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TERESA COLLEGE
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The Biological Foundation of Behavior

Introduction
Human beings are products of biological functions and their behaviors are
influenced by many factors. One of these factors is biological or physiological. The
nervous system and the endocrine system, which are both biological and
physiological, are regulators of human behaviors. It is important to know and
understand the biological structures and perspectives of these regulator and how they
affect the behavior of the individual.

Student Learning Objectives (SLO)

 Discuss the biological foundation of behavior: nervous system, endocrine
system, and immune system
 Identify the different parts of the nervous system, endocrine system, and
immune system
 Name the different types of neurotransmitters and hormones and their function

Content
The Neuron
 A nerve is a bundle of axons from many neurons.
 The neuron or an individual nerve cell is considered the basic element of the
nervous system.

Main Parts of the Neuron

 Soma (Cell Body)- gives nutrients, hence sustains activity.
 Dendrites- tree-like structures that branch out of the soma, that receives
neural impulse and carries it to the soma
 Axon- tube-like extension of the soma that transmits neural impulses away
from the soma.
 Axon hillock - located at the end of the soma and controls the firing of the
neuron

Types of Neurons according to function:

1. Sensory (afferent neuron)
 transmits impulses received by receptors/sense organs to the central nervous
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system.
2. Motor (efferent neuron)
 carries outgoing signals from the brain or the spinal cord to reacting
organs/muscles and glands
3. Interneuron (connector)
 only found in the brain, eyes and spinal cord, receives signals from sensory
neurons and sends them to other interneuron or motor neurons

Synapse
It is a small gap at the end of a neuron that allows a signal to pass from one
neuron to the next. Synapses are found where nerve cells connect with other nerve
cells. Synapses are key to the brain's function, especially when it comes to memory.

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Neurotransmitter
A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger that carries, boosts, and balances
signals between neurons (also known as nerve cells) and target cells throughout the
body. These target cells may be in glands, muscles, or other neurons.
Billions of neurotransmitter molecules work constantly to keep our brains
functioning, managing everything from our breathing to our heartbeat to our learning
and concentration levels. They can also affect a variety of psychological functions
such as fear, mood, pleasure, and joy.

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The Nervous System

While neurons are the building blocks of the body’s communication system, it is
the network of neurons that allow signals to move between the brain and body. These
organized networks, composed of up to 1 trillion neurons, make up what is known as
the nervous system.

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Two main divisions

I. Central Nervous System
 Brain
 Processes and interprets incoming stimuli and information
 Relays a message or causes a response
 Directs all bodily functions
 Spinal Cord
 Pathway to and from the brain
 Located in the vertebral column
 Enables reflex actions
II. Peripheral Nervous System
Consists of:
A. Sensory Division
 Contains sense organs and sensory neurons
 Receive impulses from sense organs
B. Motor Division
 Contains motor neurons and muscles and glands

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 Response to stimuli sent to muscle or gland
Divided into:
1. Somatic Nervous System
 Controls voluntary (skeletal) muscle
 Conscious functions
 Nerves active in reflexes
2. Autonomic Nervous System
 Controls involuntary muscle associated with organ function
 Unconscious functions
 Visceral functions
Divided into two parts with opposite effects:
1. Sympathetic Nervous System
 Increases activity
 Active in times of stress
 Fight or flight
2. Parasympathetic Nervous System
 Decreases activity
 relaxation
 conservation of energy

The Brain

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4 Lobes:
1. Frontal –concentration, problem solving, voluntary muscle movement,
emotions
2. Parietal – speech, pressure, temp., pain
3. Occipital – bilateral vision
4. Temporal – memory and hearing

ENDOCRINE SYSTEM
The endocrine system is a complex, subtle, communications network that uses
chemical messengers called hormones to effect the communication. The word,
endocrine, means "secreting internally" and is intended to convey the notion that
hormones are secreted directly into the bloodstream and not exported via ducts as is
the case with some other glandular products.

Hormones are biochemicals that are synthesized by glandular cells in one

location, moved to distant parts of the body by the bloodstream and have their effects

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by interacting with particular target cells, cells that have receptors for the particular
hormone.

Association of a hormone with the receptors on a target cell profoundly

changes that cell's activity.

Source Hormone Principal Effects

Pancreas Insulin Stimulates glycogen formation and storage;
stimulates glucose oxidation; stimulates cellular
uptake of amino acids and fatty acids: synthesis of
protein and fat
Adrenal Adrenalin Stimulates elevation of blood-glucose concentration;
medulla stimulates "fight-or flight" reactions
  Noradrenalin Stimulates reactions similar to those produced by
adrenalin, but causes more vasoconstriction and is
less effective in conversion of glycogen into glucose
Adrenal Glucocorticoids Stimulate formation of carbohydrate from protein, thus
cortex (corticosterone, cortisol, elevating glycogen stores and helping maintain
cortisone, etc.) normal blood-sugar levels
  Cortical sex hormones Stimulate development of secondary sexual
characteristics, particularly those of the male
Thyroid Calcitonin Prevents excessive rise in blood calcium
  Thyroxine and Stimulate oxygen uptake and oxidate metabolism;
triiodothyronine (together help regulate growth and development
called thyroid hormone)
Hypothalamus Releasing hormones Regulate hormone secretion by the anterior pituitary
Parathyroids Parathyroid hormone (PTH) Regulates calcium-phosphate balance; acts to
increase blood calcium ion level
Posterior Oxytocin Stimulates contraction of uterine muscles; stimulates
pituitary release of milk by mammary glands
Anterior Growth hormone (STH) Stimulates growth; stimulates protein synthesis,
pituitary hydrolysis of fates, and increased blood-glucose
concentration
Pineal Melatonin Helps regulate production of gonadotropins by
anterior pituitary, perhaps by regulating hypothalamic
releasing centers
Testes Testosterone Stimulates development and maintenance of male
accessory reproductive structures, secondary sexual
characteristics, and behavior; stimulates
spermatogenesis
Ovaries Estrogen Stimulates development and maintenance of female
accessory reproductive structures, secondary sexual
characteristics, and behavior; stimulates growth of the
uterine lining

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  Progesterone Prepares uterus for embryo implantation and helps
maintain pregnancy

IMMUNE SYSTEM
The immune system is made up of a network of cells, tissues, and organs that
work together to protect the body. The cells involved are white blood cells, or
leukocytes, which come in two basic types that combine to seek out and destroy
disease-causing organisms or substances.
Leukocytes are produced or stored in many locations in the body, including
the thymus, spleen, and bone marrow. For this reason, they're called the lymphoid
organs. There are also clumps of lymphoid tissue throughout the body, primarily as
lymph nodes, that house the leukocytes.
The leukocytes circulate through the body between the organs and nodes via
lymphatic vessels and blood vessels. In this way, the immune system works in a
coordinated manner to monitor the body for germs or substances that might cause
problems.
The two basic types of leukocytes are:
phagocytes, cells that chew up invading organisms
lymphocytes, cells that allow the body to remember and recognize previous
invaders and help the body destroy them
A number of different cells are considered phagocytes. The most common type
is the neutrophil, which primarily fights bacteria. If doctors are worried about a
bacterial infection, they might order a blood test to see if a patient has an increased
number of neutrophils triggered by the infection. Other types of phagocytes have their
own jobs to make sure that the body responds appropriately to a specific type of
invader.
The two kinds of lymphocytes are B lymphocytes and T lymphocytes.
Lymphocytes start out in the bone marrow and either stay there and mature into B
cells, or they leave for the thymus gland, where they mature into T cells. B
lymphocytes and T lymphocytes have separate functions: B lymphocytes are like the
body's military intelligence system, seeking out their targets and sending defenses
to lock onto them. T cells are like the soldiers, destroying the invaders that the
intelligence system has identified.

Here's how it works:

When antigens (foreign substances that invade the body) are detected,
several types of cells work together to recognize them and respond. These cells
trigger the B lymphocytes to produce antibodies, specialized proteins that lock onto
specific antigens.
Once produced, these antibodies continue to exist in a person's body, so that if
the same antigen is presented to the immune system again, the antibodies are
already there to do their job. So if someone gets sick with a certain disease, like
chickenpox, that person typically doesn't get sick from it again.

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This is also how immunizations prevent certain diseases. An immunization
introduces the body to an antigen in a way that doesn't make someone sick, but does
allow the body to produce antibodies that will then protect the person from future
attack by the germ or substance that produces that particular disease.
Although antibodies can recognize an antigen and lock onto it, they are not
capable of destroying it without help. That's the job of the T cells, which are part of the
system that destroys antigens that have been tagged by antibodies or cells that have
been infected or somehow changed. (Some T cells are actually called "killer cells.")
T cells also are involved in helping signal other cells (like phagocytes) to do their jobs.
Antibodies also can neutralize toxins (poisonous or damaging substances)
produced by different organisms. Lastly, antibodies can activate a group of proteins
called complement that are also part of the immune system. Complement assists in
killing bacteria, viruses, or infected cells.
All of these specialized cells and parts of the immune system offer the body
protection against disease. This protection is called immunity.

Substantial evidence now exists supporting the bidirectional communication

between the neuroendocrine and immune systems. A number of hormonal and
neuropeptide mediators have been shown to influence immune development and
function in healthy, aged and diseased individuals. Immune cell subsets express
receptors for many of these ligands and similarly, receptors for cytokines and growth
factors have been identified on cells within the central nervous and endocrine
systems. During times of stress or injury, each of these systems come into play and
transmits messages to one another. The lines of communication between the immune
system and these various neuronal and endocrine organ systems constitute specific
axes of interactions, which have been shown to have a profound impact on immune
function, disease development and susceptibility to infections and disease (Taub,
2008).

Assessment and Evaluation

Activity 1: Left-right Brain Test
Take the left-right brain test at https://personalitymax.com/left-right-brain-test/.
Take a picture of the result then give your reflection (feelings, discovery or realization)
in3-5sentences.

Rubric: Result (picture) = 5points

Reflection = 5points
Total = 10points

Note: The output for the activities will be done on the area of assessment and
evaluation at the STCFlip.

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Here is the link for our google meeting: meet.google.com/bua-vydo-bnk

References

Cherry, K. (2019, October 23). The nervous system and endocrine system. Very Well
Mind.
https://www.verywellmind.com/the-nervous-and-endocrine-systems
2794894

Coon, D. & Mitterer, J. (2010). Introduction to psychology: gateways to mind and

behavior. 12th ed. Wadsworth, Cengage Learning

Taub, D. (2008). Neuroendocrine interactions in the immune system. Cellular

Immunology. 252(1–2), 1-6.

Trajeco, M. S. (2011). Psychology in perspective: theories and applications.

AMMS Publications.

Prepared: Checked: Approved:

Dr. AUDREE D. ALDAY Dr. JANET T. COMETA Dr. RANDYM. BAJA

Instructor Department Head Dean

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