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The brain consists of 100 billion neurons: individual nerve cells, which…
The brain consists of 100 billion neurons: individual nerve cells, which are accompanied by glial cells:
glial cells: cells that support neurons in a variety of ways (such as elimination of non-used synapses).
- Axons ¨branch out¨ending in smaller fibers known as axon terminals → deliver message
2. Soma → main body of the neuron3. Dendrites → neuron fibers → receive message
FUNCTIONS OF A NEURON
- Nutrition
- Relations
- Reproduction
ELECTRICAL CHARGE
-The electrical charge of an inactive neuron is called its resting potential
→ Electrical charge > -50 millivolts = threshold = action potential at 100 mile/hour
Saltatory conduction?
Myelin, a fatty layer, covers the axons of some neurons, small gaps in myelin allow the action potential to leap from gap to gap, helping it to move faster.
SYNAPSES AND NEUROTRANSMITTERS
-A nerve impulse is primarily electrical
-Communication between neurons is chemical…
- Synapse: space between two neurons over which a message passes
- When the axon terminals are reached by an action potential a neurotransmitter is released into the synaptic gap
- Receptor sites: sensitive to neurotransmitters; mainly located in soma and dendrites
NEUROTRANSMITTERS
-Any chemical released by a neuron that alters activity in other neurons
-May excite or inhibit
NEUROPEPTIDES
-Brain chemicals
-Regulate the activity of other neurons → do NOT carry the message directly
NEUROPLASTICITY
-The capacity of our brains to change in response to experience, meaning it’s activity-driven (use it or lose it)
- New synapses, stronger synapses → very used synapses
- Weaker synapses, dead synapses → rarely used synapses
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CEREBRAL ORGANIZATION
CEREBRAL CORTEX
→ The cerebral cortex covers almost all of the brain with gray matter
→ Humans are more intelligent than other animals because of corticalization: increase in size and wrinkling of the cortex
Cerebral hemispheres
→ connected by the corpus callosum: a thick band of axon fibers
right controls left
left controls right
LEFT HEMISPHERE → sequentially processes info (local focus)
RIGHT HEMISPHERE → simultaneously processes info (global focus)
LOBES
Lobes of the cerebral cortex: Areas of the left and right cortex bordered by major fissures or their functions
FRONTAL LOBES: higher mental abilities (reasoning and planning), sense of self, motor control, behavior and feelings
-Primary motor area: directs the body’s muscles; contains mirror neurons, which are active when performing an actions and when observing some else doing the same action
-Frontal association areas: don’t carry out a primary function
-Prefrontal area: related to complex behaviours (sense of self and awareness of emotional state)
-Broca’s area (association area): motor (speaking and writing)
PARIETAL LOBES: sensation (touch, temperature and pressure, position, fine-motor, memoria somatosensorial, size)
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TEMPORAL LOBES: hearing and language, auditive/visual perception, memory long-term storage
-Primary auditory area: main site where hearing first registers
-Wernicke’s area (association area): language
OCCIPITAL LOBES: vision
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EPIGENETICS
Study of the changes in the function of hereditary genes that cannot be attributed to alterations in the DNA sequence. Epigenetic marks change they way in which genes are expressed.
Two types of modification: DNA methylation and histone modification
SYNAPTOGENESIS
Active, dynamic and continuous process in which each neuron tries to establish functional connections
Excessive connections with post-synaptic cells are created, which will later by eliminated by a neural prune
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The existing synapses that are left go through a maturation process to strengthen functional connections
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Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) : nerves that lie outside the CNS that connect it to limbs, organs and skin.
REFERENCES
Coon, D. (2011). Introduction to Psychology [PDF]. Belmont: Wadsworth.