The electrochemical discharge of a neuron c synaptic

(the electrochemical discharge of a neuron)
C. Synaptic vesicles (sacs in the axon terminals that store the neurotransmitter)
1. Neural firing drives them to the synapse where they release their
neurotransmitters
D. The neurotransmitter binds to the receptor site on the target (post-synaptic) cell
E. Ion channels open – causes change in electrical potential of postsynaptic neuron
IV. The central nervous system (CNS)
A. Spinal cord – connects brain to PNS; simple reflexes
B. Brain
1. Hindbrain
a. Brainstem – handles functions critical to physical survival
i. pons – relay station for motor messages b/t cerebellum & motor
cortex
ii. reticular formation – arousal system involved in alertness &
attention
iii. medulla – heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, swallowing,
coughing
b. Cerebellum – smooth and skilled movement; muscle tone & posture
2. Midbrain
a. Substantia nigra – unconscious motor actions
3. Forebrain
a. Thalamus – relay station b/t cerebral cortex and sensory information
(for all senses except smell)
b. Hypothalamus – hunger, thirst, body temperature, physiological aspects
of emotion
c. Limbic system
i. amygdala – emotion (esp. response to unpleasant or punishing
stimuli)
ii. hippocampus – memory, navigational ability
d. Cerebrum – largest structure in human brain
i. Cerebral cortex
o Cerebral hemispheres – lateralization of brain function
o Left hemisphere – controls right side of body
Language (for 95% of right-handers and 62% of left-
handers)
Broca’s area (damage results in Broca’s aphasia –
difficulty producing speech; understanding fine)
Wernicke’s area (damage results in Wernicke’s aphasia –
difficulty understanding speech; production fine but
doesn’t make sense)
Math & logic
Details
o Right hemisphere – controls left side of body
Visual-spatial relations
Music
Metaphors

Emotional qualities of speech
Overall patterns
o Lobes of the brain
o Temporal lobes – auditory (hearing) cortex &
Wernicke’s area
o Occipital lobes – visual (seeing) cortex
o Parietal lobes – somatosensory (sensing) cortex, spatial
orientation
o Frontal lobes – Broca’s area, thinking, planning,
reasoning, impulse control, motivation, motor (moving)
cortex
ii. Corpus callosum – thick band of nerve fibers connecting right and
left hemispheres
V. The peripheral nervous system (PNS)
A. Somatic – voluntary muscle activation (carries information from the senses to
the CNS for processing and sends movement instructions back to the muscles)
B. Autonomic – transmits messages between the CNS and the body’s organs and
glands
1. Sympathetic – prepares body for stress or action;“fight or flight” reactions
2. Parasympathetic – returns body systems to normal (“rest and digest”)