Biological Basis of
Behavior
8-10% OF THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM
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The Human Neuron Party
Speed of Neural Impulses
How can we measure the speed of a neural impulse?
Single Diagnostic Item & Plickers
Challenge
How could you make the speed of the neural impulse
faster?
How could you make the speed of the neural impulse
slower?
Single Diagnostic Item & Plickers
Field Trip to the Bathroom
Organization of the Nervous System
The Human Nervous System
Central Nervous System
Brain
Peripheral Nervous System
Spinal Cord
Somatic Nervous System
Afferent Nerves
Efferent Nerves
Autonomic Nervous System
Sympathetic Nervous
System
Parasympathetic Nervous System
Neuron Structure
Action Potential
Action Potential
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdCrZm_JAp0
The Synapse
Neurotransmitters
◦
Chemical messengers that carry the signal from one neuron to
the next
◦ After the signal is sent some are broken down by enzymes
others are reabsorbed in a process called reuptake
◦ Receptors are signal specific-they only respond to specific
neurotransmitters
◦ Neurotransmitters can have an excitatory or inhibitory effect
on the receiving neuron
Acetylcholine
Excitatory
Function: enables muscle action, learning, and memory
Associated Problems: deterioration of Ach producing neurons leads
to Alzheimer’s
GABA
Inhibitory
Function:
major inhibitory neurotransmitter
Regulates neural firing in the brain, controlling the precision of the
signal from one neuron to the next
Associated Problems: undersupply can lead to seizures, tremors,
insomnia, or anxiety
Glutamate
Excitatory
Function:
Major excitatory neurotransmitter
Involved in memory
Associated Problems: over supply can lead to migraines and
seizures
Norepinephrine
Excitatory
Function:
Helps control alertness and arousal
Stimulates the heart muscles and intestines
Associated Problems:
under supply can lead to a depressed mood
Oversupply can lead to agitation
Dopamine
Both- a precise balance
Function:
Influences mood, attention, and emotion
Allows for recognition of rewarding experiences
Associated Problems:
Over supply can lead to schizophrenia
Under supply is associated with Parkinson’s
Serotonin
excitatory
Function: impacts mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
Associated Problems: undersupply can lead to depression
Endorphins
inhibitory
Function:
Inhibits pain by blocking pain receptors
Elevates feelings of pleasure
Associated Problems:
Under supply can lead to pain
Over supply can lead to euphoria
Oxytocin
Excitatory
Function:
Aids in the progression of child birth
Important in love and social bonding
Associated Problems:
It is hypothesized that low levels can lead to maladaptive social traits
and aggression
Drugs that Alter Neurotransmitters
AGONISTS
Molecules that bind receptor
sites and mimic the effects of a
neurotransmitter
ANTAGONISTS
Molecules that bind receptor
sites and block neurotransmitter
functioning
Endocrine System
Made up of glands that release hormones into the blood stream
that can influence behavior
Much slower acting than neurotransmitters
Pituitary Gland
Releases several hormones
Controls growth, development, and regulates other glands
Adrenal Glands
Release epinephrine and norepinephrine
Activates the body for quick response in emergency situations;
fight-or-flight
Neurvous/Endocrine Interaction
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/cells/cellcom/
Pancreases
Release insulin and glucagon
Regulates blood glucose levels
Ovaries/Testes
Estrogen, progesterone, testosterone
Controls sexual development and reproductive functioning
Technologies to Study the Brain
Electroencephalogram EEG
Records the brain’s electrical activity
Electrodes detect brain-wave activity
Can assess brain damage and epilepsy
Computer Tomography (CT or CAT Scan)
Examines the brain by taking x-ray photographs
Uses radiation
Can diagnose brain damage, bleeding, and stroke
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Uses a magnetic field that detects the movement of electrons
Produces a detailed image of the soft tissue in the brain
Can show unique features or abnormalities in brain tissue
Functional MRI (fMRI)
Taking images before and after being asked to do a task
Can show where blood is flowing during specific tasks or when
eliciting specific emotion
Positron emission tomography (PET)
Shows functional areas of the brain by observing the presence of
radioactive glucose
Similar to fMRI can show what area of the brain is functioning
during a specific task or emotional response
Organization of the Brain
Cerebellum
Motor coordination
Structures of the Brain Stem
Pons
Medulla
Reticular Formation
Pons
Sleep and arousal
Medulla
Breathing
Heart rate
Reflexes
Reticular Formation
Walking
Sleeping
Attending to sudden noises
The Limbic System
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Thalamus
Basal Ganglia
Hypothalamus
Amygdala
Intense emotion
Fear
Automatic encoding
Hippocampus
“record switch” for memory
Effortful encoding
Thalamus
Sorts information and sends it
to proper place for storage
Basal Ganglia
Works with cerebrum and
cerebellum to coordinate
voluntary muscle movement
Hypothalamus
Acts as a thermostat for the
body
Monitors eating, drinking, sex,
and emotional stress and reward
Controls the endocrine system
Cerebral Cortex
External area of the brain
Where advanced thinking and
planning occurs
Where memories are stored
Occipital Lobes
Responds to visual stimuli
Interprets what is being “seen”
Temporal Lobes
Hearing
Language processing
Memory
Frontal Lobes
Personality
Intelligence
Voluntary movement (centered
in the motor cortex)
Parietal Lobes
Spatial location
Attention
Processes information about
body sensation (somatosensory
cortex)
Association Cortex
Neurons that make up about
75% of the cortex
Integrate sensory and motor
information