Neuroscience

• Who proposed that consciousness originates in the claustrum?

  Crick and Koch
• What happened when Koubeissi et al stimulated a woman's claustrum?

  She lost consciousness during stimulation
• What condition did the woman in Koubeissi et al's study have?

  She had epilepsy
• Who proposed that the claustrum is where consciousness originates?

  Crick and Koch
• What happened when Koubeissi et al stimulated a 54 year old woman's claustrum?

  She lost consciousness, and regained it once the stimulation stopped
• What are the implications of the findings about the claustrum and consciousness for those in a vegetative state?

  If their claustrum is damaged, they may not be able to recover
• What 3 genes did Benzel et al find to be associated with excess dopamine and symptoms of schizophrenia?

  COMT, DRD4, AKT1
• Why do some believe that criminal behavior can be treated with drugs?

  Because criminal behavior may stem from abnormal neurotransmitter levels
• What did Cherek et al find when they gave SSRI drugs to a group of criminals?

  The group who took the drug had a decline in aggression
• What does TDCS involve?

  Passing a small electric current across specific brain regions
• What did Kadosh et al find about the effects of TDCS?

  It led to improvements in problem solving, math, language, memory and attention
• Why are genetics only partly responsible for mental illness?

  Otherwise, identical twins would have 100% similarity in mental illness
• What is the moral dilemma raised by the findings on the claustrum and consciousness?

  If we can locate consciousness, do we have the right to withdraw care from someone who needs it?
• What are the concerns about the use of TDCS?

  There are no training or licensing rules for practitioners, and it is not available to everyone
• What are the potential benefits of using drug therapy to treat criminal behavior?

  It could make society safer and reduce economic costs of crime
• What are the strengths of the biological approach?

  It has clear, measurable variables, allows for objective, controlled studies, and is determinist
• What are the limitations of the biological approach?

  It reduces complex behavior to simple explanations, ignores individual differences, and is reductionist
• What are the ethical concerns around using drug therapy to treat criminal behavior?

  • It would be unethical to administer drugs to all criminals purely because they committed a crime
  • It could take away a person's freedom or personality (Farah)
  • Crime may be more due to social context than just neurotransmitter levels
• What are the potential social and economic implications of using biological interventions to treat criminal behavior and enhance neurological function?

  • If drug therapy can be used on criminals, it could make society safer
  • If behavior can be altered, it could reduce economic costs associated with crime and treatment
  • However, access to TDCS and other interventions may not be equal, raising equity concerns
• What are the key strengths and limitations of the biological approach to understanding behavior and mental processes?

  Strengths:

  • Clear, measurable variables
  • Allows for objective, controlled studies
  • Determinist - can identify causal relationships

  
  

  Limitations:

  • Reductionist - oversimplifies complex behavior
  • Ignores individual differences, focuses on larger populations
  • May prevent true understanding by focusing only on biology