BIOLOGICAL BASICS OF BEHAVIOUR


BIOLOGICAL BASICS OF BEHAVIOUR
NEURONS
- Neurons are basic working unit of the brain as it transmits information to the nerve cells, muscle, gland cells.
- Neurons are specialized to transmit information throughout the body in two ways which is chemical and electrical.
Structure Of Neurons
·         Axon
-       Carries nerve impulses  away from a cell body of a neurone.
·         Dendrite
-          Carries nerve impulses from adjacent neurons into the cell body.
·         Cell body (Soma)
-          Responsible for maintaining life of the cell as it contains the nucleus.
·         Myelin Sheath
-           Insulates the axon and speeds up the neural impulse.
Types Of Neurons
·         Sensory Neuron
-          Carry signals from the outer parts of your body into the central nervous system.
·         Motor Neuron
-          Carry signals from the central nervous system to the outer parts of your body.
·         Interneuron
-          Connect various neurons within the brain and   spinal cord.



GLIAL CELLS
·         Glial cells are the most abundant cell types in the central nervous system.
·         The functions of the glial cells are:
-          They surround neurons and hold them in place.
-          They supply nutrients and oxygen to the neurons.
-          Insulates one neuron from another.
-          They destroy and remove dead neurons.



THE NEURAL IMPULSE
·         An electrical signal that travels along an axon. There is an electrical difference between the inside of the axon and its surroundings, like a tiny battery



The Synapse
·         Synapses are functional connections between neurons and other types of cells.


Transmission Between Neurons
  • Synaptic vesicles
-          Sacs in terminal button that release chemical into synaptic space.
·         Neurotransmitters
-          Communication between neurons as accomplished by the movement of chemical or electrical signals across synapse.
·         Receptor sites
    - Location on receptor neuron for specific neurotransmitter.



Neural Plasticity
·         The brain can be changed, both structurally and chemically by experience.



NERVOUS SYSTEM
·         Nervous system is the network of nervous cells and fibers that transmits nerve impulse between the parts of the body.





NERVOUS SYSTEM ORGANISATION





CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

THE BRAIN- THE CENTRAL CORE
·         Medulla
-          Controls breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.
·         Cerebellum
-          Coordinates body’s movements.
·         Pons
-          Maintains the sleep wake cycle.
·         Thalamus
-          Involved in sensory and motor signal relay and the regulations of consciousness and sleep.
·         Hypothalamus
-          It plays an important role in hormone production and helps to stimulate many important processes in the body.
-          Involved in emotional behaviour.
·         Reticular formation
-          Monitors the state of the body and functions inn such processes s arousal, sleep, attention and muscle tone.


THE BRAIN- THE LIMBIC SYSTEM
·         The limbic system is a grouping of structures in the brain that sits between in the most primitive part of the forebrain called the rhinecephalon. This is a doughnut-shaped network of neurons that inlfuences many deep-rooted drives and emotions including pain, anger, hunger, sex, thirst, and pleasure.
·         The thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, fornix, mammiliary bodies, and septal areas are all parts of the limbic system.

                 

THE CEREBRAL CORTEX
·         Is the largest part of the human brain, associated with higher brain function such as thought and action.
·         The cerebral cortex is divided into four sections, called "lobes": the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe.

   




HEMISPHERIC SPECIALISATION
·         The brain has two halves or hemispheres which right and left hemispheres.
·          Each hemisphere appears to specialise in certain functions.



        TOOLS FOR STUDYING THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
·         Microelectrode Technique
-          Very small electrodes inserted into individual neurons.
-          Used to study activity of a single neuron.
·         Macroelectrode Technique
-          Used to get a picture of overall activity in the brain.
-          For example, an EEG which uses electrodes placed on a persons’s scalp to measure brain activity.
·         Structural Imaging
1)   Computerized Axial Tomography (CT- SCAN)
-          Uses X-rays to create a 3-dimensional image of the brain.
2)   Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
-          Uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images.
·         Functional Imaging
1)   EEG Imaging
-          Electrical activity on the scalp from millions neurons is to   produce a continuous picture of activity in the brain.
2)   Magentoencephalography (MEG) and Magnetic Source Imaging (MSI)
-             Can localize activity more precisely than EEG.
3)   Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography ( SPECT)
-          Use radioactive glucose to determine location of greatest brain activity.
·         Functional Mangnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
-          Shows functions and structure by measuring movement of blood molecules within the brain.



THE SPINAL CORD
·         The cord of nerve tissue extending through the spinal canal of the spinal column.
·         The spinal cord carries information from extremities and internal organs to the brain.



REFLEX ACTIONS CONTROLLED BY SPINAL CORD






    THE PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

                  

 THE ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
·         Is made up of glands that produce and secrete hormones, chemical substances produced in the body that regulate the activity of cells or organs.
·         Hormones produced by the endocrine system regulates the body’s growth, metabolism, and sexual development.

              
GENES, EVOLUTION AND BEHAVIOR
Genetics
·         The heredity and the variation of inherited characteristics.

1)  Chromosomes
-          Pairs of thread like bodies that contain genes.


2)  Deoxyribonucleic Acid
-          Ideal molecules to transfer genetic messages to every cell of our body.
-          Contains the ‘ code of life’.


      
         BEHAVIOR GENETICS
·         Study of behaviour from a genetic perspective.

HUMAN BEHAVIOR GENETICS

·         Family studies
-          Assume that close family members share more of a trait than non-relatives.
-          Used to assess the heritability of psychological disorders or traits than non-relatives.
·          Twin studies
-          Used to determine how heritable a trait or disorder may be.
-          Identical twins would have highest heritability.
·          Adoption studies
-          Used to assess the influence of environment.
·          Molecular genetics
-          Direct study of the genetic code.








EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY

·         Evolutionary psychology looks at the adaptive or survival of behaviors.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS


·         Study of how people’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are influenced by the actual, imagined, or implied presence of others.
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