The Mind's Machine: Foundations of Brain and Behavior

CHAPTER 3: NEUROPHYSIOLOGY Neurophysiology: study of specialized life processes that allow neurons to use chemical and electrical signals to process and transmit information Electrical Signals are the Vocabulary of the Nervous System -neurons are more neg. on inside than outside – polarized, which means they contain more anions Microelectrode: small electrode used to record electrical potentials inside living cells Resting Potential: difference in electrical potential across membrane of nerve ce

CHAPTER 2: CELLS AND STRUCTURES Brain-imaging techniques reveal structure and function of brain Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT or CT): non-invasive technique to examine brain structure through computer analysis of x-ray absorption at several positions around the head, x-ray energy is used to generate medium-resolution images useful for problems like stroke, tumours or cortical shrinkage Magnetic Resonance Imagining (MRI): non-invasive brain imaging technology using magnetism and radiofrequen

CHAPTER 3: NEUROPHYSIOLOGY EEG’s measure gross electrical activity of brain -electrical activity of cells working together combines to produce electrical potentials large enough to detect with electrodes applied to the surface of the scalp Electroencephalogram (EEG): recording of electrical activity in brain via large electrodes placed on scalp, provides useful info about activity of brain regions during behavioural processes Event-Related Potential (ERP, evoked potential): averaged EEG recordin

CHAPTER 5: SENSORIMOTOR SYSTEM Sensory Systems Detect Various Forms of Energy -all animals have sensory organs containing receptor cells that sense stimuli -receptor cells act as filters, ignore environmental background and convert key stimuli into electrical signals -although action potentials are the same for different sensory modalities, the brain recognizes the modalities as separate and distinct because action potentials for each sense are carried in separate nerve tracts Labelled Lines: co

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR Neuroscience: scientific study of the nervous system Behavioural Neuroscience: relates behaviour to bodily processes – also called biological psychology, brain and behaviour, physiological psychology -first ones to study relationship between brain and behaviour were philosophers – philosophy established the scientific method as best tool for finding new knowledge “Psychology has a long past but only a short history” – formal history is only 100 year

CHAPTER 4: CHEMISTRY OF BEHAVIOUR Synaptic Transmission Involves Complex Electrochemical Process Neurotransmitter receptors can be categorized into 2 kinds Ionotropic Receptors (ligand-gated ion channel): receptor containing ion channel that opens when bound by agonist, changing membrane potential -change is depolarization = more likely to produce action potential = excitatory effect -change is hyperpolarize = less likely to produce action potential = inhibitory effect Metabotropic Receptors: d

CHAPTER 3: NEUROPHYSIOLOGY Synaptic Transmission Requires Sequence of Events action potential arrives at presynaptic axon terminal voltage-gated calcium channels in membrane of axon terminal open, allowing calcium ions (Ca2+) to enter calcium causes synaptic physicals filled with neurotransmitter to fuse with presynaptic membrane and rupture, releasing transmitter molecules into synaptic cleft transmitter molecules bind to special receptor molecules in postsynaptic membrane leading directly/indi

CHAPTER 2: CELLS AND STRUCTURES Nervous system contains several types of cells Neurons (nerve cells): basic unit of nervous system, each composed of receptive extensions called dendrites, integrating cell body, conducting axon, and transmitting axon terminal -arranged into neural circuits that underlie all forms of behaviour -larger and produce readily measured electrical signals compared to glial cells Glial Cells: nonneuronal brain cells that provide structural, nutritional, and other support