What is the nervous system?
- 23.1 Why do we need a nervous system?
- 23.2 Neurons are the building blocks of all nervous systems.
- 23.3 The vertebrate nervous system consists of the peripheral and central nervous systems.
How do neurons work?
- 23.4 Dendrites receive external stimuli.
- 23.5 The action potential propagates a signal down the axon.
- 23.6 At the synapse, neurons interact with other cells.
- 23.7 There are many types of neurotransmitters.
Our senses detect and transmit stimuli.
- 23.8 Sensory receptors are our windows to the world around us.
- 23.9 Taste: an action potential serves up a taste sensation to the brain.
- 23.10 Smell: receptors in the nose detect airborne chemicals.
- 23.11 Vision: seeing is the perception of light by the brain.
- 23.12 Hearing: sound waves are collected by the ears and stimulate auditory neurons.
- 23.13 Touch: the brain perceives pressure, temperature, and pain.
- 23.14 Other senses help animals negotiate the world.
The muscular and skeletal systems enable movement.
- 23.15 Muscles generate force through contraction.
- 23.16 Skeletal systems enable movement, among several other important functions.
The brain is organized into distinct structures dedicated to specific functions.
- 23.17 The brain is organized into several distinct regions.
- 23.18 Specific brain areas are involved in the processes of learning, language, and memory.
- 23.19 This is how we do it: Can intense cognitive training induce brain growth?
Drugs can hijack pleasure pathways.
- 23.20 Our nervous system can be tricked by chemicals.
- 23.21 A brain slows down when it needs sleep. Caffeine wakes it up.
- 23.22 Alcohol interferes with many different neurotransmitters.