Index for
slide deck
Title
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Fundamentals of Neurobiology
To understand psychiatric disorders, it is important to have a working understanding of the normal structure and function of the nervous system.
Introduction to neurobiology
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Introduction to neurobiology
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Organisation of the nervous system
To understand psychiatric disorders, it is important to have a working understanding of the normal structure and function of the nervous system. The central nervous system (CNS; brain, spinal cord) and peripheral nervous system (PNS) are made up of…
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Neurones
The neurone constitutes the functional unit of the nervous system; there are over 100 billion neurones in the brain.[1,2,5] Each neurone has the ability to interact with and influence many other cells, which creates a system of intricate complexity.[5]…
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Anatomical regions of the brain
The brain is divided into four anatomical regions: the diencephalon, brainstem, cerebrum, and cerebellum, as described on the slide.[1,2]
References: [1] Kandel ER, Schwartz JH, Jessell TM (eds). Principles of Neural Science. 4th edition. McGraw-Hill,…
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Cerebrum
The cerebral cortex is the main functional unit of the cerebrum.[2] The three main functional areas of the cerebral cortex are:[1,2]
- motor areas that control voluntary movement (primary, secondary, and association motor areas)
- sensory areas that allow for…
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Lobes of the brain
The brain can be thought of as comprising five ‘lobes’ – the four lobes of the cerebral cortex and a fifth lobe, the insula, deep within the brain, as shown on the slide.[1,2,3] The lobes of the cerebral cortex…
Neurosynaptic transmission
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Neurosynaptic transmission
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Neurotransmission
Information moves through the nervous system via two integrated forms of communication – electrical neurotransmission and chemical neurotransmission, as shown on the slide.[1]
An action potential is generated at the origin of the axon following sufficient excitatory stimulation of…
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The synapse
Neurones do not physically touch one another; two neurones are separated by a gap, known as a synaptic cleft.[1] Because neurones do not touch, and an action potential cannot ‘jump’ across a synaptic cleft, the signal must be converted…
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Process of chemical neurotransmission
The idea that neurotransmission occurs at synapses and is mediated by chemicals was, at first, a contentious issue.[1] It was in the first half of the 1900s that experiments proved chemical neurotransmission occurred.[1]
The process is outlined in brief…