Biopsychology All behavior and mental processes have a

Biopsychology • All behavior and mental processes have a biological basis

Primary Communication Systems • Nervous System – Receives information and sends messages via neurons (fast, electrical, precise). • Endocrine System – Regulates internal activities via bloodstream (slow, chemical, imprecise)

Nervous System

Cells of the Nervous System • Neurons send and receive signals. • Glial cells provide support “Glue”. – Direct neuron’s growth – Maintain chemical environment – Provide energy – Help restore damage – Minor communication role (new finding)

Nerve and Glial Cells

Mrs. Neuron

Excitatory Post Synaptic Potential (EPSP) “Graded” Increase In Electrical Charge

Neurotransmitters • Excitatory (increase chance of firing) • Inhibitory (decrease chance of firing) “Graded” “All or None”

Neurotransmitter and Multiple Actions (Ach = Acetycholine)

Nervous System

The Somatic Nervous System • “Sensory neurons” send sensory information to the central nervous system. • “Motor neurons” send messages from central nervous system to muscles to direct motion.

The Spinal Cord • Receives signals from the senses and passes them to the brain. • Can direct simple behaviors called “reflexes”

Reflex Pathway

The Autonomic Nervous System • Carries messages between the CNS and organs/glands. • Two subsystems: – Sympathetic Nervous System: Readies. • “Spends” energy – Parasympathetic Nervous System: Calms. • “Preserves” energy

Central Nervous System Meet Your Brain!

• skin, bone, dura mater, arachnoid layer, pia mater

• lateral ventricles, third ventricle, fourth ventricle • cerebrospinal fluid • hydrocephalus

• corpus callosum

Main Brain Areas

Forebrain: Cerebral Cortex

Some Frontal Lobe Functions • problem solving, • memory, • language, • goal directed actions, • judgement, • impulse control, • social and sexual behaviour, • motor function

Wisconsin Card Sort • match by color, design, number

• central sulcus • motor cortex (frontal) • somatosensory cortex (parietal)

• left brain -> right body, right brain -> left body • topographically mapped • size matters!!!

sylvian fissure, primary auditory cortex

A Simple Experiment

Hemispheric Specialization • Left hemisphere usually more fluent in language. • Right hemisphere is better at spatial learning and face recognition. • Differences often exaggerated. – Corpus callosum allows the two hemispheres to work together.

Figure 2. 13: Apparatus for Studying Split-Brain Patients

Results from Split-Brain Studies • Image right visual field, person can name the object (left brain). • Image left visual field, cannot describe object in words (right brain). – But can pick the object out of a group of other objects!