Focus Question for the Unit: Why is

understanding biology (brain and

body) important to understanding
behavior and conducting research in
the field of psychology?
 Early Beliefs
phrenology
 Current Approach
Biological psychology: links between biological
and psychological
Stop for Classwork, Parts I and II
Neural Communication
 Neural Communication
Neurons
Neuron (Nerve Cells)
Basic unit of the nervous system
 Neural Communication
Neurons
Parts of a Neuron
Cell Body
Dendrite
Axon
Myelin sheath
Multiple sclerosis
Neural Communication
Neurons
Neural Communication
Neurons
Neural Communication
Neurons
Neural Communication
Neurons
Neural Communication
Neurons
Neural Communication
Neurons
Crash Course -- Neurons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4N-7AlzK7s

Watch up to 4:30
How is flushing a toilet like a neuron
firing? Complete Classwork, Part III

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-3Iq3XQkAw
How is a flushing toilet like a neuron
firing?
Resting potential the toilet is waiting to fire, and the water in the tank
represents the overall negative charge inside the neuron waiting for
depolarization
Action potential opening the flap in the tank and the water rushing
through the pipes
Threshold you can push the handle a little bit, but it wont flush until you
push the handle past a certain point (this corresponds to the level of
excitatory neurotransmitters that a neuron must absorb before it will fire)
All-or-nothing principle the toilet either flushes completely or not at all; it
doesnt flush a little or a lot
Direction of impulse the toilet only flushes one way, the impulse cant
come the other direction (you hope!)
Depolarization represented by the toilet flushing
Refractory period after you flush the toilet, it wont flush again for a certain
period of time, even if you push the handle repeatedly
 Extra Credit Opportunity

Come up with your own analogy for the

neurotransmission process (school-appropriate
analogies only). Make sure to explain each stage
listed on the lecture guide. Due Friday, 9/25. 5
Points Extra Credit.
 Neural Communication
Neurons
Speed of a neuron impulse
Range from 2 to 180 MPH
Measured in milliseconds
(thousandths of a second)
 Neural Communication
Neurons
Action potential
Resting potential
Selectively permeable
Depolarizes
Refractory Period
Excitatory versus inhibitory
 Neural Communication
Neurons
Threshold
All or none response
 All-or-none Response
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVwyXjLj
r98

Neurons either fire, or they dont (no in

between)
 Neural Communication
How Neurons Communicate
Synapse
Synaptic gap (synaptic cleft)
Neurotransmitters
Reuptake
How Neurons Communicate
How Neurons Communicate
How Neurons Communicate
How Neurons Communicate
How Neurons Communicate
An analogy for Neural Communication
Two neurons are at a bar; they are sitting very
close together, but are separated by Mr. Synaptic
Gap
 The neurons are too shy to meet. But, alas,
Neuron #1 decides to ask for help from a
common friend, Ms. Neurotransmitter.
 Taking Neuron #1 by the hand, Ms.
Neurotransmitter pushes past Mr. Synaptic
Gap, grabs hold of the hand of Neuron #2, and
brings the two neurons together.
Come here
often?
 Neural Communication
How Neurotransmitters Influence Us
Complete Classwork, Part IV

Acetylcholine (AcH)
Dopamine
Serotonin
Norepinephrine
GABA
Glutamate
Endorphins