Download Reviewing the Biological Processes of the Brain

Reviewing the Biological Processes of the Brain
Big Picture
CNS
PNS
Somatic Nervous System
Autonomic Nervous System
Sympathetic Nervous System
Parasympathetic Nervous
System
Function
Central Nervous System – brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System – any neurons that extend past CNS
The muscles and functions you can control
Regulates glands, blood vessels and flow, internal organs
Prepares the body for stress; builds energy/adrenaline
Helps to bring the body back to a normal state
Breaking it down
Medulla
BRAIN FUNCTIONS
Regulates breathing and heart rate – hanging a person works b/c (if
done correctly) it breaks this in half
Involved in sleeping, waking and dreaming
The “lesser brain” coordinates balance and coordination
Relays all sensory information to specific perception areas of the
brain, with the exception of smell
Part of the “old brain” – it controls survival elements such as hunger,
thirst, emotion, sex drive and reproduction. Works in conjunction with
the pituitary gland.
Secretes hormones as “directed” by the hypothalamus to regulate the
body during a “primal” function
Instantaneously evaluates sensory information from the thalamus and
determines its emotional importance – helps to decide if something
needs to be addressed immediately; the “fight or flight” brain section
(PART OF THE LIMBIC SYSTEM)
The gateway to all memory functions; also works with the reticular
activating system to relate sensory input to what the brain already
“knows” about it (PART OF THE LIMBIC SYSTEM)
Pons
Cerebellum
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Pituitary Gland
Amygdala
Hippocampus
THE LOBES
Occipital lobe
Parietal lobe
Temporal lobe
Frontal lobe
Corpus Callosum
Left side of brain
Right side of brain
Roger Sperry
NEURONS
Dendrites
Cell body
Axon
Mylein sheath
Synaptic cleft
Plasticity
Lower back of the brain; contains the visual cortex
Top of the brain; contains the somatosensory cortex, which receives
all info about pressure, pain, heat, etc., from the body.
Sides of the brain; involved in memory storage, perception and
emotion; contains the auditory cortex as well as Wernicke’s area,
which processes language comprehension.
Front of the brain (duh) and contains the motor cortex, which controls
over 600 muscles all over the body. Also contains Broca’s area, which
allows us to know how to speak. It also helps us think creatively and
think rationally; dopamine that is supposed to reach this lobe is shut
off during schizophrenia, making it impossible for the victim to tell
what is real and what is hallucinatory.
Serves as the network between the left/right sides of the brain.
Rational and analytical thought
Intuitive, creative, holistic thought
Most well known split-brain psychologist; worked with cats and
severed their corpus callosum to see what would happen
Information receptors
Determines how/when a neuron is supposed to fire and emit a signal
The “tail” of the neuron; sends info away from the cell body
Made up of several glial cells, insulates the axon to make sure no
random signals get in and no signals slip out
The areas between the synaptic end bulbs and dendrites of another
neuron where neurotransmitters are released and taken.
The brain’s ability to recover from brain/nerve damage by possibly
creating new pathways for previous messages
Action potential
NEUROTRANSMITTERS
Serotonin
Dopamine
Acetycholine
GABA
Norepinephrine
Epinephrine
SEEING THE BRAIN
CAT
MRI
PET
This allows messages to flow from neuron to neuron as an electrical
charge is created when positively charged sodium ions flow into a
neuron and flows out as positively charged potassium charges.
Affects appetite, perception, temperature regulation, pain suppression
and mood – the neurotransmitter that is inhibited during
DEPRESSION; increased by stimulants.
Affects voluntary movement, learning, memory, emotion – the
neurotransmitter that is overactive during SCHIZOPHRENIA; can be
replicated by certain psychoactive drugs like THC (marijuana); also in
low amounts for Parkinson’s victims
Affects cognitition, muscle movement, memory and emotion
An inhibitor; it is unable to reuptake into neurons when depressants
such as alcohol are present in the blood system
Increases heart rate, involved in dreaming, sleeping and emtion
Secreted by the endocrine system; basically, it is adrenaline
Computerized Axial Tomography – a cross-section shot
Magnetic Resonance Imaging – picks up iron in the blood to show
what parts of the brain are active
Positron Emission Tomography – radioactive glucose injections show
up in specific parts of the brain during activity or during abnormal
behavior
How do drugs affect each of the above?
Reputake of Neurotransmitters – reabsorption of neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft is
disallowed, allowing them to go to other areas of need.
Blocking Neurotransmitter receptors – This is used when amounts of neurotransmitters needs to
be lowered.
Mimicking Neurotransmitters – Chemicals within the drugs are so similar to neurotransmitters,
they are allowed into receptor areas in the postsynaptic neuron.
Examples:
Alcohol – depressant; stimulates GABA receptors, leading to a reduction of anxiety and a loss of inhibitions.
Marijuana – There is a specific receptor for THC (tetra-hydro-cannabinol) throughout the brain, including the
hippocampus, cerebellum and limbic system.
Hallucinogens – Increase the amount of dopamine in the auditory and visual cortex areas and inhibits flow
to the prefrontal cortex with mescaline. With LSD (acid) and Psilocybin ('shrooms), seratonin receptors are blocked.
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LSD

Psilocybin

Mescaline

Ecstasy
Stimulants – Increase the production of dopamine as well as blocking its reuptake, sending it to other
magical areas affecting sensation, mood, and motor skills.
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Amphetamines

Cocaine

Caffeine

Nicotine
Opiates – mimick the function of naturally produced endorphins in the body. It has its own receptors within
the brain, and continual use can lead to a decrease in naturally produced endorphins, leading to severe withdrawal
and addictions. It also causes constipation.

Opium

Morphine

Heroin
Abnormal Psychological Issues … how neurotransmitters are affected (SEE ABOVE IN THE
CHART)
Schizophrenia –
Anxiety disorders –
Mood disorders (depression and bipolar) –
BACK TO THE NERVOUS SYSTEM …
Afferent neurons – Send information from the body to the brain.
Efferent neurons – Send information from the body to the brain.
Sympathetic Nervous System – Increase in physiological reactions, usually part of fight-or-flight
responses.
Parasympathetic Nervous System – Bringing it all back down.
Conditions we’ve discussed … a potential essay question may ask you to take one of these and analyze
their cause from different perspectives (biological, cognitive, etc.)
Autism
Alzheimer’s
Anorexia
Anxiety
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Aphasia
Bipolar Depression
Bulimia
Depression
Dissociative disorders (amnesia, multiple personality, fugue)
Down syndrome
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Gender Identity Disorder
Phobias
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder
Schizophrenia (esp. catatonic and paranoid)
Somatoform disorders
RETICULAR FORMATION (ACTIVATION)
-- Deals with arousing the forebrain (deals
with reasoning, sleeping, emotions)