Neural communication: the way in which neurons (a bunch of interconnected cells that form the body's information system) interact electrically.
The impact of neurotransmitters: they generate neural impulses by "jumping" the synaptic gap between neurons and binding to the next neuron to decide whether it will send an inhibitory or excitatory signal.
Impact of drugs/chemicals on neural communication: they can excite or inhibit (block) the neurons from firing. "Agonists" excite and "antagonists" block. Ex. Opium excites neurons, causing them to fire even more signals to produce a "happy high" and maximize pleasure.
Nervous system: The body's communication system, divided into the peripheral nervous system and the central nervous system. It is composed of neurons including: sensory neurons, interneurons, and motor neurons. Sensory neurons send information from tissue/organs to the brain and the spinal cord aka central nervous system. Interneurons process the information from the sensory neurons. Motor neurons carry the processed information from the interneurons to muscles and glands in the body. Impact: the nervous system takes electric signals and turns them into conscious movement or other actions that help regulate the body.
Peripheral nervous system: composed of sensory and motor neurons bundled into cable-like nerves. The PNS transfers information from the CNS to msucles glands, and sense receptors. It helps us move, experience the fives senses, and regulate our bodies. It consists of the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system and the somatic (voluntary) nervous system. Basically, if we consciously move our arm, it's because of the somatic nervous system. If our heart rate rises because we're nervous, it's because of the autonomic nervous system. Within the the autonomic nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system stimulates the body (increased heartbeat and blood sugar, decreased digestion) to prepare for defensive action (fight or flight). The parasympathetic nervous system calms the body to preserve energy by lowering heartbeat, etc.
Endocrine system: a slower communication system than neural communication. Consists of glands that send hormones (aka chemical messengers) into the bloodstream.
Limbic system: a doughnut shaped neural system near the brainstem. It consists of the amygdala (2 almond-shaped neural clusters) and the hypothalamus (another neural structure). The amygdala deals is linked to aggression and fear, while the hypothalamus helps body regulation (sparks hunger and thirst, regulates temperature), controls the pituitary gland (master of the endocrine system) and is a reward center.
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