Chapter 2

The Brain:
Source of Mind and
Self
(hyperlink)

Welcome to the Wonderful World

of Neuropsychology,
Biopsychology, Neuroscience.
Biological Psychology
branch of psychology concerned with
the links between biology and behavior
some biological psychologists call
themselves behavioral neuroscientists,
cognitive neuroscientists,
neuropsychologists, behavior
geneticists, physiological
psychologists, or biopsychologists

The Neuron
The information processing and informationtransmitting element of the nervous system.

Types of Neurons
Sensory Neurons
(afferent neurons)
take in info from the
outside world and
send it to the brain
and spinal cord
Motor Neurons
(efferent neurons)
bring messages to
the muscles from the
brain and spinal cord

The Nervous System

Central Nervous System (CNS)
the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
the sensory and motor neurons that
connect the central nervous system
(CNS) to the rest of the body
further subdivided into the
autonomic and the somatic
systems

The Nervous System

Nervous
system

Central
(brain and
spinal cord)

Peripheral

Autonomic (controls
self-regulated action of
internal organs and glands)

Skeletal (controls
voluntary movements of
skeletal muscles)

Sympathetic
(arousing)

Parasympathetic
(calming)

Is it electrical or
chemical?
Until 1921 it was unclear how the
nervous system communicated
The dream of Otto Loewi and frog
hearts

Action Potential: Electrical &

Chemical Communication
A brief electro/chemical signal that travels
down the axon to the terminal buttons.

Cell body end

of axon
Direction of neural impulse: toward axon terminals

The Synapse
A junction
between
the
terminal
buttons of
the
sending
cell and a
portion of
the
membrane
of the
receiving
cell

The Flow of Transmission

A Closer Look at a Neuron

Neural impulse - hyperlink

Details of an action potential - hyperlink