Download Suggested Readings for Biopsychology Domain

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Suggested Readings for
Biopsychology Domain
The following books are useful as teacher-preparation tools
and also as enrichment for advanced students.
Module 4:
Carey, J. (Ed.). (1993). Brain facts: A primer on the brain and
nervous system. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience.
Ramachandran, V. S., & Blakeslee, S. (1998). Phantoms in the
brain: Probing the mysteries of the human mind. New York:
William Morrow.
Restack, R. M. (1993). Receptors. New York: Bantam Books.
Sachs, O. (1973). Awakenings. New York: HarperCollins
Module 5:
Carey, J. (Ed.). (1993). Brain facts: A primer on the brain and
nervous system. Washington, DC: Society for Neuroscience.
Damasio, A. (1994). Descartes’ error: Emotion, reason, and the
human brain. New York: Putman Publishing Group.
Gazzaniga, M. (1998). The mind’s past. Sacramento, CA:
University of California Press.
Ramachandran, V. S. & Blakeslee, S. (1998). Phantoms in the
brain: Probing the mysteries of the human mind. New York:
William Morrow.
Module 6:
Cialdini, R. B. (1993). Influence: Science and practice (3rd ed.).
New York: HarperCollins.
Fisher, J. (1979). Body magic. New York: Stein & Day.
Goleman, D. (1985). Vital lies, simple truths. New York: Simon
& Schuster.
Hunt, M. (1993). The story of psychology. New York:
Doubleday.
Levine, M., & Shefner, J. (1991). Sensation and perception (2nd
ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
Melzack, R., & Wall, P. D. (1983). The challenge of pain. New
York: Basic Books.
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Module 7:
Fisher, J. (1979). Body magic. New York: Stein & Day.
Hoffman, D. D. (1998). Visual intelligence: How we create
what we see. New York: Norton.
Sacks, O. (1987). The man who mistook his wife for a hat.
New York: Summit.
Shepard, R. N. (1990). Mind sights. New York: Freeman
Module 8:
Coren, S. (1996). Sleep thieves. New York: Free Press.
Dement, W. C. (1978). Some must watch while some must
sleep. New York: Norton.
Dement, W. C., & Vaughan, C. (1999). The promise of sleep.
New York: Delacorte Press.
Maas, J. B. (1998). Power sleep. New York: Villard.
Singer, J., & Switzer, E. (1980). Mind-play. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.
Module 9:
Bachman, J. (1997). Smoking, drinking, and drug use in young
adulthood: The impact of new freedoms and new responsibilities. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
Carroll, C. (1996). Drugs in modern society (4th ed.). Madison,
WI: Brown and Benchmark.
Insel, P., & Roth, W. (1998). Core concepts in health (8th ed.).
Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Co.
Wallace, B., & Fisher, L. (1991). Consciousness and behavior
(3rd ed.). Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Young, K. S. (1998). Caught in the net: How to recognize the
signs of Internet addiction and a winning strategy for
recovery. New York: John Wiley.
Module 10:
Fisher, J. (1979). Body magic. New York: Stein and Day.
Fromm, E., & Nash, M. R. (Eds.). (1992). Contemporary hypnosis research. New York: Guilford Press.
Gauld, A. (1992). A history of hypnotism. New York:
Cambridge University Press.
Lynn, S. J., Rhue, J. W., & Kirsch, I. (Eds.). (1993). Handbook of
clinical hypnosis. Washington, DC: American Psychological
Association.
Tinterow, M. M. (Ed.). (1970). Foundations of hypnosis.
Springfield, IL: Charles Thomas.
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M
O
D
U
L
E
4
The Nervous System
and the
Endocrine System
OUTLINE OF RESOURCES
Getting Started
Critical Thinking Activity: Fact or Falsehood? 120
Building Vocabulary/Graphic Organizer: The Neuron 121
Neurons: The Building Blocks of the Nervous System
Digital Connection
DVD: The Brain and Nervous System: Your Information Highway 121
Technology Application Activity: Neuroscience and Behavior on the Internet 121
Activities and Demonstrations
Cooperative Learning Activity: The Model Neuron 123
How Neurons Communicate
Digital Connection
DVD: The Addicted Brain 123
DVD/Online: The Brain, Second Edition, Module 30: “Understanding the Brain
Through Epilepsy” 123
DVD/Online: The Mind, Second Edition, Module 5: “Endorphins: The Brain’s
Natural Morphine” 124
Film: Awakenings 124
Technology Application Activity: The Brain’s Inner Workings 124
Technology Application Activity: PsychSim: “Neural Messages” 124
Activities and Demonstrations
Application Activity: Neural Transmission 125
Application Activity: Using Dominoes to Illustrate the Action Potential 125
Application Activity: Reaction-Time Measure of Neural Transmission and Mental
Processes 126
Enrichment
Enrichment Lesson: Multiple Sclerosis and Guillain-Barré Syndrome 127
The Structure of the Nervous System
Digital Connection
DVD: The Autonomic Nervous System 128
DVD: The Brain 128
The Endocrine System
Digital Connection
DVD: Endocrine Control: Systems in Balance 128
DVD/Online: The Brain, Second Edition, Module 2: “The Effects of Hormones
and the Environment on Brain Development” 128
Module 4 ■ The Nervous System and the Endocrine System
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Handouts
4–1 Fact or Falsehood?
4–2 Building Vocabulary/Graphic Organizer: The Neuron
4–3 Neuroscience and Behavior on the Internet
Blackline Masters
4–1 Table 4.1
4–2 Table 4.2
4–3 Figure 4.3
MODULE OBJECTIVES
After students have completed their study of this module, they should be able to:
• identify the parts of the typical neuron and the function of each part.
• explain the process of neural communication in terms of the resting potential,
action potential, and refractory period.
• explain the role of neurotransmitters in neural communication.
• delineate the different steps of the neural chain.
• identify the part and function of the various components of the nervous system.
• analyze the difference between the endocrine and nervous systems.
MODULE OUTLINE
Getting Started
Critical Thinking Activity: Fact or Falsehood?
Concept: Students’ preconceptions about psychology can color their understanding of
the material. This quick exercise can expose inaccurate preconceptions and reinforce preconceptions that are correct.
Materials: Handout 4–1
Description: Before reading the module, distribute the handout to students. Have
them circle the T if they believe the statement is true and F if they believe the statement is false. The correct answers to Handout 4–1 are shown below and can be confirmed in the text.
1. T
5. F
2. F
6. T
3. T
7. T
4. T
8. F
Discussion: This activity is an effective pre-reading strategy. Students will be primed
to look for information that confirms or negates their own preconceptions, making them
more likely to be attentive to difficult concepts.
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Building Vocabulary/Graphic Organizer: The Neuron
Concept: Graphic organizers provide a visual format to help students organize their
notes from the text.
Materials: Handout 4–2
Description: Students will use the handout to label the different parts of the neuron and
explain the process of neural communication.
Discussion: The picture of the neuron will help students visualize this microscopic cell
and the function of each of its parts. Have students fill in the organizer as you discuss
each neuron part and function. You may wish to use the handout as a transparency master. You can fill it in as you lecture or reveal answers for students to check after they have
filled it out for themselves.
You also may offer the following learning-style options to your students where
appropriate.
❖ Independent Learning Option: Using the text as reference, students can fill out the
organizer independently as classwork or homework. If you decide to lecture from the
text, students can fill out the information as you discuss it.
❖ Cooperative Learning Option: Students can work in groups of two or more to fill in
the organizer as a classwork assignment.
❖ Option for Students with Special Needs: The graphic organizer can be used to
provide notes for students with special needs. You can provide these students with a
completed organizer to use as a guide during class lectures and discussions, or you can
provide a blank organizer for them to complete while other students take traditional
notes. The organizer may be taken home to complete as a reading comprehension guide
for the textbook.
❖ Making Multicultural Connections: Students who are learning English can use the
graphic organizer to visualize the relationships between words, aiding in the encoding
process. Providing this opportunity to encode visually using the concept web may help
them translate the words more quickly.
Source: Carey, J. (Ed.). (1993). Brain facts: A primer on the brain and nervous system. Washington, DC:
Society for Neuroscience.
Neurons: The Building Blocks of the Nervous System
Digital Connection
DVD: The Brain and Nervous System: Your Information Highway
This program provides a succinct introduction to the brain and nervous system while
capturing student interest by using the analogy of computers and the Internet.
The video covers the basics of neural transmission, the major parts of the brain and their
functions, and the brain’s role in processing sensory information. Additionally,
it describes the impact of disease and drugs on the functions of the brain and nervous
system. (Films for the Humanities and Sciences, 25 minutes) For ordering information,
please visit www.films.com
Technology Application Activity: Neuroscience and Behavior on the Internet
Concept: Because current knowledge in neuroscience is so fast paced, the Internet is an
ideal place to find scholarly sites that inform educators and the public about the brain
and its functions.
Materials: Handout 4–3; Internet access
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Tips: Previewing the websites listed in this activity for appropriate and updated content
is strongly recommended. If you have access to a computer lab that accommodates an entire
class, this activity can be conducted as an in-class exercise.
Description: Divide students into groups (at least three and no more than six). Using
the handout as a guide, the groups should explore one of the websites listed below and
create a presentation on their findings. You may wish to assign specific types of neurological disorders, brain parts and/or functions, or brain scans to each group. This will
provide variety among groups and give them focus. Students who lack Internet access
at home may be able to complete the assignment at a library. Most public libraries offer
free Internet access to individuals with a current library card.
Presentations should cover the site in general, and specifically address an area of the
site that the group finds compelling. You can establish more specific guidelines depending on the needs of your students.
• Neurosciences on the Internet (www.neuroguide.com) is edited and maintained
by Neil A. Busis, MD, professor of neurology, University of Pittsburgh School of
Medicine. Included is a wonderful listing of “Best Bets” on the Web. Highly recommended!
• Neuropsychology Central (www.neuropsychologycentral.com) provides resources
for both the professional and the layperson. There are separate sections devoted to neuroimaging, pediatric/developmental concerns, and forensic issues. The site provides
comprehensive resources on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of neuropsychological disorders, found under the links section.
• Neuroscience for Kids (faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html) is maintained by Eric H. Chudler at the University of Washington. Intended primarily for
elementary and secondary education, this site has resources for all ages that provide a
helpful introduction to neuroscience and behavior. For the classroom, explore the sections on Experiments and Activities and Neuroscience in the News.
• The Whole Brain Atlas (http://www.med.harvard.edu/aanlib/) provides wonderful visuals. It includes a section on the normal brain that gives detailed images of
the “top 100 brain structures,” followed by a self-test of one’s knowledge of those
structures. The Atlas has separate sections devoted to various brain pathologies.
• Comparative Mammalian Brain Collections (www.brainmuseum.org) provides
access to one of the world’s largest collections of well-preserved, sectioned, and
stained brains. Visitors can view and download photographs of brains of more than
100 different species of mammals, including humans. The site describes how brain
evolution has occurred and provides numerous links to other sites dealing with brain
structure and function.
Discussion: Use these resources as described, or reference these sites as you develop lessons on neuroscience for this module.
❖ Alternative Assessment/Portfolio Project Option: These websites can be a springboard for a portfolio project on a neurological disorder or topic covered in Modules 4 and
5. You may assign students a topic, or have them choose one based on their interests.
Students should develop a research paper, group poster presentation, or public awareness
campaign about their topic to share with their peers. Some students may prefer to do a
research project in which they systematically study the topic. Encourage these students
to contact local university professors who specialize in brain research for help in these
areas. Use Handout 4–4 as a general rubric for evaluating the portfolio project.
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Activities and Demonstrations
Cooperative Learning Activity: The Model Neuron
Concept: Students build a model of a neuron to learn about its structure.
Materials: Four colors of modeling clay or Play-Doh™; pictures or photographs of neurons (a good source is faculty.washington.edu/chudler/cells.html)
Description: The brain is made up of about 100 billion individual nerve cells, or neurons. A neuron has four main parts:
• Dendrites—extensions of the neuron cell body that transmit information toward it.
Dendrites usually are located near the cell body and may have many branches.
• Cell body (soma)—the part of the cell that contains the nucleus.
• Axon—a single extension of the neuron cell body that carries information away from it.
• Axon terminal—end section of an axon that makes contact with another neuron.
Provide each group with a golfball-sized amount of each color of clay. Tell groups to construct a neuron model, using different colored clay for each part. Students can use
Handout 4–2 as a guide when building their models.
You may extend this activity by having students make the following modifications:
• Construct different types of neurons: unipolar, bipolar, multipolar, pyramidal cells,
Purkinje cells, and so forth.
• Create a larger cell body and add a nucleus and organelles (for example, mitochrondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and Golgi apparatus).
• Build a neuron model with other materials, such as fruit or candy, and then eat it.
Discussion: By working in groups, students will reinforce their understanding by discussing the parts of the neuron as they help each other build their models. During or
after the activity, discuss similarities and differences between neurons and other cells
such as muscle cells. For more activities and lesson plans on neuroscience, visit the website Neuroscience for Kids (faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html).
How Neurons Communicate
Digital Connection
DVD: The Addicted Brain
This is a good film to show in conjunction with the text treatment of neurotransmitters, specifically the endorphins. The film presents the human brain as the world’s
most prolific manufacturer and user of drugs. In introducing the biochemistry of
addiction, it explains the role of neurotransmitters in mediating thoughts and feelings, particularly pain and pleasure. The film shows how a rat becomes addicted
to cocaine and how once addicted, it will choose cocaine over food and thus starve
to death. Joggers’ highs and the compulsion of some people to seek thrills are
examined in terms of the brain biochemistry. (Films for the Humanities and Sciences,
26 minutes) For ordering information, please visit www.films.com
DVD/Online: The Brain, Second Edition, Module 30: “Understanding the Brain
Through Epilepsy”
In the midst of a young boy’s epileptic seizure, Dr. Fritz Dreifuss describes what is
happening to him on a medical level. He explains that a lack of adequate inhibitory neurotransmitter function leads to an “electrical storm” in the brain. Different types of
treatment are covered, including valproic acid and radical surgeries, along with how and
why they are effective. (Annenberg, 12 minutes) For ordering and viewing information,
please visit www.learner.org/resources/series142.html
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DVD/Online: The Mind, Second Edition, Module 5: “Endorphins: The Brain’s
Natural Morphine”
This video provides diagrammatic action graphics of neural networks, synaptic junctions,
and neurotransmitter sites. Also touches on topics of consciousness, drug addiction,
withdrawal symptoms, and nerve functioning. (Annenberg, 5 minutes) For ordering and
viewing information, please visit www.learner.org/resources/series150.html
Film: Awakenings
The book Awakenings, by Oliver Sacks, was made into a wonderful feature film starring
Robin Williams and Robert De Niro. It is worth showing in connection with this specific topic or even as a general introduction to biology and behavior. Three specific segments are highly recommended:
1. From 11:21 minutes into the film until 15:27 minutes (from Lucy’s first
appearance in a wheelchair until the physician removes the ball from her
upraised arm).
2. From 18:15 minutes until 22:19 minutes (from when the physician checks his
chart and sees Lucy apparently walking toward the drinking fountain until the
physician leaves the hospital’s parking lot).
3. From 38:40 minutes until 52:50 minutes (from when the physician asks the nurse
if she has heard of L-dopa until Leonard introduces himself to a male orderly). This
relatively long clip shows the discovery and use of L-dopa on Leonard.
This film is available through most video retailers.
Technology Application Activity: The Brain’s Inner Workings
The National Institute of Mental Health’s The Brain’s Inner Workings provides a clear and
simple introduction to neural transmission that is quite useful in the classroom. The
video comes with separate teacher and student guides that provide objectives, discussion
questions, and a relevant classroom activity. In addition to portraying the structure and
function of the neuron, the program links abnormalities of neural transmission to specific mental disorders. To download the video and the accompanying guides, visit
mentalhealth.about.com/library/rs/brain/blcd.htm.
To view the files you must have the Quick Time™ plug-in or some other type of
video plug-in, which will allow you to view video clips in your web browser. You can
also download and save the files to your hard drive and run the video clips locally with
a video player.
Technology Application Activity: PsychSim: “Neural Messages”
Concept: This program explains the structure of the neuron and the transmission of
neural messages.
Materials: PsychSim CD-ROM and workbook; computer access
Description: After a simple neuron is drawn, students actively participate in
naming its structures and their functions. The processes of axonal and synaptic
transmission are graphically depicted, including a clear picture of polarization of the
axon. Have students complete the tutorial and accompanying worksheet found in the
workbook.
Discussion: The PsychSim CD has several applications. If installed in a computer lab or
on a network, students can work on the CD as part of a laboratory assignment. If
installed on a few computers in a classroom, the CD can be used as an enrichment tool
by advanced students and independent learners, and as a reteaching tool for students
who haven’t mastered the module’s concepts.
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Activities and Demonstrations
Application Activity: Neural Transmission
Concept: A short and fun classroom exercise to learn the steps involved in neural
transmission.
Materials: a bag of Hershey’s Kisses; large cards or sheets of paper marked with a “+”
Tip: Students who are allergic or sensitive to chocolate or nuts, or who cannot eat sugar,
should not volunteer for roles that involve handling or eating the candies.
Description: Have five volunteers come to the front of the classroom. Four of these students will serve as dendrites and one as a cell body. Recruit five more students to serve
as the axon, and two or more to act as terminal fibers. Give each “fiber” an unwrapped
Hershey’s Kiss. If you have enough students, create a second neuron of students nearby.
Scatter the cards randomly around each “neuron.”
1. Begin by announcing that you are a neuron. Explain that the cards are positive
ions, the candies are neurotransmitters, and the space in between you and the
“neuron” is the synapse (as is the space between the two neurons).
2. Toss candies in the direction of the dendrites and cell body (that is, into the
synapse). The dendrites and cell body pick up the Kisses and pop them into their
mouths, then each immediately picks up a card.
3. Once three cards have been picked up, the neuron reaches threshold (all-or-none
response). The first person in the axon immediately picks up a card, while the
dendrites and cell body drop theirs. The next person in the axon then picks
up a card while the previous axon-person drops his or hers, and so on down
the line.
4. When the end of the axon is reached, the terminal fibers toss their Hershey’s Kisses
in the direction of the dendrites and cell body of the other neuron, repeating
the process.
Discussion: The activity takes about 15 minutes, and one bag of Hershey’s Kisses
should supply two classes of two neurons each. You can extend the demonstration by
wrapping some sections of your axon (one or two students) in plastic to represent the
myelin sheath. The myelin sheath allows the signal to be sent more quickly. You also can
use Hershey’s Kisses with differently colored wrappers to illustrate the effects of agonistic and antagonistic drugs. In the fall, for example, Hershey’s wraps its Kisses in
autumn-themed colors, and you can use dark red as a neurotransmitter, orange as its agonist, and silver as its antagonist.
Source: Frantz, S. New Mexico State University, personal communication to Martin Bolt, 1996.
Application Activity: Using Dominoes to Illustrate the Action Potential
Concept: A simple demonstration of the action potential and the all-or-none response.
Materials: a set of dominoes; one or two four-foot-long sticks; a large flat surface
Description: On a table or floor, set up a three-foot-long row of dominoes spaced about
one inch apart. Make sure all students can see the row of dominoes. Then knock down
the dominoes. Point out the following:
1. The dominoes lying on the table illustrate the neuron’s refractory period.
2. Knocking down the first domino illustrates how the action potential affects one
area of the axon at a time and is sequentially passed on from one section to
the next.
3. Have some volunteers reset the first dominoes before the last ones are knocked
down. This shows that there is a lag period between action potentials—a set
amount of time before the next action potential could begin.
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4. The all-or-none response is illustrated by the fact that the push on the first domino has to be strong enough to knock it down. However, pushing harder does not
affect the speed.
To demonstrate how myelination increases transmission speed, set up a four-footlong row of dominoes. Then, take four foot-long sticks and place one domino under
each end of each stick. Line up these stick-domino groups end-to-end so that the
falling dominoes of one group will hit the next group, causing it also to fall, and
so on.
Discussion: This simple demonstration covers many concepts related to the action potential, allowing students to visualize this complex process in a simple, straightforward way.
Source: Wagor, W. F. (1990). Using dominoes to illustrate the action potential. In V. P. Makosky, L. G.
Wittemore & A. M. Rogers (Eds.), Activities handbook for the teaching of psychology (Vol. 3, pp. 72–73).
Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Application Activity: Reaction-Time Measure of Neural Transmission and
Mental Processes
Concept: David Myers suggests an adaptation of a classroom exercise proposed by Paul
Rozin and John Jonides. It not only illustrates an important principle about neural pathways, but it also is fun and a real loosener during the stiff first days of class.
Materials: stopwatch
Description: Begin by having students stand and form a chain by putting their right
hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them. (There’s no problem if the chain
snakes around from row to row.)
1. Stand behind the last person with a stopwatch, and start it as you squeeze his or
her shoulder. This person then squeezes the shoulder of the adjacent person, and
this continues through the chain.
2. Run to the front of the chain and stop the timer when your own shoulder is
squeezed. Thirty students will take about six seconds the first time, but with practice and a little cheerleading on your part they will bring it down to five seconds.
They generally seem eager to beat their previous best time.
3. Ask students to sit down for a moment and consider whether they would expect a
faster, slower, or similar time if instead they squeezed the ankle of the adjacent person. From the chapter’s discussion of neural pathways, most will reason that it
should take longer to feel the squeeze, because the sensory input has to travel farther—from the ankle versus the shoulder.
4. Have students line up again and try the ankle variation. It will indeed take
longer—probably about 7–8 seconds to get through 30 students.
5. Repeat the ankle version once or twice to demonstrate variation. This provides a
rough measure of the speed with which neural transmission occurs.
6. Have students line up again, and this time grab both shoulders of the person in
front. Tell them to squeeze whichever shoulder was squeezed by the person behind
them. This will take 8–9 minutes to get through a group of 30. This illustrates
how a simple reaction-time measure can assess the speed of cognitive processing.
7. Finally, ask for a bit more demanding mental processing: “Squeeze the shoulder
opposite to whichever shoulder was squeezed—if your right shoulder was squeezed,
then squeeze the left shoulder of the person in front of you.” Have students note
how long this will take compared with the earlier trials. This illustrates how reaction speed provides an index to the complexity of the information processing.
Discussion: This activity provides a clear demonstration of the speed of neural communication and how cognitive processing can slow down reflexes. Doug Bernstein suggests that you can calculate how fast each neural transaction takes place within individual students by taking the amount of time it takes for the “impulse” to travel the length
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of the chain and dividing it by the number of students in the chain.
You can also demonstrate that the impulse travels faster down the chain the more
you practice. This shows how learning can increase our ability to perform certain tasks.
Source: Rozin, P., & Jonides, J. (1977). Mass reaction time measurement of the speed of the nerve
impulse and the duration of mental processes in class. Teaching of Psychology, 4(2), 91–94.
Enrichment
Enrichment Lesson: Multiple Sclerosis and Guillain-Barré Syndrome
The myelin sheath is a layer of fatty cells that insulates the axons of some neurons and
helps speed their impulses. Its importance for the normal transfer of information in the
human nervous system is evidenced by the symptoms of demyelinating diseases such as
multiple sclerosis and Guillain-Barré syndrome.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) attacks the myelin sheaths of axon bundles in the brain,
spinal cord, and optic nerves. The term sclerosis means “hardening,” and refers to the
lesions that develop around affected bundles; the disease attacks many sites simultaneously, hence the term “multiple.” Today, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can
detect the lesions and is widely used in diagnosis. However, neurologists formerly
based diagnostic tests around the myelin sheath’s normal ability to speed axonal conduction. The lack of this rapid conduction indicated that the sheath was impaired. In
one test, the neurologist stimulated the patient’s eye with a checkerboard pattern,
then assessed the time it took the impulse to cross the optic nerve. Conduction velocity was measured by the electrical response in the scalp over the brain area targeted
by the optic nerve. People with MS showed significant slowing in the conduction
velocity of their optic nerve.
MS sufferers typically experience muscular weakness, lack of coordination, severe
fatigue, and impaired vision and speech. The disease typically begins in early adult
life, and is often characterized by remissions and relapses that occur over periods of
years. Over time, MS becomes progressively worse. There is no cure. The cause of MS
remains unknown, but its development seems influenced by both environmental and
genetic factors. The role of environment is suggested by studies showing that people
who spent their childhood in a cool climate are more likely to develop the illness. The
role of genetics is supported by the rare incidence of MS among certain groups such
as Asians, even in populations that live in the same environment as individuals afflicted with the disease.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a disease that attacks the myelin of the peripheral nerves that innervate muscle and skin. It is a more common disease than MS. In
many cases, GBS develops from a minor infectious illness or even an inoculation. The
illness seems to result from a faulty immune reaction in which the body attacks its
own myelin as if it were a foreign substance. The symptoms come directly from a
slowed conduction of the action potential in axons that innervate the muscles. The
conduction deficit can be demonstrated by stimulating the peripheral nerves electrically through the skin and then assessing the response time for a simple muscle twitch
or other effect.
GBS begins with fever, malaise, and nausea, and leads to severe muscle weakness and
paralysis. Muscular weakness often starts in the lower extremities and moves upward
through the body, resulting in paralysis accompanied by tingling and numbness.
Paralysis can be life threatening, especially when it affects the muscles of respiration,
blood vessels, and the heart. Most people with GBS recover; some have permanent nerve
damage, and a small percentage die of the disease.
Sources: Bear, M. F., Connors, B. W., & Paradiso, M. (1996). Neuroscience: Exploring the brain. Baltimore:
Williams & Wilkins.
Pinel, J. (1997). Biopsychology. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
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The Structure of the Nervous System
Digital Connection
DVD: The Autonomic Nervous System
After reviewing the major divisions of the nervous system, this program shows how the
autonomic nervous system operates on its own to influence heartbeat, digestion, and
glandular activity. The autonomic system is a dual system: The sympathetic nervous
system arouses the body, increasing heartbeat and respiration, and mobilizing energy
in stressful situations; the parasympathetic system works in opposition, decreasing
heartbeat and conserving the body’s resources. Together this dual system works to
maintain homeostasis, or a steady state. The program examines how brain structures
such as the hypothalamus and medulla control the autonomic system, which in turn
influences our internal organs. Biofeedback, a system of electronically recording,
amplifying, and feeding back information about physiological responses, enables people to gain conscious control over the functions controlled by the autonomic nervous
system. Footage of patients undergoing biofeedback training is included. (Insight
Media, 29 minutes) For ordering information, please visit www.insight-media.com
DVD: The Brain
This program provides an overview of the study of the biological basis of behavior.
Beginning with the neuron, the basic unit of neural communication, the video shows how
neurons connect with neighboring cells to create neural networks, eventually forming
structures that perform specific functions. Learning occurs as feedback strengthens connections that produce certain results. The various structures working together form the
information processing system we call the brain. Coverage includes evolutionary development of the brain and the physiological development of the brain in the fetus. In demonstrating the neural processes underlying perception, cognition, and behavior, this program
underscores the basic principle of this chapter and an underlying theme of the book: that
everything psychological is simultaneously biological. (Films for the Humanities and
Sciences, 28 minutes) For ordering information, please visit www.films.com
The Endocrine System
Digital Connection
DVD: Endocrine Control: Systems in Balance
This program examines the basic functions of the endocrine system. Hormones, the chemical messengers manufactured by the endocrine glands, travel through the bloodstream to
affect other tissues, including the brain. The video emphasizes the role of the endocrine
system in maintaining homeostasis, keeping systems in balance while responding to stress,
exertion, and internal cues. Hormonal control of organ systems and pathways, including
reproduction, growth, and mood, is described. The video notes the intimate connection
between the endocrine and nervous systems: The nervous system regulates endocrine
secretions, which in turn affect the nervous system. (Insight Media, 30 minutes) For
ordering information, please visit www.insight-media.com
DVD/Online: The Brain, Second Edition, Module 2: “The Effects of Hormones
and the Environment on Brain Development”
This video presents some startling and significant findings relating to the effects of sex
hormones on brain development. Beginning with in utero photography and then visiting an animal laboratory, this module shows how Dr. Marian Diamond’s groundbreaking research has revealed structural differences in the brains of men and women, as
well as factors influencing these differences. (Annenberg, 6 minutes) For ordering and
viewing information, please visit www.learner.org/resources/series142.html
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Name _______________________________________ Period _________________ Date ____________
HANDOUT 4–1
Fact or Falsehood?
Circle the letter T if you believe the statement is true and the letter F if you believe
the statement is false.
1. All behavior is governed by whether or not a neuron, the basic cell of the nervous
system, is activated (fires).
T
F
2. Strong emotions, like anger, result from more intense firing of neurons.
T
F
3. Neurons never actually touch one another.
T
F
4. Drugs work either to mimic or mask one of the body’s naturally occurring chemicals,
called neurotransmitters.
T
F
5. The brain directly processes all sensory information that comes into the body.
T
F
6. Your voluntary movements and your involuntary movements (breathing, digestion,
heartbeat, etc.) are controlled by two different nervous systems.
T
F
7. You have a specialized nervous system that is responsible for calming you down
after a stressful situation.
T
F
8. The adrenal glands are responsible for telling the rest of the body what hormones
to secrete.
T
F
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Name _______________________________________ Period _________________ Date ____________
HANDOUT 4–2
Building Vocabulary/Graphic Organizer: The Neuron
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Name _______________________________________ Period _________________ Date ____________
HANDOUT 4–3
Neuroscience and Behavior on the Internet
Use the following questions as a guide for exploring neuroscience-oriented sites on the Internet:
Name of Site:
URL of the main homepage:
Date of last update for the page:
Based on viewing the site’s homepage, what type of audience might it be geared toward? Explain
your answer.
Which links on the site interest you? Describe the resources these links offer that would help you in
researching neurological information.
How up-to-date is the site information? Who maintains the site and what are his/her credentials? Would this
be considered a “scholarly” site?
List three or four topics that you could research using this site.
HANDOUT 4–3 ■ Module 4 ■ The Nervous System and the Endocrine System
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ANSWERS TO HANDOUT 4–2
The Neuron
Dendrites
Cell body
(soma)
Myelin
Axon
Direction of impulse
Terminal
button
Nucleus
Nerve
impulse
Synaptic
vesicle
Synapse
Receptor sites
Neurotransmitters
Answers to Handouts ■ Module 4 ■ The Nervous System and the Endocrine System
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■ BLACKLINE MASTER 4–1
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BLACKLINE MASTER 4–1 ■ Module 4 ■ The Nervous System and the Endocrine System
COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY WORTH PUBLISHERS
Table 4.1, Page 64
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■ BLACKLINE MASTER 4–2
Table 4.2, Page 68
COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY WORTH PUBLISHERS
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■ BLACKLINE MASTER 4–3
Figure 4.3, Page 69
Neurotransmitter molecule
Receiving cell
membrane
This neurotransmitter
molecule fits the
receptor site on the
receiving neuron, much
as a key fits a lock.
Receptor site on
receiving neuron
(a)
Antagonist
blocks
neurotransmitter
Action
potential
Synaptic
gap
Neurotransmitter
molecule
Receptor
sites
Receiving neuron
Neurotransmitters carry a message from a
sending neuron across a synapse to receptor
sites on a receiving neuron.
136
This antagonist molecule
inhibits. It has a structure
similar enough to the
neurotransmitter to
occupy its receptor
site and block its
action, but not similar enough
to stimulate the receptor.
Curare poisoning paralyzes
its victims by blocking
ACh receptors involved in
muscle movement.
This agonist molecule
excites. It is similar enough
in structure to the
neurotransmitter
molecule to mimic its
effects on the receiving
neuron. Black widow
spider venom, for instance,
mimics the action of ACh
by stimulating receptors in
brain areas involved in
movement, causing
convulsions.
(b)
Agonist mimics
neurotransmitter
(c)
BLACKLINE MASTER 4–3 ■ Module 4 ■ The Nervous System and the Endocrine System
COPYRIGHT © 2013 BY WORTH PUBLISHERS
Sending
neuron