Biological Basis of Behavior

Faculty Member
Saima Rizwan
Quaid-i-Azam University
Islamabad
 WHAT PARTS DO YOU KNOW THAT ARE
IN THE NERVOUS SYSTEM?
• Brain
• Spinal Cord

• Peripheral Nerves

10/21/2019
What makes up the brain, the spinal cord
or your peripheral nerves?
• Neurons are “the cell”
• Cell body
• Nucleus
• Axon
• Dendrite QuickTime and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

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 Cells of the Nervous System
There are two kinds of cells of the
nervous system:
• Neurons

• Supporting Cells
– Glial Cells
– Schwann Cells

4/23/2017
 Neurons
Neurons act as the communicators of
the nervous system.

Neurons receive information, integrate it,

and pass it along. They communicate
with one another, with cells in the
sensory organs, and with muscles and
glands.

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Basic structure and function of
Neurons
• Soma: central area of the neuron. It contains
the nucleus.
• Dendrites: receive information from other
neurons or from sense organs.
• Axon: send information to other neurons, to
muscle cells, or to gland cells.
• Terminal Buttons: release
neurotransmitters, which are chemicals that
can cross over to neighboring neurons and
activate them.
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 Neuron

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 Synapse
• Neurons usually
do not connect
directly to one
another. A gap
called a synapse
controls the
transmission of
signals.
• Neurotransmitter
s cross the
synapse and
stimulate the
next neuron.
 Some Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitter Location Some Functions

Acetylcholine Neuron-to-muscle synapse Activates muscles

Dopamine Mid-brain Control of movement

Epinephrine Sympathetic system Stress response

Serotonin Midbrain, pons, medulla Mood, sleep

Endorphins Brain, spine Mood, pain reduction

Nitric Oxide Brain Memory storage

 QuickTime and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.

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 How are neurons connected?
• Synapses!!

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Why are neurons connected?

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 Close up look at your
synapse
AXON

The synapse - What is

where the this in the
action membrane?
happens
The next cell’s Transpo
plasma membrane rt
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 Are all neurons equal in size?
• Brain vs spinal cord vs peripheral nerves?

About how many neurons are in the human brain? 100 billion

About how many neurons are in the spinal cord? 1 billion

How10/21/2019
long do you think the longest axon in the world is? around 15 feet
 How many synapses
are in one neuron?
1,000 to 10,000!!

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 What if
neurons
die here?

or here or here
or here
or here

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Neural Organization
 Central Nervous System
• Consists of brain and spine
• Functions:
– Receives sensory signals and determines
appropriate response
– Stores memory
– Carries out thought
 Spine: structure
• The spinal cord is
protected by the
vertebrae.
• Gray matter
contains cell
bodies; white
matter contains
myelinated fibers.
• PNS nerves extend
outside of the
vertebrae.
 Brain: Structure
• Hindbrain
carries out
the most
basic
functions.
• Midbrain
coordinat
es signals.
• Forebrain
processes
signals,
stores
memories,
creates
thought.
Peripheral Nervous System
• Nerves, neurons, and sensory organs
outside the central nervous system
• Functions:
– Sends signals to the CNS
– Receives and transmits motor signals
from the CNS
 Somatic Nervous System
• Motor neurons that control voluntary
movements by activating skeletal
muscles.
• (though voluntary control of the
muscles involved, such as tensing
them, can reduce the response).
Autonomic Nervous System

• Motor neurons that control involuntary

responses involving the organs,
glands, and smooth muscles.
 Sympathetic Division
• Portion of the autonomic nervous
system that produces the “fight or
flight” response:
– Dilation of pupils
– Increased heart and breathing rates
– Constriction of blood vessels
– Inhibits digestion
 Parasympathetic Division
• Portion of the autonomic nervous
system that produces the “rest and
ruminate” response:
– Constricts pupils
– Dilates blood vessels
– Reduces heart and breathing rates.
– Stimulates digestion.
 Midbrain
•Filters sensory input,
which allows us to
concentrate.
•Filtering can be
affected by higher
thoughts.
 Forebrain
• Thalamus: relay
station
channeling
sensory
information.
• Limbic system:
basic emotions,
drives, and
behaviors.
• Cortex: higher
 Limbic system
• Hypothalamus:
master controller of
the endocrine
system.
• Amygdala:
sensations of
pleasure or fear,
recognition of fear in
others.
• Hippocampus:
formation of
 Cortex
• Various areas
control sensory
processing, motor
control, thought,
memory.
 e Ce re b r u m
Th
 Cerebrum -The largest division of the brain. It
is divided into two hemispheres, each of which is
divided into four lobes.

Cerebrum
Cerebru
m

Cerebellum

http://williamcalvin.com/BrainForAllSeasons/img/bonoboLH-humanLH-viaTWD.gif
Cerebral Cortex - The outermost layer of
gray matter making up the superficial
aspect of the cerebrum.

Cerebral Cortex

Cerebral Cortex

http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-6.tif.jpg
The Cerebral Cortex is made
up of four Lobes.
 Lobes of the Brain - Frontal
• The Frontal Lobe of the brain is located deep to the
Frontal Bone of the skull.
• It plays an integral role in the following functions/
actions:
- Memory Formation
- Emotions
- Decision Making/
Reasoning
- Personality

Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/

 Lobes of the Brain - Parietal Lobe
• The Parietal Lobe of the brain is located deep to
the Parietal Bone of the skull.

• It plays a major role in the following functions/

actions:
- Senses and integrates sensation(s)

Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.tif.

jpg
Lobes of the Brain – Occipital Lobe
• The Occipital Lobe of the
Brain is located deep to the
Occipital Bone of the Skull.

• Its primary function is the

processing, integration,
interpretation, etc. of VISION
and visual stimuli.

Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/

image/1/1-8.tif.jpg
Primary Visual
Cortex

Visual
Association
Area

Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.tif.

jpg Regions
 Lobes of the Brain – Temporal
Lobe
• The Temporal Lobes are located on the sides
of the brain, deep to the Temporal Bones of the
skull.
• They play an integral
role in the following
functions:
- Hearing
- Organization/
Comprehension of language
- Information
Retrieval (Memory and
Memory Formation)
Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/
image/1/1-8.tif.jpg
Click the Region to see its
Name

Korbinian Broadmann - Learn about the man who divided the Cerebral Cortex into 52 distinct regions: http://en.wikipedia.org/
wiki/Korbinian_Brodmann
Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.