PSY M01 Module 3S.pptVIP

Module 3: Neural and Hormonal Systems Neural Communication The Nervous System The Central Nervous System The Peripheral Nervous System The Endocrine System History of Mind In 1800, Franz Gall suggested that bumps of the skull represented mental abilities. His theory, though incorrect, nevertheless proposed that different mental abilities were modular. Phrenology Bettman/ Corbis Neurons: The Messengers Neurons – individual cells that are the smallest unit of the nervous system. The brain of an average human contains as many as 100 billion neurons with billions more being found in other parts of the nervous system. Parts of a Neuron Types of Neurons: Sensory (Afferent) Neurons Motor (Efferent) Neurons Interneurons (Association) Neurons Neurons: The Messengers The nervous system also contains glial cells which: Hold neurons in place, provide nourishment, and remove waste Prevent harmful substances from passing from the bloodstream into the brain Form the myelin sheath Neurons: The Messengers The Neural Impulse Ions: electrically charged particles found both inside and outside the neuron. Neural Impulse (Action Potential): the firing of a nerve cell. The Neural Impulse Threshold of Excitation: the level an impulse must exceed to cause a neuron to fire. All-or-None Law: the action potential in a neuron does not vary in strength; either the neuron fires at full strength or it does not fire at all. The Synapse Synapse: the entire area composed of the axon terminals of one neuron, the synaptic space, and the dendrites and cell body of the next neuron Neurotransmitters Neurotransmitters (chemicals) released from the sending neuron travel across the synapse and bind to receptor sites on the receiving neuron, thereby influencing it to generate an action potential. The Synapse The Nervous System Central Nervous System (CNS) Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) The Endocrine System The Endocrine System is the body’s “slow” c