Cornell Notes

Name: BAUTISTA, ABEGAIL JOY F. BAUTISTA, KRYSTEL ANN R.

Topic: Chapter 3: Brain and SORIANO, REISHA ALTEA H. SUDIACAL, MICKYLA A.
Behavior
Class: Introduction to Psychology Date: October 16, 2023

Essential Question:
1. What are the major neurotransmitters and their functions?
2. What are the structures and functions of the brain and their influence on behavior?
3. How important does nervous and endocrine system in our body?

Questions/Main Ideas: Notes:

Neuron - a cell in the nervous system whose function it is to receive and
transmit information.
*The nervous system is composed of approximately 86 billion cells
known as neurons.
Three major parts of neuron: 1. Cell body, or Soma - which contains the nucleus of the cell
and keeps the cell alive.
2. Dendrites - which collects information from other cells and
sends the information to the soma
3. Axon - which transmits information away from the cell body
toward other neurons or to the muscles and glands.
Myelin Sheath - is a layer of fatty tissue surrounding the axon of a made up of
billions of interlinked neurons that both acts as an insulator and
allows faster transmission of the electrical signal.
Terminal button - forms junctions with other neurons.
Glial cells (glia) - cells that surround and link to the neurons, protecting them,
providing them with nutrients, and absorbing unused
neurotransmitters.
Electrochemical process - which occurs when an electrical charge moves through the
neuron itself and chemicals are used to transmit information
between neurons.
Neurotransmitters - communicate with other neurons by crossing the synapse.
Resting potential - state in which the interior of the neuron contains a greater
number of negatively charged ions than does the area outside
the cell.
Action potential - Change in electrical charges that occurs in a neuron when a
nerve impulsive is transmitted.
All or nothing manner - means that the neuron either fires completely, such that the
action potential moves all the way down the axon, or it does not
fire at all.
Refractory period - brief time after the firing of the axon in which the axon cannot
fire again because the neuron has not yet returned to its resting
potential.
The major neurotransmitters 1. Dopamine - Involved in movement, motivation, and emotion,
and their functions: dopamine produces feelings of pleasure when released by the
brain’s reward system, and it is also involved in learning.
2. Endorphin - Released in response to behaviors such as
vigorous exercise, orgasm, and eating spicy foods.
3. GABA (gamma-aminobutryic acid) - the major inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the brain.
4. Glutamate - most common neurotransmitter, it is released in
more than 90% of the brain’s synapses. Glutamate is found in
the food additive MSG (monosodium glutamate).
5. Serotonin - involved in many functions, including mood,
appetite, sleep, and aggression.
Agonist - drug that has chemical properties similar to a particular
neurotransmitter and thus mimics the effects of the
neurotransmitter or increases the activity of a neurotransmitter.
Antagonist - drug that reduces or stops the normal effects of a
neurotransmitter.
Major Brain Structures: 1. The Brain Stem – the oldest and innermost region of the brain
and is wired for survival.
2. Cerebellum – literally, “little brain” consists of two wrinkled
ovals behind the brain stem.
3. Thalamus – egg-shaped structure above the brain stem that
applies still more filtering to the sensory information that is
coming up from the spinal cord.
4. Limbic System – largely responsible for memory and
emotions, including our responses to reward and punishment.
5. Cerebrum - consists of the cerebral cortex and the corpus
callosum.
Major parts of brain stem: • Medulla
• Pons
• Reticular Formation
Major parts of limbric system: • Amygdala - consists of two almond-shaped clusters that is
primarily responsible for regulating our perceptions of, and
reactions to, aggression and fear.
• Hypothalamus - links the nervous system to the endocrine
system via the pituitary gland, and thus regulates body
temperature, hunger, thirst, and sex.
• Hippocampus - important in forming and storing information in
long-term memory.
Major parts of cerebrum: • Cerebral cortex - the outer bark-like layer of our cerebrum that
allows us to so successfully use language, acquire complex
skills, create tools, and live in social groups.
• Corpus callosum - connects the two halves of the brain
Four Lobes: 1. Frontal lobes: responsible primarily for thinking, planning,
memory, and judgment.
2. Parietal lobes: responsible primarily for processing information
about touch and taste.
3. Occipital lobes: processes visual information
4. Temporal lobe: responsible for hearing, language, and
integrating vision and audition.
Association Areas - sensory and motor information is combined and associated with
our stored knowledge.
1. Broca’s area – In the left frontal lobe controls facial movements
and the production of language.
2. Wernicke’s area - located in the left temporal lobe and is
responsible for understanding speech.
Nervous System - includes the brain, spinal cord, and a complex network of
nerves.
- responsible for rapid communication and control throughout the
body. It enables the body to respond quickly to internal and
external stimuli.
Endocrine System - messenger system in an organism comprising feedback loops
of hormones that are release by internal glands directly into the
circulatory system and that target and regulate distant organs.
- regulate various physiological functions through the release of
hormones into the bloodstream. It plays a slower, but long-
lasting role in maintaining homeostasis.
Summary:
• The central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) are specialized cells
that transmit information. Neurons consist of dendrites, a soma, and an axon, with some covered
with a myelin sheath for faster signal transmission. Neurotransmitters, which work together to
influence cognition, memory, and behavior, relay information through a lock and key system.
Agonists mimic neurotransmitter actions, while antagonists block their action.
• The brain, including the brain stem and cerebellum, regulates survival functions, while the limbic
system controls emotions, sex, and memory. The cerebral cortex, divided into hemispheres and
four lobes, is responsible for thinking, planning, memory, judgment, bodily sensations, hearing,
language, and vision. The motor cortex controls voluntary movements, while the sensory cortex
processes bodily sensations. Neuroplasticity allows the brain to generate new neurons.
• The nervous system, a collection of hundreds of billions of specialized and interconnected cells
through which messages are sent between the brain and the rest of the body, while the endocrine
system is the chemical regulator of the body that consists of glands that secrete hormones.