Behavior Sciences

sensory, motor and interneurons

are afferent neurons transmit sensory info from receptors to spinal cord and brain

efferent neurons, transmit motor info from brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands

• most numerous, found between other neurons.
• mostly found in brain.
• interneurons in spinal cord can send signals to muscles without going through brain

opposition to one another

acetylcholine

thick sheath of connective tissue that covers the brain

• dura mater
• arachnoid mater
• pia mater

• hindbrain and midbrain
• more primitive

group of neural structures developed later, associated with emotion and memory

the most recent evolutionary development of the brain (part of forebrain)

lower brain structure for regulating vial functions

lies above the medulla and contains sensory and motor pathways between cortex and medulla

maintain posture and balance and coordinates body movements

• receives sensory info from auditory system
• in midbrain

receives visual sensory input

study of functions and behaviors associated with specific regions of the brain

• electrodes
• cortical maps of brain from electrical stimulation

electrical activity measured by inserting ultrasensitive microelectrodes into individual brain cells

• detects neural activity based on increase in blood flow.
• assume that certain regions of the brain activated with increased blood flow

forebrain structure responsible for receiving sensory (except smell), sorting and transmitting info to the cerebral cortex

• homeostatic functions (metabolism, temp, and water balance)
• primary regulator of ANS
• links the endocrine and nervous systems
• regulates hormonal function of pituitary gland

• hunger center, filled with receptors that tells body it needs more food or fluid
• (Lacks Hunger when destroyed)

• satiety center, stop eating signal
• Very Much Hungry when destroyed

• control sexual behavior
• Asexual when destroyed

• feeding
• fighting
• flighting
• functioning (sexual)

axonal projections from the hypothalamus and site of release for hypothalamic hormones ADH and oxytocin

• secretes melatonin
• receives direct signals form retina for coordination with sunlight

differentiates to form thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, pineal gland and connecting pathways to other brain regions.

coordinate muscle movement as they receive info from cortex and relay this info to brain and spinal cord

gathers info about body position and carries this info to CNS

• destruction to basal ganglia
• jerky movements and uncontrolled resting tremors

• loops around brain and associated with emotion and memory
• consists of septal nuclei, amygdala and hippocampus

primary pleasure centers, linked to addictive behavior

• defensive and aggressive behaviors
• when damaged, aggression and fear reactions are reduced

learning and memory processes

hippocampus communicates with other portions of the limbic system through long projection

not able to establish new long term memories, memory for events that occurred before brain injury is intact.

memory loss of events that transpired before brain injury

bumps and folds respectively in the cerebral cortex

• F-POT
• frontal
• parietal
• occipital
• temporal

• consists of prefrontal cortex (executive function-wake up, remember this, regulates alertness/attention)
• motor cortex (initiates voluntary motor movements)

area that integrates input from diverse brain regions like the prefrontal cortex

• perceptual or motor tasks, like receiving visual input or sending out motor commands to muscles
• ex: primary motor cortex
• somatosensory cortex

initiates voluntary motor movements by sending neural impulses down the spinal cord toward the muscles

neurons in the motor cortex are arranged systematically acocording to parts of the body which they are connected.

speech production

• somatosensory cortex involved in somatosensory info processing (destination for all touch, pressure, temp and pain signals)
• spatial processing and manipulation (map reading, orient oneself)

• very rear of the brain
• vision

• auditory cortex
• wernicke's area (language reception and comprehension)

• NT used by efferent limb of the Somatic Nervous system part of PNS (transmit nerve impules to muscles)
• used by some parts of brain for arousal and attention

ephinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine, all play roles in experience of emotions

• epinephrine and noepinephrine (released by adrenal medulla)
• promote fight or flight
• epinephrine acts systematically as a hormone, noepinephrine acts locally.

movement and posture

hyperpolarization of postsynaptic membrane

natural pain killers produced in the brain, peptide neurotransmitters

• Master, releases hormones that regulate the
• activities of endocrine glands
• part of pituitary gland located at base of brain

located at top of kidneys and are divided into adrenal medulla and adrenal cortex

• produces corticosteroids
• produces also testosterone and estrogen

connects the hypothalamus and pituitary gland

• forms the CNS
• formed from furrowing of the ectoderm
• has alar plate (sensory neurons)
• basal plate (motor neurons)

transmits food, oxygen, and water to the fetus, while returning water and waste to the mother

attaches fetus to uterine wall and palcenta.

automatic turning of the head in direction of stimulus that touches the cheek, such as nipple during feeding.

infants react to abrupt movements of their heads by flinging out their arms, then slowing retreating their arms and crying

toes to spread apart automatically when sole of foot is stimulated.

at two years of age, children will play alongside each other without influencing each other's behavior.

7 months

1 year

3 yrs

6-12

5 years

ability of interneurons to relay information to source of stimuli while simultaneously routing it to the brain