PSYC 2410 Chapter 4: Chapter 4 Notes
16 Feb 2012
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Substantia nigra- small group of nerve cells of a black substance. Parkinson"s disease- occurs when dopamine levels are low. Dopamine isn"t an effective treatment because it doesn"t penetrate the blood brain barrier. L dopa penetrates the blood brain barrier and converts into dopamine. Membrane potential -difference in electrical charge between the inside and the outside of a cell. Microelectrodes- intracellular electrodes with tips less than 1/1000th of a millimetre in diameter. Resting potential- the steady membrane potential of about -70mv. 70mv charge built up across the membrane= neuron is polarized. Changes as the ratio of negative to positive charges is greater inside the neuron than outside. Charge difference- the result of the ratio of ions floating in and outside of the cell. Passive property of neural membrane that results in the uneven distribution. 3)different permeability to certain ions- k+ and cl- pass readily though the neural membrane. 3)ion channels- ions pass through the neural membrane at specialized pores.
