Anatomy

of a neuron
A cell body (soma)

The dendrites

The axon

 Dendrite
the bushy, branching extensions of a neuron
that receive messages and conduct impulses
toward the cell body

The cell body

Contains the cells Nucleus

Axon
The cells output
structure
One axon per cell
2 disBnct parts
tube-like structure
branches at end that
connect to dendrites of
other cells

Myelin sheath
White faGy casing on axon
Acts as an electrical insulator
Increases the speed of neural signals down
the axon

Myelin Sheath

Types of neurons

Sensory
Neurons

InterNeurons

Motor
Neurons

FuncBon of a Neuron
How does a neuron funcBon?

DemonstraBon
6-7 volunteers
Form a conBnuous chain by holding hands
Wait for my signal
1st person Bghten the grip on the second one,
2nd on the 3rd, ..9th on the 10th
And TIME?

DemonstraBon

Now grip your neighbors shoulder

Repeat the same procedure
Signal-1st person starts
TIME with the last person?

Shoulder-squeezing consistently faster than

hand-squeezing
Why?

DemonstraBon
Shoulder-squeeze < hand-squeeze
Sensory input through
hand
shoulder
travel a greater distance, 2-feet (longer in the
average person, to reach the brain
(Rozin & Jonides, 1997)

Neuron communicaBon
Neurons in the CNS
process informaBon
interpret it
send commands to muscles, glands, and
organs

Receive and transmit informaBon

electrochemically

Neuron communicaBon
AcBon potenBals
axons convey informaBon by a combinaBon
of electrical and chemical processes
this combinaBon is called an ac#on poten#al
signal that travels along the axon at a constant strength
no maGer how far it travels
the all-or-none process its either happening or not
inuences receiving neuron

Neuron communicaBon
Synapses
communicaBon between neurons occurs at
the synapses
synapses are specialized juncBons between
neurons
juncBon between axon Bp of the sending
neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the
receiving neuron
Bny gap at this juncBon is called the synapBc
gap or synapBc cle`

Synapses
Chemicals released at the synapse excite or
inhibit neighboring cells, making acBon
potenBals more or less likely
traverse between neurons
SynapBc acBvity is crucial to brain funcBon


hGp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LT3VKAr4roo&feature=related

(excitatory/inhibitory)

CommunicaBon process
AcBon potenBal travels down axon
Causes neurotransmiGer to release from axon
terminal
NeurotransmiGer travels across synapse
Then binds with the receptors on receiving
neuron

http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=90cj4NX87Yk&feature=related

NeurotransmiGers (NT)
Acetylcholine (ACh)
enables muscle acBon, learning, & memory

Dopamine
inuences movement, learning, aGenBon and emoBon
excess linked with Schizophrenia

Serotonin
aects mood, hunger, sleep & arousal
too liGle depression

Norepinephrine
controls alertness & arousal
too liGle aects mood negaBvely

Nerve cell growth

Neurons constantly grow and lose branches to
dendrites and axons
this growth is related to new experiences and
learning

Neural Development:

A Wiring-Up process

New-Born

Neural
Development

Neural
Development

Synaptic
Wiring
Over
The
Years
From a
Neonate
To
6 months
To
2 years
Of age
wow1

Synaptic
Wiring
Over
The
Years
From a
Neonate
To
6 months
To
2 years
Of age
wow1

6 M

2 Y

Brain plasBcity
Our brains are plasBc
PlasBcity
brains ability to rewire itself
relocaBng informaBon processing funcBons
to dierent brain areas and/or neural
networks
the study of brain plasBcity has profound
implicaBons on human learning, behavior,
and mental health

QuesBon
Learning and environmental challenges
someBmes produce branching in axons and
dendrites of an organisms neurons. How would
that aect the number of synapses?
It would increase the number of synapses.

QuesBon
If a hamster and a seven-foot-tall human step
on a sharp object, which will respond faster?
Why?
The hamster, because the action potential has a shorter distance to
travel.

Who cares about neurons?

Aect our senses
Our movements
Our funcBoning

Lecture on brain
How the brain relates to mind
microstructure

LocalizaBon of funcBon
in the brain
CNS

Methods of localizaBon
how to study the brain

Phrenology
(Gall, 1819)
The theory that each brain area has a specic
funcBon, with dierent general mental
facul#es located in dierent parts of this brain
Mental faculBes = moral and intellectual
propensiBes

Localization of function
Franz Galls phrenology

Franz Gall
(1758 1828)

LocalizaBon of funcBon
Franz Galls phrenology

Wrong about
Bumps
Traits
Right about
LocalizaBon

Science works this way

Phrenologists did not have scienBc
methodologies to validate their theories
calipers just werent good enough measurement
tools

BeGer Measuring Apparatus

In a way..
Brain locaBon and funcBoning is an
oversimplicaBon
E.g., paBents with damage to Brocas area
experience Brocas aphasia
But many of them can re-learn to speak
coherently with therapy
other parts of the brain can help out, so to speak

LocalizaBon of funcBon
Franz Galls phrenology

Wrong about
Bumps
Traits
Right about
LocalizaBon

Brain localizaBon
Note that its a
#useful#oversimplicaBon
as is most of science, really

Most of the processing that is now thought to

occur in certain areas really does occur there,
in normal cases
just not all of it, and not in all cases

The Brain & Our Body

The Nervous System

The central nervous system and the
peripheral nervous system
CNS consists of the brain and the spinal cord
communicates with the rest of the body via the
peripheral nervous system
PNS set of nerves that connects the CNS to the
sensory organs, muscles and glands

Embryological development
The vertebrate
nervous system
forms out of a
simple tube with
three lumps
the midbrain and
hindbrain become the
brainstem
the forebrain becomes
the cerebral cortex
and other higher
structure

Brain organizaBon
Luxuries

Voluntary action,
complex judgment,
symbolic thought
Emotion, motivation,
simple judgment
Sensory information
Basic motor programs

Necessities

Basic life functions

(breathing, heartbeat)

Voluntary acBon, complex

judgment, symbolic
thought
EmoBon, moBvaBon,
simple judgment
Sensory informaBon
RepeBBve movement
Breathing

Brainstem = Survival

Cerebellum = Movement

Lymbic System = Border

Lymbic
System

The Forebrain
Cerebral cortex
the outer covering of the forebrain
its composed of gray maGer
the cell bodies of the corBcal neurons

interior of the forebrain is composed of white

maGer or axons of corBcal neurons
it is white because of its myelin coaBng

Lymbic System = Border

Structures of the forebrain

Hypothalamus
regulates emoBonal and moBvated behavior

Amygdala
an almond-shaped structure crucial for emoBonal
processing
deep inside the temporal lobes

Hippocampus
vital for memory processing