Created by:

Leah Anderson and Wendy Hasenkamp Fasulo

Graduate Students
Emory University Graduate Program in Neuroscience
Structure
When it Goes
&
Wrong
Function

Drugs Wild Card

 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
What is the name of the important
brain cell shown below?
 NEURON!
Dendrites
Can you name the four
Cell Body main parts of a neuron?

Which direction do
electrical signals travel
Axon
in a neuron?
CELL BODY
Terminal

TERMINAL
 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
 What is it called when
blood flow to the brain is
blocked by a clot?
 STROKE
What’s happening outside?
Symptoms can vary depending on the brain area deprived of blood
• paralysis on one side of the body
• loss of speech

What’s happening inside?

Blockage of blood flow

causes neurons to die
rapidly
 STROKE
What can we do about…

blockage of blood flow?

•reduce risk factors with good diet and exercise
•clot-preventing and clot-dissolving drugs

rapid neuron death?

•new treatments can help keep neurons alive
•physical therapy and speech therapy help many
patients recover some of lost functions
 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
Neurons communicate by passing signals to each
other at specialized connections.

What is this connection between

two neurons called?
SYNAPSE!
The Synapse: Sending and Receiving
The terminals of the sending
neuron has vesicles packed with
neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are released

when the sending neuron fires

Neurotransmitters pass the

signal by binding to specific
receptors on dendrites of the
receiving neuron
 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
What street drug
was an ingredient
in Coca-Cola
from 1886 – 1906?
 COCAINE
What’s happening outside? What’s happening inside?
Behavioral effects of cocaine use
include:
• “high” = excitement and
euphoria, headaches and
anxiety
• “crash” = depression, paranoia,
exhaustion
• DEATH by heart attack or stroke

Blockage of dopamine removal = increased dopamine = “high”

 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
What is the largest (wrinkly)
structure of the brain called?
CORTEX!
The cortex is divided into 2
hemispheres, each with 4 lobes.
What are these lobes called?
Frontal Parietal
Temporal Occipital

The human cortex appears

wrinkly. What are the grooves
and folds called?
Grooves = Sulci
Folds = Gyri
 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
What disease does the man in this video suffer from?
 Schizophrenia
What’s happening outside?
Positive Symptoms: paranoia, hallucinations, disorganized thought and
speech patterns (NOT multiple personality!)
Negative Symptoms: social withdrawal, lack of emotion, decreased speech

What’s happening inside?

Too much
DOPAMINE!
 Schizophrenia
What can we do about…

positive and negative symptoms?

•MANY drugs available, better at treating positive symptoms
•behavioral therapy also important

too much dopamine?

•All effective drugs block dopamine receptors
•MORE RESEARCH to understand why dopamine is
elevated
 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
 We need a
VOLUNTEER!
 REFLEX!

Why have reflexes?

 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
A 70-year old woman goes to the doctor
with the following symptoms:

Confusion (ie: forgets what she’s doing and why)

Loss of orientation (ie: doesn’t know where she is)
Difficulty recognizing people she knows

What disease is this

woman suffering from?
 Alzheimer’s Disease
What’s happening inside?
NEURODEGENERATION = NEURON DEATH
Normal 88 yr. old w/ Alzheimer’s Disease

Cortical shrinkage (increased space

around the brain) real picture

Ventricular enlargement
 Alzheimer’s Disease
What can we do about…

memory problems and confusion?

•special living conditions, extra care
•some drugs available, but don’t fix underlying problem

neurodegeneration?
•experimental treatments to keep neurons alive
•MORE RESEARCH to understand why neurons die
 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
Morphine is a powerful pain
killer used in hospitals.

What street drug is related to

morphine?
 Heroin (also opium & methadone)
What’s happening outside? What’s happening inside?

Behavioral effects of heroin use

include:
• “rush” = euphoria, reduced
anxiety, nausea, drowsiness
• “withdrawal” = intense pain,
fever, diarrhea, irritability
• DEATH by respiratory arrest

Activation of opiate receptors = increased transmission = “rush”

 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
What disease does the woman in this video suffer from?
 Parkinson’s Disease
What’s happening outside?
Tremor Slow movements Depression
Rigidity Trouble with balance Confusion

What’s happening inside?

NEURODEGENERATION = NEURON DEATH
Normal Parkinson’s
•specific death of
DOPAMINE-
containing neurons

•symptoms occur only after

70-80% of dopamine
neurons have died
 Parkinson’s Disease
What can we do about…

movement problems?
•drugs like L-DOPA can replace lost dopamine
•deep brain stimulation, not common yet

neurodegeneration?
•experimental treatments to keep neurons alive
•MORE RESEARCH to understand why neurons die
 Structure
&
Function

When it Goes
Wrong

Drugs

Wild Card
 CLASS
ACTIVITY!
 What is the Blind Spot?
Retina What part of your eye
senses light?

What nerve carries visual

information to your brain?
Optic
Nerve

The blind spot is where the optic nerve leaves

the back of your eye (no light-sensing cells)!
Alzheimer’s Disease
What’s happening inside?

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