Psychology 1000 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Positron Emission Tomography, Ct Scan, Peripheral Nervous System

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 1000
• Professor: Biggs- Universityof Western Ontario

Document Summary

Chapter 3: biological psychology: the neural bases of behaviour. The basic building blocks of the nervous system are linked together in circuits and composed of: a cell body (soma) - contains necessary chemical structures to keep the neuron alive. The nucleus carries the genetic information: dendrites- branchlike fibers emerging from the cell body, which, like antennas, collect messages from neighbouring neurons and send them to the cell body. Incoming information is combined and processed: axon- conducts electrical impulses away from the cell body to other neurons, muscles or glands. They branch out to dendrites and transfer information. Glial cells surround neurons and hold them in place, manufacture nutrients, form the myelin sheath around axons and absorb toxins. Blood- brain barrier- prevents substances (i. e. toxins) from entering the brain. Depolarization- a sudden reversal in the neuron"s membrane voltage, during which the membrane voltage momentarily moves from -70 millivolts to +40. Potentials- when dendrites are stimulated by axons, a shift occurs.