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Understanding Neurons and Brain Structure: Key Components of the Nervous System

This overview explores the fundamental elements of the brain's structure, with a focus on neurons, the basic units of the nervous system. It highlights key components such as cell bodies, dendrites, and axons, detailing how they communicate via synapses. We also delve into the cerebral cortex, its lobes, and their functions, addressing higher cognitive abilities and sensory processing. Key subcortical structures like the cerebellum, hypothalamus, and amygdala are discussed, emphasizing their roles in balance, emotions, and vital functions, providing insight into the complex workings of the brain.

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Understanding Neurons and Brain Structure: Key Components of the Nervous System

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Presentation Transcript

  1. . Biological Level of Analysis

  2. Neuron Basic unit of the brain

  3. Neuron • Cell body – source of life of the cell • Dendrites – branches on the cell bodies that act as receivers of messages from adjacent neurons. • Axon – projection through which messages travel. • Synaptic knobs: Tips of branches at end of axon. Sends messages to adjacent neurons. • Synapse: Fluid filled gap between neurons.

  4. Cortex • Upper and largest portion of the brain (80%) • Involved in higher order intelligence, memory, and personality • Composed of two hemispheres (duplicated with some differences) • Left hemisphere – language processes, etc. • Right hemisphere – visual imagery, emotions, etc.

  5. Four lobes of the cerebral cortex • Temporal • Hearing • Vision • Smell • Memory • Frontal • Motor activity • Higher level • intelligence • Planning • Problem solving • Emotions • Self-awareness • Parietal • Bodily sensations, • e.g., pain, heat • Body movement • Occipital • Primary visual • area of the brain

  6. Sub Cortical Structures Cerebellum – balance and muscle control Hypothalamus – regulates biological needs such as hunger and thirst, temperature control, pleasure and sexual excitement. Amygdala (emotion, aggression) Hippocampus (memory and learning Thalamus - chief relay centre for directing sensory messages helps regulate awareness. Relays commands going to the skeletal muscles from the motor cortex.

  7. Medulla – vital functions controls heart rate, blood pressure and respiration Pons – involved in sleep and arousal, eye movement, facial expressions Reticular formation – group of fibres that carries stimulation related to sleep and arousal through brain stem Reticular activating system runs from the medulla through the midbrain into the hypothalamus. • Responsibility for activation of all areas of the brain and if damaged – coma ensues

  8. Spinal cord • Transmits messages from the brain to the other areas of the body. • Efferent – away from the brain out to the body • Produces muscle action • Afferent – from the periphery to the brain • Relays information from the sensory organs

  9. http://hopes.stanford.edu/sites/hopes/files/brain.swf

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