PSYC 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Axon Terminal, Central Nervous System, Peripheral Nervous System
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What is the basic unit of the brain (and the nervous system): neuron. How is information relayed within a neutron: action potential: a neutral impulse that travels to the terminal buttons by the axon and is generated by moving positive and negative charges (akin to a wave) What are the implications of the threshold : law of all or nothing , always the same intensity, signal strength = frequency. What happens to neurotransmitters after the communication: reuptake: the process by which the vesicles reabsorbs the neurotransmitters, medication can inhibit this process such as selective serotonin reuptake. What are some of the most commonly studied neurotransmitters: acetylcholine: enables muscle action, learning, and memory, ex. Alzheimer"s disease: dopamine: influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion, ex. Parkinson"s disease, adhd: serotonin: affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal, undersupply linked to symptoms of depression, norepinephrine: helps controls alertness and arousal, ex.