The Biological Basis of Behavior: Psychology: An Introduction Charles A. Morris & Albert A. Maisto © 2005 Prentice Hall

The Biological Basis of
Behavior
Chapter 2
Psychology: An Introduction
Charles A. Morris & Albert A. Maisto
© 2005 Prentice Hall
Neurons: The Messengers
 About 100 billion neurons (nerve cells) in
the human brain
 Neurons have many of the same features
as other cells
 Nucleus
 Cytoplasm
 Cell membrane
 What makes neurons unique is their
shape and function
Structure of Neurons
 Dendrites
 Carry information to the cell
body from other neurons
 Cell Body (Soma)
 Contains nucleus
 Axon
 Carries information to the
next cell
 Myelin Sheath
 Insulates the axon and
speeds up the neural
impulse
 Nerve Impulse
 A form of energy of an electro-chemical
nature which creates a molecular
commotion when transmitted from particle
to particle along the nerve.
 The way neurons communicate with one
another
Types of Neurons
 Sensory neurons
 Carry information from sensory systems to the brain
 Also referred to as afferent
 Motor neurons
 Carry information from the brain to muscles and
glands
 Also referred to as efferent
 Interneurons
 Carry information between other neurons
The Synapse
 Synaptic space (synaptic cleft)
 Tiny gap between neurons
 Terminal button
 Enlarged area at the end of an axon
 The synapse
 Composed of the terminal button of one
neuron, the synaptic space, and the dendrites
or cell body of the receiving neuron
Transmission Between Neurons
 Synaptic vesicles
 Sacs in terminal button
that release chemicals
into synaptic space
 Neurotransmitters
 Chemicals released by
synaptic vesicles
 Receptor sites
 Location on receptor
neuron for specific
neurotransmitter
 At the tip of the axon connected the axon
terminal which is the site of the
neurotransmitter release.
 Neurotransmitters are chemical substance
release from the nerve endings that
transmit across synapses to other nerves
and across the aps between the nerves
and the muscles or glands that they supply.
 Neurotransmitter substance affects ones
behavior
Some Well-Known
Neurotransmitters
 Acetylcholine (ACh)
 Released at the neuromuscular junction
 Plays an important role in arousal and attention
 Loss of ACh producing cells is linked to Alzheimer’s
Disease
 Dopamine
 Affects neurons associated with voluntary movement
 Plays a role in learning, memory, and emotions
 Loss of dopamine-producing cells causes symptoms
of Parkinson’s Disease
Some Well-Known
Neurotransmitters
 Serotonin
 Found throughout the brain
 Appears to sets an “emotional tone”
 Low serotonin levels are implicated in
depression
 Endorphins
 Reduce pain by inhibiting or “turning down”
neurons that transmit pain information
Nervous System Organization
 Central nervous
system (CNS)
 Consists of the brain
and spinal cord
 Peripheral nervous
system
 Connects the CNS to
the rest of the body
 Somatic nervous
system
 Autonomic nervous
system
Central Nervous System
Brain Spinal Cord
The Brain – The Central Core
 Medulla
 Controls breathing,
heart rate, and blood
pressure
 Pons
 Maintains the sleep-
wake cycle
 Cerebellum
 Coordinates body’s
movements
 Thalamus
 Relays information from
sensory receptors to the
brain
 Hypothalamus
 Influences motivated
behavior
 Regulates hunger, thirst,
body temperature, and
sexual drive.
 Directly involved in
emotional behavior
 Reticular formation
 Network of neurons found throughout the
brain
 Serves to alert and arouse higher brain in
response to incoming information
The Brain – The Limbic System
 Ring of structures located
between the central core
and the cerebral
hemispheres
 Important to learning and
emotional behavior
 Hippocampus essential in
formation of new memories
 Amygdala, together with
the hippocampus, is
important for regulating
emotions
The Cerebral Cortex
 Occipital lobe
 Receives and processes
visual information
 Temporal lobe
 Complex visual tasks such
as face recognition
 Receives and processed
auditory information
 Involved in balance, some
emotions and motivations
 Some language processing
The Cerebral Cortex
 Parietal lobe
 Receives sensory
information from body
 Involved in spatial abilities
 Frontal lobe
 Coordinated information
from other lobes
 Controls voluntary
movement, attention,
setting goals, and
expression of appropriate
emotions
Hemispheric Specialization
 Corpus Callosum
 Fibers that connect the
two hemispheres
 Allow close
communication
between left and right
hemishphere
 Each hemisphere
appears to specialize
in certain functions
Split-Brain Research
 Much information about functions of each
hemisphere has come from studying split-
brain patients
The Spinal Cord
The Spinal Cord
 Complex cable of nerves that connects
brain to rest of the body
 Carries motor impulses from the brain to
internal organs and muscles
 Carries sensory information from
extremities and internal organs to the
brain
The Peripheral Nervous System
Peripheral Nervous System
Somatic Nervous System Autonomic Nervous System
Sympathetic Division Parasympathetic Division
The Somatic Nervous System
 Consists of neurons that communicate
between the body and the brain
 Controls the skeletal muscles
 Afferent neurons
 Neurons that carry messages from sense organs
to spinal cord
 Efferent neurons
 Neurons that carry messages from the spinal
cord or brain to muscles and glands
The Autonomic Nervous System
 Sympathetic division
 Most active when you
are angry, afraid, or
aroused
 Fight-or-flight
response
 Increases heart rate
and breathing
 Stops digestion
The Autonomic Nervous System
 Parasympathetic
division
 Calms body
 Produces effects
opposite to those of
the sympathetic
division
 Reduces heart rate
and breathing
 Restores digestion
EXAMPLE
The Endocrine System
 Scattered masses of tissue found in various
parts of the body at the base of the brain, in
the neck, behind the stomach, above the
kidneys and within and below the pelvis
 It secrets hormones, chemical messengers
that are directly released into the
bloodstream because they have no ducts or
structured paasageways to the organs they
serve
 Hormones play an important role in the
integration of the organism’s activities. It helps in
the maintenance of homeostasis.
 Plays an important role in growth, sexual and
maternal behavior individuals characteristic level
of energy and mood and his reaction to stress.
 Homeostasis is the tendency of the body to
maintain a balance among internal physiological
conditions
Hormonal Imbalance
Created when there is HYPOFUNCTION
(under secretion of hormones) and
HYPERFUNCTION (over secretion of
hormones) in different glands.
 Thyroid gland
 Secretes hormones
(primarily thyroxin) that
control metabolism
 Located in the neck
 Hypothyroidism (under
secretion of the gland)
 Hyperthyroidism (Over
secretion of the gland)
 Goiter-swelling of the
thyroid gland due to
glands overworking
 Parathyroid Gland
 These are two pairs of small pea shaped
glands close to the thyroid glands.
 Secretes parathormone regulates the
calcium of the body. Under secretion of
this hormone results to poor coordination
of the nervous system.
 Pituitary gland
 Referred to as the
“master gland”
because it regulates
many other glands
 Secretes growth
hormone
 Giantism (over
secretion)
 Dwarfism
(underfunction)
 Gonads
 Are sex glands which produce the sperm and egg cells
for reproduction
 For male (testosterone and androgens)
 For female (Estrogen)
 Infertility (under secretion)
 Sex aggression (over secretion)
 Adrenal glands
 Secretes hormones in reaction to stress
 Secretes adrenalin when the individual is under
emotional excitement
 Pancreas
 Secretes hormones which control the level of blood
sugar or glucose in the bloodstream,
 Secretes insulin and glucagon
 INSULIN-lowers the blood sugar level
 GLUCAGON-raises the blood sugar level
 HYPOGLYCEMIA-low sugar level

 HYPERGYCEMIA or DIABETES MELLITUS-High
sugar level
QUIZ
GET ¼ sheet of paper
QUESTION # 1
What do you call to the tiny gap

between neurons?
QUESTION # 2
Sensory neurons carry information from sensory
systems to the brain and also referred to as afferent
while Motor neurons carry information from the brain
to muscles and glands and also referred to as efferent
Question:
What do you call to the neurons that carry
information between sensory and motor
neurons?
QUESTION # 3
What do you call to the chemical
substance release from the nerve endings
that transmit across synapses to other
nerves and across the aps between the
nerves and the muscles or glands that
they supply?
QUESTION # 4 and 5
Parts of CENTRAL NERVOUS

SYSTEM
Brain Spinal Cord
QUESTION # 6
What It is the Fibers that connect

the two hemispheres of the brain
and Allow close communication
between left and right
hemishphere?
QUESTION # 7
It is called as the “MASTER GLAND”
QUESTION # 8
It is a part of cerebral cortex that

receives and processes visual
information
QUESTION # 9
A cell that carries messages

between the brain and other parts
of the body and that is the basic
unit of the nervous system
QUESTION # 10
Scattered masses of tissue found in

various parts of the body at the base of
the brain, in the neck, behind the
stomach, above the kidneys and within
and below the pelvis
PASS YOUR PAPERS

The Biological Basis of Behavior: Psychology: An Introduction Charles A. Morris & Albert A. Maisto © 2005 Prentice Hall

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Biological Basis of Behavior: Psychology: An Introduction Charles A. Morris & Albert A. Maisto © 2005 Prentice Hall

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Biological Basis of

Central Nervous System

Brain Spinal Cord

Peripheral Nervous System

Somatic Nervous System Autonomic Nervous System

Sympathetic Division Parasympathetic Division

 HYPOGLYCEMIA-low sugar level

GET ¼ sheet of paper

What do you call to the tiny gap

Parts of CENTRAL NERVOUS

Brain Spinal Cord

What It is the Fibers that connect

It is called as the “MASTER GLAND”

It is a part of cerebral cortex that

A cell that carries messages

Scattered masses of tissue found in

You might also like