9/04/07
Neuroscience: Biology and Behavior
Biologic al Psychology
The branch of psychology concerned with the links between biology,
behavior, and the environment.
Sub-Fields of Biological Psychology
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Behavioral Neuroscience
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Neuropsychology
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Behavior Genetics
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Physiological Psychology
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Biopsychology
Neurons and Behavior
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Our nervous system is made up of billons of neurons
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Specialized cells that create a communication system throughout the body
Parts of Neurons
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Dendrite
The bushy, branching extensions of a neuron that receive
messages and conduct impulses toward the cell body.
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Axon
The extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers,
through which messages are sent to other neurons or to muscles or glands.
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Myelin Sheath
A layer of fatty cells segmentally encasing the fibers of
many neurons, Enables vastly greater transmission speed of neutral impulses
Action Potential
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A neural impulse; a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon
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Generated by the movement of positively charged atoms in and out of
channels in the axon’s membrane
Threshold
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The level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse
All of nothing response
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Neurons either fire or don’t
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When they fire, they do so with full force
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If the stimulation doesn’t reach threshold, they don’t fire
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This is called “All or nothing” response
Speed of Neural Transmission
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How fast does an action potential travel?
Synapse
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Junction between the axon tip of the sending neuron and the dendrite or cell
body of the receiving neuron
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Tiny gap at this junction is called the
synaptic gap
or
cleft
Vesicles, Neurotransmitters, Receptors
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Vesicles:
Tiny containers of neurotransmitters at the end of a neuron
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Neurotransmitters:

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- Fall '08
- jackson
- Psychology, Biological Psychology, Neuropsychology, lobe Frontal lobe, cortex motor cortex
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