Psychology 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Central Nervous System, Autonomic Nervous System, Sympathetic Nervous System

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Mark Holden

Document Summary

Receptors are specific to a particular neurotransmitter. Different areas of the brain have more or less of certain types of receptor. This makes these areas more or less sensitive to specific neurotransmitters, and helps prevent crosstalk from other areas: allows certain neurotransmitters to have specific functions. Major neurotransmitters: glutamate, excitatory, found throughout the brain, involved in most behavior. Many anti-psychotic drugs try to block dopamine: gaba (gamma-amino-butyric acid, inhibitory, found throughout the brain, involved in most behavior. Anti-anxiety benzodiazepines enhance gaba activity: too much gaba inhibits brain function. Kind of like a drunken stupor: too little gaba leads to tremors, loss of motor control, and anxiety. Huntington"s disease is the destruction of gaba neurons: serotonin, inhibitory, involved in mood, pleasure (especially eating, sleep, sex) Prozac works by blocking reuptake of serotonin: too little leads to depression (mood, decreased pleasure, endorphins, inhibitory, involved in inhibiting pain.