Download BIOLOGY & BEHAVIOR

THE BIOLOGICAL BASIS OF
BEHAVIOR
The nervous system
Psychologists study the
NERVOUS SYSTEM,
especially the BRAIN,
because it is the basis
of all behavior
The NEURON is the
fundamental unit of the
nervous system
NEURONS
Neurons are nerve cells that receive and
transmit information
Sensory neurons: info from the senses
Motor neurons: info on movement
Interneurons: info between neurons
SYNAPSE: the space between neurons
where they communicate
How neurons work
Neurons produce small electrical currents
When a neuron is stimulated, signals are
sent to neighboring neurons through
chemicals (NEUROTRANSMITTERS)
Neurons fire at full strength or not at all—
this is the NEURAL IMPULSE
How neurons work
The impulse forces the terminal buttons to
release chemicals into the SYNAPSE
The chemicals attach to the next neuron
Depending on what the neurotransmitters
tell the neurons, they excite or inhibit a
response
Axons carry info away from the cell body,
dendrites pick up and carry info to the cell
Other Brain Cells
GLIAL CELLS: These cells outnumber
neurons by about 10-1
They assist neurons by providing nutrition
and structural support, and by removing
waste products.
ASTROCYTES: provide connections
between neurons and blood vessels