Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Axon Terminal, Prosopagnosia, Action Potential

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: John Campbell

Document Summary

Gilial cells: hold neurons in place, nutrients, remove waste, outnumber neurons. Two important actions of neurons: the generate electricity that creates nerve impulses, they release chemicals that allow them to communicate with other neurons and with muscles with glands. Chemical molecules (neurotransmitters) exit the terminal buttons and attach themselves to adjacent dendrites. Synaptic cleft: gap between axon terminal and dendrite. Our brains have left and right cerebral hemispheres. Lateralization: refers to the relatively greater location of a function in one hemisphere or the other. The man who mistook his wife for a hat. Case study of patient referred to as (cid:498)dr. p(cid:499) Dr. p started losing the ability to identify and categorize common shapes. Symptoms began as prosopagnosia- face blindness, sufferers lose the ability to recognize faces. Prosopagnosia gives first hand knowledge, demonstration that there is a specialized area of the brain that handles these types of processes. Some believe face recognition is based on dedicated brain mechanisms.