PSYC 2800 Chapter 5: Chapter 5 summarry.docx
6 Mar 2012
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The basis of neural communication in a heartbeat. Discoveries about how neurons communicate stem from experiments designed to study what controls an animals heart rate. Bradycardia: is a useful survival strategy that is an energy conserving response, almost stopping your heartrate (happens mostly when diving into water). Otto loewi did many heart-rate experiments on frog hearts. Acetylcholine (ach): chemical transmitter that activates skeletal muscles. The chemical that carries the message to speed up heart rate in frogs is epinephrine (ep) aka adrenaline. The chemical that accelerates heartrate in mammals is norepinephrine. Epinephrine (ep): chemical messenger that acts as a hormone to mobilize the body for fight or flight during times of stress and as a neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Norepinephrine (ne or noradrenaline): neurotransmitter found in the brain and in the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system. neurotransmitter: chemical released by a neuron onto a target with an excitatory or inhibitory effect.
