12 Intro to Biological Psychology

Summary

This week's lecture focuses on biological psychology, exploring the central and peripheral nervous systems, and the brain's role in communication and behavior. It covers neuron functions, nervous system divisions, brain parts, and their functions. The lecture also delves into neurogenesis, long-term potentiation, neuroplasticity, and the endocrine system's function. It highlights the interdisciplinary nature of biopsychology and its growing popularity with advancements in technology like fMRI machines, emphasizing the study of how the brain and body chemistry influence our actions and thoughts.

Takeaways

• 🧠 Biological psychology, also known as biopsychology, physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience, or psychobiology, is an interdisciplinary field that studies how the brain and other bodily aspects influence our behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.
• 🌐 The course will cover the central and peripheral nervous systems, the brain's structure and functions, and the communication between neurons.
• 🔬 Neurons are the fundamental units of the nervous system, with approximately 85 billion in the human brain, forming around 160 trillion connections.
• 💬 Neurons communicate information electrically through action potentials and chemically via neurotransmitters across a synapse, which is the space between two neurons.
• 📡 The three main parts of a neuron are the dendrites, which receive signals; the cell body or soma, which contains the nucleus and manufactures cell components; and the axon, which transmits signals to other neurons.
• 🔍 The lecture will also explore how psychologists study the brain, including historical methods and the use of modern technology like fMRI machines.
• 📈 Learning objectives include describing neuron parts and their functions, explaining neuron communication, detailing the nervous system divisions, locating and explaining brain parts, and understanding neurogenesis, long-term potentiation, and neuroplasticity.
• 🧪 Neurogenesis refers to the birth of new neurons, long-term potentiation to the strengthening of synapses, and neuroplasticity to the brain's ability to change and adapt throughout life.
• 🤔 The endocrine system's function and its interaction with the brain will be discussed, highlighting the body's hormonal communication and its impact on behavior and cognition.
• 📚 The course aims to provide a simplified yet comprehensive overview of biological psychology, making complex information accessible to students, especially those new to the subject.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the lecture on biological psychology?

The lecture focuses on the central and peripheral nervous systems, the brain, neurons, and how they communicate. It also covers other body systems that interact with the brain and how they all function together.

What are the different terms used to refer to biopsychology?

Biological psychology is also referred to as physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience, psychobiology, and other similar names.

Why is the study of the brain and its functions considered a popular area in psychology?

The study of the brain and its functions is popular because it's an interdisciplinary field that analyzes how the brain and other body aspects affect behaviors, thoughts, and feelings. The advent of new technologies like fMRI machines has made it an even hotter area of study.

How many neurons are estimated to be in the human brain?

There are approximately 85 billion neurons in the human brain.

What is the role of neurons in communication within the body?

Neurons are specialized for communication with other neurons and transmit information in electrical and chemical forms, allowing for tasks such as communication, movement, and information processing.

What are the three main parts of a neuron?

The three main parts of a neuron are the dendrites, the cell body (also known as the soma), and the axon.

What is the function of the cell body in a neuron?

The cell body, or soma, is the central region of the neuron that contains the nucleus and is responsible for manufacturing new cell components and helping repair or renew current cell components.

What is the primary role of the axon in a neuron?

The axon is responsible for sending signals, specifically transmitting electrical signals to other neurons.

How do neurons receive information from other neurons?

Neurons receive information from other neurons through their dendrites, which are branch-like extensions that connect with the axon terminals of other neurons.

What is a synapse and how does it relate to neuron communication?

A synapse is the space between two connecting neurons where information is transmitted across from one neuron to another. It's the gap over which neurotransmitters are released from the axon terminal and picked up by the dendrites of the next neuron.

What is the significance of the number of connections between neurons in the brain?

The approximately 160 trillion connections between neurons in the brain highlight the complex network of communication that allows for the vast range of cognitive functions and behaviors.

Outlines

00:00

🧠 Introduction to Biological Psychology

This paragraph introduces the topic of biological psychology, which focuses on the central and peripheral nervous systems, the brain, and its various components. It discusses neurons, their communication, and the brain's functions. The lecture aims to cover these topics in a simplified manner due to time constraints, emphasizing the interdisciplinary nature of biopsychology. The field is highlighted as a popular and growing area in psychology, especially with advancements in technology like fMRI machines. The lecture also outlines learning objectives, such as understanding neuron parts, nervous system divisions, brain parts and their functions, neurogenesis, long-term potentiation, neuroplasticity, endocrine system functions, and the historical mapping of the brain.

05:00

🚀 Neurons and Their Communication

This paragraph delves into the structure and function of neurons, which are the fundamental units of the nervous system responsible for communication. It explains that neurons transmit information both electrically, through action potentials, and chemically, via neurotransmitters. The three main parts of a neuron are identified as dendrites, the cell body (or soma), and axons. Dendrites receive signals from other neurons, the cell body houses the nucleus and is involved in cell maintenance, and axons transmit signals to other neurons. The paragraph also introduces the concept of the synapse, the space between neurons where communication occurs, and how neurotransmitters are released from axon terminals to be received by dendrites of other neurons.

10:02

🔄 The Process of Neurotransmission

The final paragraph of the script uses an analogy to describe the process of neurotransmission. It likens the transfer of information between neurons to passing a letter from one person to another, emphasizing the non-direct connection between neurons through the synapse. The paragraph sets the stage for further discussion on how this electrical communication is facilitated in the next lecture video, hinting at the complexity of the topic and the importance of breaking down the information for better understanding.

Keywords

💡Biological Psychology

Biological psychology, also known as biopsychology, physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience, or psychobiology, is an interdisciplinary field that explores the relationship between the brain and behavior. It examines how the brain and other physiological processes within the body, such as neurotransmitters and hormones, influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions. In the video, biological psychology is the central theme, with a focus on the nervous system, brain functions, and how these components interact with each other to produce behavior.

💡Central Nervous System (CNS)

The central nervous system (CNS) is the part of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord. It plays a crucial role in receiving, processing, and responding to sensory information from the body and the environment. In the script, the CNS is mentioned as a key component that the lecture will cover, emphasizing its importance in understanding biological psychology.

💡Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is the part of the nervous system that is outside the brain and spinal cord. It is responsible for transmitting signals between the CNS and the rest of the body. The PNS is mentioned in the script as one of the systems that will be discussed in the lecture, highlighting its role in communication within the nervous system.

💡Neurons

Neurons are the fundamental units of the nervous system, specialized for communication with other nerve cells. They are responsible for transmitting information throughout the body. The script mentions that there are approximately 85 billion neurons in the human brain, which form a complex network of connections essential for various functions like movement, communication, and cognition.

💡Synapse

A synapse is the junction between two neurons, where information is passed from one neuron to another. It is a small gap across which neurotransmitters are released to transmit signals. In the script, the synapse is described as the space between two connecting neurons, illustrating the process of information transfer in the nervous system.

💡Neurogenesis

Neurogenesis refers to the process by which new neurons are generated in the brain. It is a critical concept in biological psychology as it relates to the brain's ability to grow and adapt. The script mentions neurogenesis as one of the topics to be covered, indicating its relevance to understanding brain function and plasticity.

💡Long-term Potentiation (LTP)

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a process that occurs in the brain, where the strength of the synapse between neurons is increased, leading to improved communication between them. This is a key concept in understanding learning and memory. The script briefly mentions LTP as a topic to be explained, which is essential for grasping how the brain adapts and changes over time.

💡Neuroplasticity

Neuroplasticity, also known as brain plasticity or neural plasticity, is the brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life. It allows the neurons in the brain to compensate for injury and change as we learn and grow. The script includes neuroplasticity as a key concept, emphasizing the brain's adaptability and its role in learning and memory.

💡Endocrine System

The endocrine system is a collection of glands that produce and secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream to regulate various physiological processes in the body. In the script, the endocrine system is mentioned as another system that interacts with the brain, highlighting the complex interplay between different bodily systems and their influence on behavior.

💡Brain Mapping

Brain mapping refers to the process of studying and visualizing the structure and function of the brain. It involves techniques such as fMRI to understand which areas of the brain are active during specific tasks. The script mentions brain mapping in the context of how scientists have studied the brain over time, emphasizing the evolution of methods used to understand brain function.

Highlights

Introduction to biological psychology, focusing on the central and peripheral nervous systems.

Exploration of the brain, including neurons and their communication methods.

Discussion on different parts of the brain and their functions.

Overview of how other body systems interact with the brain.

Simplification of complex topics for a one-week lecture series.

Emphasis on the importance of understanding the functions of brain parts, not just their names.

Introduction to key concepts like neurogenesis, long-term potentiation, and neuroplasticity.

Explanation of the endocrine system's function and its relation to the brain.

Historical perspective on how the brain has been mapped over time.

Definition of biopsychology and its interdisciplinary nature.

The impact of new technologies like fMRI on the field of biopsychology.

The popularity and interdisciplinary collaboration in the field of neuroscience.

Description of a neuron as a nerve cell specialized for communication.

Quantification of neurons and connections in the human brain.

Explanation of how neurons transmit information electrically and chemically.

Breakdown of a neuron into dendrites, cell body, and axons.

Function of the cell body in manufacturing and repairing cell components.

Role of the axon in sending electrical signals to other neurons.

Dendrites' function in receiving information from other neurons.

The process of signal transmission from axon terminals to dendrites via synapses.

Illustration of the synapse as a space for message transmission between neurons.

Anticipated continuation of the lecture series for deeper exploration of neuron communication.

Transcripts

hi

everyone this week we are going to talk

about biological psychology so

essentially what we're going to do is

we're going to talk about our central

nervous system we're going to talk about

our peripheral nervous system we're

going to talk in depth about the brain

and going from things like neurons and

how neurons communicate with one another

to talking about the different parts of

the brain and then we also talk about

some of the other systems in our body

that you know commun with the brain and

how it all

works now if you've taken like an

anatomy class or some sort of other

class where you've gone over this before

you might realize that not only is this

review but we're going to go over things

in a much more simplistic version that

you might have gotten in other classes

you know we only have one week to talk

about all of this you know it's a lot of

material especially for students who've

never really talked about this before in

other classes

so we're not going to go into all the

details that you might get in a

different class we're just going to kind

of Hit the highlights with that being

said we also will talk about you know

how psychologists specifically

biopsychologists focus on the brain you

know the like the endocrine system the

you know different nervous systems Etc

so let's get

started so we have several learning

objectives uh first to describe the

parts of the neuron including their

primary

functions to explain how neurons

communicate with each

other to describe the divisions of the

nervous

system to describe and locate the parts

of the

brain to explain the main functions of

the parts of the brain so you not you

know don't just have to be able to tell

me where the parts of the brain are you

know name them all you also need to be

able to tell me you know what they

actually do

to explain neurogenesis long-term

potentiation and

neuroplasticity to describe the function

of the endocrine system and then to

explain how the brain has been mapped

over time so basically how have

scientists studied the brain yeah we

know how they study it now or you might

know how they study it now but how do

they used to study it

Etc so in this

particular video we'll talk about you

know the definitions and then we'll

start talking a little bit about neurons

but first the definition so this is the

lecture on biological psychology and

biopsychology which is also referred to

as physiological psychology behavioral

Neuroscience psychobiology Etc there a

number of different names for

essentially the same area is an

interdisciplinary field where

researchers analyze how the brain and

other aspects of our body like

neurotransmitters and hormones affect

our behaviors thoughts and

feelings and this really is I don't say

it's an upand cominging area of

psychology because it's always been a

popular area of psychology uh but

especially getting into being able to

use newer technology like fmri machines

Etc um it definitely is a hot area in

Psychology um you know all the

Neuroscience stuff really is extremely

popular in Psych right now to the point

that other fields are kind of combining

with bioy you know specifically the

Neuroscience portion in order

to really do combinations of studies so

you have like cognitive Neuroscience or

social Neuroscience or social cognitive

Neuroscience where you have these other

fields that really don't talk about the

brain suddenly working with

neuroscientists in order to you know see

how you know a task is done to see what

areas of the brain light up when this

task is done or whatever the case may be

so looking at this combination of

fields now we're going to first talk

about a

neuron a neuron is a nerve cell in the

body and it's specialized for

communication with other nerve cells

with other

neurons

there are

approximately 85 billion neurons in our

brain and

approximately 160 trillion connections

between these neurons in the

brain so neurons essentially transmit

information so we can do a number of

tasks so we can communicate to one

another you know so we can talk so we

can move so we can process information

around us

Etc neurons communicate information in

electrical as well as chemical forms

electrical mainly through what's known

as an action potential we'll talk more

about that in a few lecture videos um

there are some neurons that release

essentially electrical information into

the synapse but most of them release

chemicals into the synapse if you have

no idea what a synapse is I will get

there in a second but essentially the

whole idea that neurons communicate this

information electrically in terms of

actually getting this information out

there um but the actual

Messengers uh those neurotransmitters

are

chemicals so when it comes to a neuron

there are essentially three parts you

have dendrites the cell body and

axons so let's actually start with the

cell body the cell body is also known as

the Som s o m a

Soma the cell body is the central region

of the

neuron and it contains the nucleus which

you can see right here in this

illustration so that's the

nucleus the cell body manufactures new

cell

components and can help repair or

sometimes as renew current cell

components now we also

have this axon axons can be pretty short

sometimes really short but they also can

be pretty long it just kind of depends

where they are in the

body so the axon is this long tail like

extension

and the axon is responsible for sending

signals so specifically sending those

electrical

signals so it can transmit information

to another

neuron so we have this

axon this part or is technically part of

the

axon and like said it's it's going to

transmit

information

through these areas of the axon look

into what they're actually called in a

minute and then on the other

side you would have another neuron here

with dendrites so dendroides which we

have over here on this

illustration are these Branch L

extensions that receive information from

other

neurons so the axon sends the signal it

transmits the information the dendroides

receive information from other

neurons now some neurons have just a few

dendric

branches others have numerous dendric

branches um and you know where you can

have a case where they're connecting

with hundreds if not thousands of

neurons now what ends up happening here

is that we end up having these signals

that are composed of

sacks

these sacks within these

signals travel the neuron to the end of

the axon and this is known as the axon

terminal so these little kind of areas

right here at the end of these branch

light extensions so you have the axon is

sending the signal to one of these axon

Terminals and when they reach the end of

this aent terminal as long as this whole

process is done in a way it's supposed

to we'll go over that when we talk about

Action potentials then neuron then EXC

me neurotransmitters are

released and then those

neurotransmitters can be picked up by

dendroides for another neuron

so let me explain it a different way

here so we have our cell nucleus we have

our cell

body technically we would have more uh

dendrites over here but you know just

for this illustration we have this

accent it's taking this information it's

going to take it to one of these accent

Terminals and then in between an accent

terminal and then the dendroides for the

next neuron we have what's known as a

synapse a synapse is just a space

between two connecting

neurons so these messages are

transmitted through synapse or across

the synapse from one neuron to

another so this might be a silly way of

illustrating it but it's kind of like if

you take a piece of information from

like your left hand move it to your

right hand and then give it to someone

else uh and they receive it with their

left hand so it's going to you know

you're taking this information from

someone else you grab this letter in

your left hand you move it across your

body to your right hand and then you

hand off that letter or that envelope or

whatever it is to someone else and they

grab it with their left hand now

technically we have the synapse in terms

of this space we're not directly

connecting these two neurons in any way

like we would if we were actually

pantsing an envelope to someone else but

it's a very similar

process now we'll talk more about how

this actually works because like I said

this is done

electrically uh in the next lecture

video so I am going to make sure I break

up these lecture videos because we are

going over a lot of information and I

know for some of you this is kind of

complicated information so we will talk

about how this all works in the next

lecture video

yeah