PSY-200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Parasympathetic Nervous System, Sympathetic Nervous System, Peripheral Nervous System
Document Summary
Behavioral genetics: relationship between genes and behavior is complex, most behaviors polygenic, studying twins and adoptees helps separate heredity and environment, environment affects how/when genes affect behavior. Insulation (myelin: blood brain barrier, metabolism, reg. Neurons- cells process and transmit info in the nervous system: neuron structure, neuron action. Electrical signal (action potential) of constant size, from soma down axon. Resting potential- more positively charged ions outside than inside cell membrane. Na+ rushes in at one location (depolarization) spike in voltage=action potential. Information transmitted between neurons via chemicals called neurotransmitters. Synaptic transmission- electrical impulse converted into chemical signal. To remove excess neurotransmitter from synaptic cleft: enzymatic degradation, reuptake (prozac shuts down reuptake, stays in space longer, dendrite receptor site detects neurotransmitter- specialized for different ones. Excitatory and inhibitory: chemical trans. site, receptor of the dendrite. Acetylcholine- muscle movement, learning, memory, dreaming, sleeping, alzheimer"s disease levels go down. Dopamine- voluntary movement, reward anticipation pleasure, cocaine blocks reuptake,
