Fact or Fiction
• Everything psychological is simultaneously biological
– Your every idea, every mood, every urge is a biological happening
– You think, feel and act with your body
– You relate to the world through your body
What do we Know?
• The body is composed of cells
• Among these are nerve cells that conduct electricity and “talk” to one another by sending chemical messages across a tiny gap that separates them – the synapse
• Specific brain systems serve specific functions
• From info processed in these brain systems, we construct our experience of sights, sounds, meanings, memories, pain and passion
Nervous System
Nervous System
Central Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System CNS PNS
(All nerves housed (All nerves not encased
in bone – skull & in bone. Connects
vertebrate) periphery of body with
Central Nervous System)
Nervous System
Nervous System
Central Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System
CNS PNS
Brain Spinal Cord Autonomic Somatic
Sympathetic Parasympathetic
Central Nervous System
Brain
Hind Brain Mid Brain Fore Brain
HIND BRAIN
•Top part of spinal cord
•Our “life support” system
•Controls basic biological functions
•Includes: Medulla, pons, cerebellum
MID BRAIN
•Just above the spinal cord
•In general, co-ordinates simple movements with sensory info
(integrates sensory info & muscle movement)
•Includes: Reticular Formation
Central Nervous System
Brain
Hind Brain Mid Brain Fore Brain
Fore Brain
•Controls thought and reason
•Includes: Cerebral Cortex & Subcortical structures
•Subcortical Structures: Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Amygdala,
Hippocampus
•Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Amygdala, Hippocampus together
are known as the Limbic System
•Limbic System deals with aspects of emotion and memory
Central Nervous System
Spinal Cord
Ascending Inter Descending Pathways Neurons Pathways (sensory) once info reaches (Motor) (afferent) brain or spinal cord (efferent) inter-neurons take messages & send them elsewhere in brain or on to the efferent (motor) neurons
Peripheral Nervous System
Peripheral Nervous System
Somatic Division Autonomic Division
Sensory Motor Sympathetic Parasympathetic
Nerves Nerves System System
(arousing) (calming)
Somatic Division
Somatic Division (involved in sensing & responding; Controls voluntary movements of skeletal
muscles)
Sensory Nerves Motor Nerves
Afferent – info from senses Efferent – info from brain to
to brain rest of the body
Afferent nerves as taking Efferent nerves carry info
info at the brain that exits the body
* Follows ascending pathways * Follows descending pathway
Autonomic Division (involuntary; controls self-regulating action of internal organs & glands. Eg.
Lungs,heart)
Sympathetic System Parasympathetic System (arousing) (calming)
Mobilizes body to deal with slows body after stress response Stress ‘alert system’ ‘brake system’ Carries msgs to control systems slows down body’s autonomic of organs, glands, muscles nervous system Increases heart rate, blood pressure & respiration Conserves resources by
Decreasing digestion NOTE: homeostasis = balanced state