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THE NERVOUS SYSTEM [ WORKING TOGETHER/SEEING THE BALL ( WHAT IS PLEASURE? ) ]

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM [ WORKING TOGETHER/SEEING THE BALL ( WHAT IS PLEASURE? )] WORKING TOGETHER How do all of these systems central and peripheral, somatic and autonomic and receptors work together in the symphony of the brain? From simple actions to complex ones, these systems must work in concert. Consider the “simple” act of catching…

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GOOD FEELINGS / PLEASURE CENTERS [ THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ]

GOOD FEELINGS / PLEASURE CENTERS [ NERVOUS SYSTEM ] GOOD FEELINGS Pleasure also has its centers In the brain. A Tulane University neurologist stumbled across one such center in the 1950s when he tried to electrically stimulate the brains of schizophrenics to break them out of their passivity. His patients told him their implanted electrodes…

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DEGREES OF PAIN [ THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ]

DEGREES OF PAIN [ THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ] Similar pains don’t always register with the same intensity. Although nearly all humans-besides the very few who lack the ability to feel pain recognize extreme heat or a deep cut as painful, they can react differently. Some tolerate pain more easily, whereas others feel it more intensely….

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PATHWAYS / GRAY MATTER [ MESSENGERS ( NERVOUS SYSTEM ) ]

PATHWAYS / GRAY MATTER [ MESSENGERS ( THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ) ] PATHWAYS Pain signals take rwo tracks on their way to the brain. The express line, like a nonstop train between cities, sends signals through the spinal cord and connects directly to the thalamus. While some pain signals are diverted along the way, those that…

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BIG PAIN [ MESSENGERS ( THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ) ]

BIG PAIN [ MESSENGERS ( THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ) ] It turns out, the brain has automatic defenses cued up for a quick response to more serious pain. The perception of pain warns the brain of actual or potential tissue damage. The brain’s recognition of pain sets in motion actions to reduce or remove it,…

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PAIN GATEWAY [ MESSENGERS ( THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ) ]

PAIN GATEWAY [ MESSENGERS ( THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ) ] The nervous system does have natural responses that can ease minor pains, like the sting of a scrape or ache of a bump. When you were a child and trying to learn to roller-skate, perhaps you once fell and skinned your knee. To stop your…

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RECEPTION [ MESSENGERS ( THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ) ]

RECEPTION [ MESSENGERS ( THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ) ] A healthy brain needs a constant stream of incoming information. Picture what happens without it: When volunteers enter a sensory deprivation tank a body temperature pool of water in which they are forced to go without sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and skin sensations they begin to…

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MESSENGERS – RELAYING INFORMATION TO & FROM THE BRAIN [ THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ]

MESSENGERS – RELAYING INFORMATION TO & FROM THE BRAIN [ THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ] THE COMPLEXITY of the brain and how it collects data and reacts to them lies in the very integration of its many neurons. Neural integration not only results in the interplay of sensations associated with motor activity but also influences the…

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SHOCK TO THE SYSTEMS [ THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ( HARMONY ) ]

SHOCK TO THE SYSTEMS [ THE NERVOUS SYSTEM ( HARMONY ) ] When you’re startled, the two branches work together, regulating the body without any conscious thought needing to be involved. Thanks to these automatic responses, the brain’s cortex is allowed to remain free to do other things-process sensory information, register emotion, pursue rational thoughts,…

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THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM / TWO BRANCHES

THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM / TWO BRANCHES THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM Much of what the brain does takes place beyond our ability to sense it-or appreciate it. In the midbrain’s pons and medulla lie the centers that regulate the vital, everyday functions of life. Think about it: How fortunate you are that you don’t have…