PSYC100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Central Nervous System, Basal Ganglia, Motor Learning
23 Feb 2018
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Document Summary
Detect info from physical world brain through spinal cord. Dendrites: receive chemical signals known as neurotransmitters. Cell body: takes neurotransmitters and packages/integrates them. Axon: long extension from cell body; transmits electrical signals away from cell body, known as action potential. Myelin sheath: fatty substance; speed of transmission. Terminal buttons: electrical signal hits button; chemical signals stored (neurotransmitters) are released. Most sensory info first goes here before anywhere else. Folding allows for more neurons/ stronger, bigger brain. Blood pressure, hormones, heart rate, body temperature, etc. Prefrontal cortex critical thinking, abstract thinking, imagination. Certain periods in development that our brains are more plastic than others. Take in info, build up our brain, more synaptic connections. Ex: lots of high quality interaction and motor engagement= better brains. If something bad happens, the brain will compensate for lost brain connections. Biologically, your brain will be certain levels of plastic at certain times of your life.
