The Neural Control of Behavior - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

The Neural Control of Behavior

Chapter 5Slide2

Neurons

The Basic Unit of the Mind

NEURONS: single cells in the nervous system that are specialized for carrying information rapidly from one place to another and/or integrating information from various sources

The human brain contains ~100 billion neurons and ~100 trillion synapses

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The Human Nervous System

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

: comprised of the brain and spinal chord

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: the entire set of cranial and spinal nerves that connect the central nervous system (brain and spinal chord) to the body’s sensory organs, muscles, and glands.

NERVE: a large bundle containing the axons of many neurons. Located in the PNS, nerves connect the CNS with muscles, glands and sensory organsSlide4

Varieties of Neurons

SENSORY NEURONS

: carry messages from a sensory organ (e.g. eyes, ears, nose, tongue and skin), through a nerve, into the brain and spinal chord.

MOTOR NEURONS: carry messages from the brain or spinal chord, through a nerve, to a muscle or glandINTERNEURONS:

exist entirely within the brain or spinal chord and carries messages from one set of neurons to anotherSlide5

Neuronal Structures

SOMA: or cell body, contains the nucleus and other cellular machinery

DENDRITES: thin, tube-like extensions that branch out of the soma and are specialized for receiving signals from other neurons

AXON: thin, tube-like extension from a neuron that is specialized to carry neural impulses to other cellsSlide6

Neuronal Structures

AXON TERMINAL : a swelling at the end of the axon that is designed to release a chemical substance onto another neuron, muscle or gland cell

MYELIN SHEATH: a casing of fatty cells wrapped tightly around the axons of some neuronsSlide7

Action Potentials

ACTION POTENTIAL: neural impulses; the all-or-nothing electrical bursts that begin at one end of the axon of a neuron and move along the axon to the other endSlide8

The Neuronal Membrane

CELL MEMBRANE: thin, porous outer covering of a neuron or other cell that separates the cell’s intracellular fluid from extracellular fluidSlide9

The Resting Potential

Th

e

constant electrical charge that exists across the membrane of an inactive neuron-70 millivoltsA- and K+ insideNa+ and Cl

- outside

Think: Banana in salt water!Slide10

Depolarization and Repolarization

DEPOLARIZATION

Action potential causes channels in the membrane to openNa+ rush into the cell, making it more positive

Once it’s more positive inside than outside the cell, the channel closesREPOLARIZATION

Channels that permit K+ to pass through remain open

K+ is pushed out of the cell, which reestablishes the original, resting state of the neuron

SODIUM-POTASSIUM PUMP

depolarization

repolarization

hyperpolarizationSlide11

Action Potential Regeneration

The action potential

regenerates itself

along the axon,

traveling down to theaxon terminals.Slide12

Saltatory Conduction

The impulses

skip from node

to node, thereby

increasing thespeed of theimpulse.

Nodes of RanvierSlide13

Synaptic TransmissionSlide14

Excitatory and Inhibitory SynapsesSlide15

How Drugs Alter Synaptic Transmission

Act on the presynaptic neuron and either promote or inhibit neurotransmitter release

Act within the synapse to either promote or inhibit the process that terminates the action of the neurotransmitter

Act on postsynaptic receptors, either producing the same effect as the neurotransmitter or blocking the neurotransmitter from producing its normal effect

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Neuron birth & deathSlide17

The Brain

(Cell bodies)

(Myelinated axons)Slide18

Subcortical Structures: The Brain Stem and Thalamus

Spinal chord

Cerebellum

Thalamus

Medulla

Pons

MidbrainSlide19

The Cerebral Cortex

Frontal

lobe

Parietal

lobe

Temporal

lobe

Occipital

lobeSlide20

Somatosensory and Motor Cortex MapsSlide21

Asymmetry of the Cerebral Cortex

Our hemispheres behave contralaterally

Left hemisphere is specialized for language

Right hemisphere is specialized for nonverbal, visuospatial abilitiesSlide22

Review for Exam

1 Hour, 15 minutes in our usual classroom

50 questions (2 pts each)

Entire Chapters 1-4Chapter 5 from beginning up until “Methods of Mapping the Brain’s Behavioral Functions); page 158 (7th edition)AND the section that begins with “Subcortical Structures of the Brain (p168) up until “Premotor Areas Help Organize Specific Patterns of Movement” (p174)

Use the slides to GUIDE what to study; read the chapters while looking at the slidesRead definitions and make sure to understand them, but focus more on thinking of an example in your head when you reach a certain concept

Ex. Classical conditioning = Pavlov’s dog

Operant conditioning = rat pressing lever

Natural selection: peppered moth on birch tree

Reliability/validity: bathroom scale

DON’T WORRY ABOUT DATES!Slide23

Possible Type of Question

Michael consistently neglects to help out around the house. He never does dishes. His mother takes away his television-watching privileges, after which he stops neglecting his chores and begins doing dishes. This is called:

A. positive reinforcement

B. positive punishmentC. negative reinforcementD. negative punishmentSlide24

Possible Type of Question

Your untrained dog ”uses the bathroom” indoors on a regular basis. One day, you begin spraying him in the face with water every time he exhibits this problematic behavior. After a few days, your dog has stopped this behavior. What is this called?

A. positive reinforcement

B. positive punishmentC. negative reinforcementD. negative punishmentSlide25

Possible Type of Question

Which of the following is the correct order of neuronal structures according to the movement of the action potential?

A

. Axon terminal  Axon  Soma  DendritesB. Dendrites  Axon  Soma  Axon terminalC. Soma  Dendrites  Axon  Axon terminal

D. Dendrites  Soma  Axon  Axon terminalSlide26

Possible Type of Question

Which of the following individuals would likely agree with the statement, “The body can be studied, for it is physical in nature. The supernatural mind is unknowable scientifically.”

A

. Thomas HobbesB. DescartesC. Wilhelm van OstenD. Stanley MilgramSlide27

Possible Type of Question

Typically, in a scientific study, in order to establish that, for example, group A is different from group B, the calculated p-value should be:

A. Exactly .05

B. Greater than .05C. Less than .05D. Exactly 0