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Introduction

Neuroscience (known archaically as psychobiology) is a relatively new scientific discipline. It arose from the merging of biology and psychology. As its name suggests, the discipline seeks to understand the biological bases of behaviour.

Understanding the Central Nervous System

The central nervous system is composed of seven main parts. 1. the spinal cord; 2. the medulla oblongata; 3. the pons; 4. the cerebellum; 5. the midbrain; 6. the diencephalon ; and 7. the cerebral hemispheres

The nerve cells in the central nervous system are called neurons. The neuron has four main parts.

1. the soma (or cell body)
2. the dendrites
3. the axon
4. the terminal buttons

The messages are received by the dendrites, processed in the cell body, then sent down the axon to the terminal buttons. Messages may be excited or inhibited and are known as action potentials.