Neuroscience and Behavior
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
How do they transmit information?
2


Nerve cells
◦ Basic building
blocks of the
body’s
information
processing
system.
Made up of
◦ Dendrites
◦ Axons
3

Receive
information
4

Transmit
information to
other
◦ Neurons
◦ Muscles
◦ Glands
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6

Chemical
messengers
(neurotransmitters
) bridge the gap
7

Enable
communicati
on between
neurons
8


Neurotransmitters
(similar to
morphine)
Reduces pain
◦ E.g. Childbirth
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
What do these
parts do?
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

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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12


Sympathetic
nervous system
(Arousing)
◦ Increases
heartbeat &
blood
pressure
Parasympathetic
nervous system
(Calming)
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

Brain and spinal column
Severed spinal cord E.g.
◦ Bill - No genital sensations, but
has an erection when stimulated.
14

Simple reflex pathway
◦ Knee-jerk reaction
 A headless warm body could do it
15
Brainstem the oldest part of the brain, beginning where the
spinal cord swells and enters the skull. Responsible for
automatic survival functions.
Medulla [muh-DUL-uh] base
of the brainstem, controls
heartbeat and breathing.
Reticular Formation a nerve
network in the brainstem that
plays an important role in
controlling arousal.

Coordinates movements

Best distinguishes us from other
animals

Damage to frontal lobe

Transmits information from one
cerebral hemisphere to the other
Amygdala [ah-MIG-dah-la]
two almond-shaped neural
clusters linked to emotion of
fear and anger.
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.

Creating images
of the brain’s
activity
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
Brain waves - Recording electrical
activity
◦ CT scan
◦ PET scan
◦ MRI scan
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

Computed
tomography
X-ray
photographs
34


Magnetic fields and radio waves create images
of the brain’s soft tissues.
Normal
Schizophrenic
35


Positron emission
tomography scan
Radioactive
glucose
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