The Nervous System

Biopsychology – From Structure to Function

In this course, Dr Ashok Jansari (Goldsmiths, University of London) explores the layout and function of the brain from a biopsychological perspective. In the first lecture, we think about how the nervous system transcodes sensory input into electrical signals that can be processed in the brain. In the second lecture, we think about how different areas of the brain are specialised to perform certain functions, and some of the early research which led to these discoveries. In the third lecture, we think about the different techniques used to generate images of brain structure and activity. Next, we think about how internal and external cues can influence our biological rhythms. In the fifth and final lecture, we think about the role of longitudinal research and brain imaging in understanding how behaviour consistency and change can be represented by physical brain structure differences, contextualised in a study on delayed gratification.

The Nervous System

In this lecture, we think about the nervous system, focusing in particular on: (i) the role of the peripheral nervous system in transcoding input from our senses into electrical signals which can be transferred along neurons; (ii) the central nervous system, which processes these electrical signals in the spine and brain; (iii) the physical structural of a nerve cell; (iv) the physical structure and role of a synapse, specifically in learning.