Body and Mind

Nervous System
Central Nervous System (CNS)
- Brain and Spinal Cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)
- Nerves that reach out to ones limbs
- Somatic: Controls voluntary muscles
- Automatic: Controls involuntary muscles

Neurons
Electrical messages sent from the brain
through the nerves to the rest of the body.
- Fires all or nothing
- Hundreds and hundreds of message can be
sent per minute

Parts of a Neuron
Dendrites: Fibers that extend from the cell body. They
receive messages from other neurons and relay them to
the cell body
Cell Body: Contains the nucleus
Axon: Carries messages to the Axon Terminals
Axon Terminal: Release neurotransmitters to attract the
next cell's Dendrites
Myelin Sheath: Fatty substance that protects the Axon;
speeds the transmission of impulses.

Synapse and Neurotransmitters

The space between neurons and dendrites of
another neuron.
Neurons release neurotransmitters through the
synapse that relay impulses (messages) from
neuron to neuron

Neuron Activity
Ascending Tracts - Carry sensory messages to
brain
Descending Tracts - Carry motor messages
from the brain
- Afferent Neurons: Sensory neurons
- Efferent Neurons: Glands and muscles
- Interneurons: Connect to other neurons

Parts of the Brain

Hindbrain: Controls basic processes for survival
- Cerebellum, Medulla, and Pons
Midbrain: Incoming signals and sleep cycles
- Cerebellum, Medulla, Brain Stem
Forebrain: Senses, Emotions, Motivations
- Thalamus, Cerebral Cortex, Limbic System

Lobes of the Brain

Frontal Lobe: Movement and working memory
Temporal Lobe: Hearing and visual processing
Occipital Lobe: Vision
Parietal Lobe: Sensation

Hemispheres of the Brain

Left Brain: Verbal, Mathematical, Analytic
Right Brain: Non-verbal, Spatial, Holistic
Which Brain are you?
Both Unless you have had a grand mal
seizure which can separate the two hemisphere
communication

Brain Controls

Phineas Gage

The Endocrine System

Hormones: Messages sent into the bloodstream to
communicate with specific glands.
Pituitary Gland: Master gland; make sure the body runs
smoothly
Thyroid Gland: Controls energy levels
Adrenal Gland: Adrenaline, noradrenaline, muscle
production
Sexual Glands: Testosterone and estrogen; physical
development

Heredity
Genetic transmission of characteristics from
parents to children
Genes are the basic building block to the
structure of ones body and mind
- Nature vs. Nurture

Consciousness
State of awareness
- Id
- Ego
- Super Ego

Sleep and Dreams

Humans need sleep to maintain mental health
- Peter Tripp: Awake 200 hours straight

Early Stage: Stage I, Stage II, Stage III

Late Stage: Stage IV
- REM: Rapid Eye Movement (raised blood pressure,
adrenal and sexual hormones, physical twitching)
- NREM (non-REM): Slower brain waves and no rapid
eye movement)

Sleep Disorders
Insomnia: Abnormal inability to obtain adequate sleep
Sleep Apnea: Breathing blockage while sleeping
Narcolepsy: Unusual sleep patterns and sleep attacks
Night Terrors: Happens in stage IV and is accompanied by
screaming, sweating, confusion, and rapid heart rate.
Typically no recollection of the terror.
Sleepwalking/Talking: Typically associated with children
where they move around clumsily while being partially
asleep.

Hypnosis, Biofeedback, and Meditation

Hypnosis: Altered state of mind where people become
sustainable to changes in behavior and thoughts
Biofeedback: Understanding ones own physiological
processes.
Meditation: Focusing ones attention on something with the
hopes of clearing their mind and achieving deep relaxation.

Drugs
Psychoactive Drugs: Interact with the central
nervous system (stimulants and depressants)
Drugs are taken in through the bloodstream
and is directly absorbed into the tissue of the
affected areas.
- Drug molecules act like neurotransmitters

Drug Chart

Senses

Homunculus

Sensation
Occurs any time a stimulus activates ones
receptors.
- Sense organs tell the brain about physical
changes
- Sense can also indicate spatial awareness

Perception
The organization of sensory information into
meaningful experiences.
- Perception uses the sense and learned
experiences to explain phenomena
- Optical illusions

Frasers Spiral