Psychological Bases of Behavior
Biological Bases of Behavior
Nervous System
Made up of neurons, which are the nerve cells. These send electrical impulses to one another ( through a process known as firing) telling the body what to do.
The parts of a neuron include:
Cell Body (a.k.a. soma) – Main part of neuron; contains basic cell parts such as nucleus, ER, etc.; also has dendrites extending from it.
Dendrites – bushy fibers which extend from the soma; receives impulses and directs them towards soma
Axon – an extension of the neuron from the soma which ends in branching terminal fibers (or synaptic/axon terminals) Myelin Sheath – a layer of segmented fatty tissue which encases the axon, enabling impulses to be fired much faster as it hops from node to node. Various diseases can result from problems with the myelin sheath, including multiple sclerosis, which results from a degeneration of the myelin sheath. Communication to muscles slow and eventually, there is a complete loss of muscle control. Sclara is a hardening of the myelin sheath.
Schwann Cells – specialized glial cells which form myelin sheath
Axon Hillock – the area of the axon before the myelin sheath begins
Nodes (of Ranvier) – the area between segments of myelin sheath Axon Terminals – the ending fibers of the axon.
Terminal Knobs (or buttons or bulbs) – things at the end of each axon terminal which release the neurotransmitters across the synaptic gap (or cleft) upon firing
Receptor Sites – crevices located along the dendrites which are designed to receive specific neurotransmitters or ones which resemble them
Types of neurons:
White Matter – refers to masses of myelinated axon
Grey Matter – refers to masses of unmyelinated axon
Sensory (or Afferent) neurons - these neurons bring information/signals obtained from the PNS to the CNS
Motor (or Efferent) neurons – these neurons send information/signals from the CNS to the PNS
Interneurons – neurons within the spine and brain which communicate signals between
Nervous System
Made up of neurons, which are the nerve cells. These send electrical impulses to one another ( through a process known as firing) telling the body what to do.
The parts of a neuron include:
Cell Body (a.k.a. soma) – Main part of neuron; contains basic cell parts such as nucleus, ER, etc.; also has dendrites extending from it.
Dendrites – bushy fibers which extend from the soma; receives impulses and directs them towards soma
Axon – an extension of the neuron from the soma which ends in branching terminal fibers (or synaptic/axon terminals) Myelin Sheath – a layer of segmented fatty tissue which encases the axon, enabling impulses to be fired much faster as it hops from node to node. Various diseases can result from problems with the myelin sheath, including multiple sclerosis, which results from a degeneration of the myelin sheath. Communication to muscles slow and eventually, there is a complete loss of muscle control. Sclara is a hardening of the myelin sheath.
Schwann Cells – specialized glial cells which form myelin sheath
Axon Hillock – the area of the axon before the myelin sheath begins
Nodes (of Ranvier) – the area between segments of myelin sheath Axon Terminals – the ending fibers of the axon.
Terminal Knobs (or buttons or bulbs) – things at the end of each axon terminal which release the neurotransmitters across the synaptic gap (or cleft) upon firing
Receptor Sites – crevices located along the dendrites which are designed to receive specific neurotransmitters or ones which resemble them
Types of neurons:
White Matter – refers to masses of myelinated axon
Grey Matter – refers to masses of unmyelinated axon
Sensory (or Afferent) neurons - these neurons bring information/signals obtained from the PNS to the CNS
Motor (or Efferent) neurons – these neurons send information/signals from the CNS to the PNS
Interneurons – neurons within the spine and brain which communicate signals between