Describe How Neurons in the Central Nervous System Communicate. Using Examples, Discuss How This Has Helped Us to Understand Human Behaviour

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Describe how neurons in the central nervous system communicate. Using examples, discuss how this has helped us to understand human behaviour Good to re-write essay Q for focus The study of psychology would be incomplete without reference to human biology. There are many areas of biology that are of interest to psychologists, but one area in particular is the role played by the brain and the central nervous system, and how these are instrumental in eliciting and controlling behaviour. This essay will examine how neurons communicate information throughout the nervous system and will illustrate how neuronal activity alone cannot provide the full picture when studying human behaviour. Clear intro to topic and essay Q The nervous system is the body’s internal electrochemical communications network. Its main parts are the brain, spinal cord and the nerves. The brain and the spinal cord form the central nervous system, which is the body’s chief controlling and coordinating centre and billions of long neurones, many grouped as nerves, make up the peripheral nervous system, transmitting nerve impulses between the central nervous system and other regions of the body. Each neuron has three parts, a cell body, branching dendrites that receive chemical signals from other neurons and a tube-like axon that conveys these signals as electrical impulses. There are two types of neurons: sensory neurons and motor neurons. Sensory neurons detect external stimulation to the body, such as tissue damage or heat and coldness then convey this information to the central nervous system. If action is required the central nervous system will transmit the information to a motor neuron which will stimulate the muscles into action and will signal the body to move away from the source of damage and to feel pain. Between each pair of neurons there is a minute gap called a synapse. Information

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