PSYCH 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Myelin, Dendrite, Parietal Lobe

• School: UMASS-Amherst
• Department: Psychology & Brain Sciences
• Course: PSYCH 100
• Professor: Tammy Rahhal

Document Summary

Hemispheric differences: neurons - structure, dendrite - the "inbox, receives electrochemical signals (impulses) from sensory structures and other neurons, ex. Taste, hear, smell something ---> sends to neurons: cell body - basic cellular functions, metabolizes food, gets ride of waste, axon - the "outbox" (axon = away) Sends signals to other neurons and effector cells (muscles: myelin sheath - a fatty substance that encases the axons of some cells. Too little - alzheimer"s, dementia: endorphins - nature"s pain reliever. Eating chocolate, athletics, stress: serotonin - mood, sleep, hunger, arousal. Too little - depression: dopamine - movement, learning, attention, emotion. Too little - parkinson"s: gaba - eating, sleeping. Inhibitory, not excitatory (keeps next neuron from ring: drugs - effect on neural communication, agonists - mimics the action of neurotransmitters. Blocks reuptake of neurotransmitter (leaves more: counteracts enzymes that clean out the synapse. Ssri"s inhibit reuptake --> elevates mood: antagonists - blocks the action of neurotransmitters.