplified
recording of the
waves of electrical
activity that sweep
across the brain’s
surface
– these waves are
measured by
electrodes placed on
the scalp
PET Scan
MRI Scan
fMRI scan
Histology
Fluorescence Techniques
Organization of the Brain
• Cerebellum [sehr-uhBELL-um]
– the “little brain” attached
to the rear of the
brainstem
– it helps coordinate
voluntary movement and
balance
The Limbic System
The Cerebral Cortex
The Cerebral Cortex
Motor Homunculus
Specialization and Integration
Our Divided Brain
Corpus callosum
• Corpus Callosum
– largest bundle
of neural fibers
– connects the
two brain
hemispheres
– carries
messages
between the
hemispheres
Our Divided Brain
• The information
highway from
the eyes to the
brain
Split Brain
“What word
did you see?”
or
“Look at the dot.”
Two words separated
by a dot are
momentarily projected.
“Point with
your left
hand to the
word you
saw.”