Exam 1 | Biopsychology

• Neuroscience is the scientific study of the nervous system, divided into many subdisciplines due to its broad nature
• Behavioral neuroscience relates behavior to bodily processes
• Biological psychology, brain and behavior, and physiological psychology are all synonyms for behavioral neuroscience
• Scientists use a formal system of hypothesis testing and refinement to develop an understanding of neural processes
• The five major perspectives of biological psychology include:

  • Systematic description of behavior
  • Evolution of brain and behavior
  • Life-span development of the brain and behavior
  • Biological mechanisms of behavior
  • Applications of behavioral neuroscience discoveries
• Studies of identical twins have revealed a relationship between schizophrenia and enlargement of the cerebral ventricles
• Ancient Egypt stored 4 important organs in the mummification process, with the brain being discarded
• Michaelangelo's painting in the Sistine Chapel resembles the midsagittal view of the brain
• Aristotle believed the heart had mental properties, while Hippocrates described the brain as having the ability to function and conceptualize emotions
• Galen, the Roman physician, believed behavior resulted from the movement of "animal spirits" from the brain through nerves to the body
• René Descartes proposed the concept of spinal reflexes and dualism, suggesting the mind has an immaterial aspect distinct from the material body and brain
• Thomas Willis studied the notion that the brain coordinates and controls behavior
• Phrenology, a pseudoscientific fad, believed bumps on the skull reflected brain regions responsible for certain behavioral faculties
• Localization of Function concept states that different brain regions specialize in specific behaviors, contrary to phrenology
• Paul Broca noted that damage to a specific region of the left side of the brain causes speech production problems
• William James' book "Principles of Psychology" marked the beginning of a modern approach to behavioral neuroscience
• Karl Lashley's research on the "search for the engram" showed memory is not localized to one brain region
• Donald O. Hebb showed cognitive processing could be accomplished by networks of neurons, introducing the Hebbian synapse concept
• Research objectives in behavioral neuroscience reflect specific theoretical orientations
• Neuroplasticity refers to the nervous system's ability to change in response to experience or the environment
• Social Neuroscience uses neuroscience tools to discover biological bases of social behavior and effects of social circumstances on brain activity
• Evolutionary Psychology studies how natural selection has shaped behavior in humans and other animals
• Epigenetics refers to changes in gene expression due to environmental effects, not changes in the gene sequence
• Neuroeconomics studies brain mechanisms during decision-making
• Consciousness is the state of awareness of one's own existence, thoughts, emotions, and experiences
• The nervous system is made of specialized cells, including neurons and glial cells
• Neurons are nerve cells arranged into circuits that underlie all forms of behavior
• Neurons have four principal divisions: input zone, integration zone, conduction zone, and output zone
• Different types of neurons include motor neurons, sensory neurons, and interneurons
• Neurons are classified by shape into multipolar, bipolar, and unipolar neurons
• Neurons can be classified into different types based on their structure and function
• Bipolar neurons have a single dendrite at one end of the cell and a single axon at the other end
• Bipolar neurons are common in sensory systems, such as vision
• Unipolar neurons, also known as monopolar neurons, have a single extension that branches in two directions after leaving the cell body
• Unipolar neurons transmit touch information from the body into the spinal cord
• In all types of neurons, dendrites form the input zone
• In multipolar and bipolar neurons, the cell body also receives synaptic inputs, making it part of the input zone
• Information is transmitted through synapses
• At each synapse, information is transmitted from the axon terminal of a presynaptic neuron to the receptive surface of a postsynaptic neuron
• A synapse consists of the presynaptic membrane, synaptic cleft, and postsynaptic membrane