PSY 2301 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Mutation, Smart People, Brain Size
Document Summary
Disorders can be explained and possible cured by understanding the brain. How the brain produces both behaviour and human consciousness are major unanswered scientific questions. Cortex makes up most of the brain but there is a lot underneath as well. All of cortex is cerebrum left and right hemispheres. Brainstem source of behaviour in simpler animals, responsible for most unconscious behaviour. Basic daily mechanisms breathing, digestion: survival behaviour instincts. Brain and spinal cord together make up central nervous system (cns) All nerve processes and neurons outside the cns connect to: sensory receptors in skin, body muscles, internal organs. All sensory information gets transported to the brain through the spinal cord. If outside cns, its peripheral nervous system (pns) Somatic division: conveys sensory information to the cns and motor information from the cns to the muscles. Sensory information coming in but also motor information going out (cold hands)