Unit 3A:The Nervous System and Biological Psychologists

Mrs. Perl AP Psychology

Unit 3a:The Nervous System and Biological Psychologists

I. Work with the person sitting 3 people down from you (move to your left) to explain what happens in your nervous system in the following situations: a. You pull your hand away from a hot stove.

b. You walk from your room to the kitchen.

c. You are on a hike, hear a noise, and you think a bear is behind you. After two minutes you realize that it was just the wind.

II. The Nervous System A. CNS and PNS

1 B. Types of neurons: Neurons send “messages” through various types of neurons by releasing neurotransmitters:

a. Afferent Neurons: Sensory Neurons-bring sensations from the outside world into the body (PNS to CNS)

b. Efferent Neurons: Motor Neurons-bring messages from the brain to the muscles of the body (CNS to PNS)

c. Interneurons: Neurons that send messages within the central nervous system (Neurons within the CNS)

B. Reflex Arc

2 C. Breakdown of PNS and CNS

Fight of Flight Response:

III. Neurons and Neurotransmitters-Psychsim activity, Human Brain CD, Action potential video

A. Explain the function of the Cell body, axon, dendrite, myelin sheath, and nodes of Ranvier

3 B. Explain how the action potential works within a neuron. How is it both electrical and chemical? What is the threshhold at which it becomes excitatory? How is it an all-or-nothing response?

4 C. What happens at the synapse of the neuron? (Synaptic gap, reuptake)

D. Explain how agonists and antagonists are similar to neurotransmitters?

E. Explain the impact the various neurotransmitters have on the neural system?

Neurotransmitte Function/Influence Diagram r

Dopamine pathway

Serotonin pathway

Acetylcholine (ACh) pathway

Norepinephrine pathway

6 GABA Pathway (Gamma- Aminobutyric acid)

Glutamate pathway

IV. The Endocrine System- 1. Compare and contrast the nervous system and the endocrine system.

2.Explain the following terms: a. Hormones b. Adrenal glands-Epinephrine/Norepinephrine or adrenaline/noradrenaline)

c. Pituitary gland (Hypothalamus, master gland. feedback system)