• centers in the brain that lead to our emotional experience
• what regions in the brain are developing in insert age
• objective: understand interaction between brain + psych
• psych: nature, nuture + interactions

learning objectives

• the neuron
• the action potential
• neurotransmitters

SSRIs: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors

theory: depression results from decreased levels of neurotransmitter serotonin

hypothesis: symptoms of depression will be reduced if serotonin levels are increased

results: variable results; however, results are significant in some individuals greater than placebo

treatment: administration of an SSRI which increases levels of serotonin

major types of neurons

• neurons are the major cell of the Nervous System
  • brain + spinal chord
• types of neurons

  • sensory neurons: receive info from external world; convey this info to the brain via spinal cord

    • receive signals for light, sound, touch, taste, and smell

  • motor neurons: carry signals from the spinal cord to the muscles to produce movement

    • often have long axons that reach to muscles at our extremities
    • response to hot object

  • interneurons: connect sensory neurons, motor neurons, or other interneurons

    • in between sensory + motor neurons
    • sensory → inter → motor

    the neuron

    

    DRAW THIS

    neurons: structure

    

    • communication between neurotransmitters

    <aside> ❓ how do neurons process information?

    </aside>

    <aside> ❓ how do neurons communciate with each other?

    </aside>

    the synapse

    

    • neurons do not touch each other
    • there is a small synaptic space between them across which informationis transmitted

    the electrochemical actions of neurons

    • communication of information within and between neurons proceeds two stages
      • conduction: movement of electrical signal within neurons
      • transmisson: movement of electrical signal betwen neurons due to signaling across the synapse
    • electrochemical process

    the action potential: the basics

    • information must be processed + communicated within a neuron from the cell body to the terminal region
    • communication is electrical (name is Action Potential)
    • all or nothing
    • Sodium (Na+) and Potassium (K+) are key ions
    • in order for neurons to communicate with each other, there must be the release of the neurotransmitter
      • the A.P leads to this release
      • no psych without neurotransmitters

    what is action potential?

    • happening in the neuron

    • a change in voltage (mv) over time (ms)

      • voltage/time

    • voltage change: due to differences in ion concentration inside and outside of a neuron

      

      • -70 is an important value

        • this is the resting potential

      • 2 positive ions have entered into the neuron

        • small positive ions
        • • ESP

      • other direction

        • IPSP
        • negative ions

      myelin and nodes of ranvier

      

      • A.P skips from node to node

        

        • sodium in potassium out

        

        

      • REVIEW

      • neuron in substance of ions

      • ions help make the resting potential

      • ions move from high concentration to low concentration

      

      • voltage changes = result of neurotransmitters

      • neurotransmitters are like keys

      • allow ions to move into neuron (can be positive or negative)

      • cells at rest, may eventually reach threshold and Action Potential will occur