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Beh 225 Appendix C

The hypothalamus secretes hormones which control things such as body temperature, moods, sleeping patterns, heart rate, functions of other organs, etc. The nervous system is an electrical system. A neuron receives a signal with its 'feelers', which are known as dendrites, and then determines whether to pass the signal on or not. If the neuron continues the signal, it sends an impulse along a tube called an axon. At the end of the axon, there is a gap; this gap is called a synapse. The electric pulse will jump across this gap to other neurons, therefore passing on the information. There may be thousands of neurons that receive any one particular message, but only certain ones will respond. For example, when a person injures themselves, it will be the neurons that are responsible for feeling pain that respond and continue the message to the brain. However, this message might be sent to organs such as the hypothalamus or adrenal glands, and these glands then respond by secreting hormones which result in increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, or a release of endorphins (for reducing the pain) ,while other neurons which are not related will inhibit the signal and stop it from being passed on.
Some of the common neurotransmitters are; Acetylcholine, Dopamine, Serotonin, Norepinephrine, Endorphins, Glutamate, GABA (Gamma aminobutyric acid), and Glycene. Acetylcholine is involved in arousal, attention, memory, motivation, and movement. Dopamine is involved in a wide variety of behaviors and emotions, including pleasure. Serotonin is involved in the regulation of sleep, dreaming, mood, eating, pain, and aggressive behavior. Serotonin has also been implicated in depression. Norepinephrine affects arousal, wakefulness, learning, memory, and mood. Endorphins are involved in the inhibition of pain, which is released during strenuous exercise. Glutamate is involved in long-term memory and the perception of pain. GABA (Gamma aminobutyric acid) is implicated in sleep...