Neuroscience Disciplines

• Neuroanatomy

• Neurochemistry

• Neuroendocrinology

• Neuropathology

• Neuropharmacology

• Neurophysiology

• BIOPSYCHOLOGY

Brain Anatomy - Three Divisions

FOREBRAIN

Telencephalon

Cerebral cortex

Basal Ganglia

Limbic System

Diencephalon

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

Brain Anatomy - Three Divisions

FOREBRAIN

Telencephalon

Cerebral cortex

Basal Ganglia

Limbic System

Diencephalon

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

• MIDBRAIN• Mesencephalon• Tectum• Tegmentum• Periaqueductal Gray• HINDBRAIN• Metencephalon• Cerebellum• Pons • Myelencephalon• Medulla Oblongata • •

Biopsychology

• The discipline of neuroscience that attempts to discover how the various neural phenomena studied in the other disciplines control behavior.

• Example: Sleep Behavior• What brain structures are responsible for sleep?• What is the chemical content of the structures?• What drugs promote sleep?

Members of Society for Neuroscience - Departmental Affiliations

Department Percentage of Sample

Psychology 16.1

Physiology 14.3

Pharmacology 12.5

Biology 11.2

Anatomy 11.2

Neurology 6.7

Psychiatry 5.8

Neuroscience-biology 5.3

Neurosurgery 3.1

Pathology 3.1

Divisions of Biopsychology

• Physiological Psychology• Manipulations of nervous system in controlled

experimental settings

• Laboratory animals

• “Pure” or “basic” research

Psychopharmacology

• Drug effects on behavior and how these effects are mediated

• “Applied” research - purpose to develop therapeutic drugs

Neuropsychology

• Effects of brain damage on human behavior

• “Applied” research to help those afflicted with behavioral disorders

Psychophysiology

• Study of the relationship between physiology and behavior in humans

• Non-invasive procedures taken from the body surface

• Strive to understand the physiology of basic psychological processes such as information processing, emotion

Cognitive Neuroscience

• The neural basis of cognition including thought, attention and memory

• Human research involving non-invasive human brain imaging techniques

• Involves interdisciplinary collaboration among neuroscientists

Comparative Psychology

• Comparison of behavior of different species

• Focus on genetics, evolution and adaptiveness of behavior

• brain differences that contribute to behavioral differences among species

Research approaches used in Biopsychology

Somatic Intervention

• Bodily Intervention Behavioral Effect

Examples Examples

• Administer hormone Measure Mating

• Stimulate Brain Area Measure Aggression

• Local Brain Damage Measure Memory

Behavioral Intervention

• Somatic Effect Behavioral Intervention

• Examples Examples

• Measure Hormones Female with Male

• Measure Brain Activity Memory Task

• Measure Brain Anatomy Altered Rearing

Correlational Studies

Somatic Variables Behavioral Variables

Examples Examples

Brain Size Learning Scores

Hormonal Levels Strength of Mating

Why does one study the biological basis of behavior?

Brain Function and BehaviorEarly Theories

Localizationist Theory

• 1800ff. - Gall, Spurzheim

• Brain is not a unitary organ

• Cerebrum is a mosaic of centers

• Each center has a specific mental function

• Centers developed in size as a function of use

• Centers produced protuberances on skull surface

• Anatomical Personality or Phrenology

Aggregate Field Theory

• 1824 - Flourens: 1924 - Lashley

• Specific mental functions are not localized

• Brain acts as a whole for each function

• Any part of cerebral cortex is capable of performing all functions

Cellular Connectionism Theory

• 1876 - Wernicke: 1861 - Broca

• Simple mental functions are discretely localized to single cortical areas

• The areas for these simple functions are interconnected

• Complex mental functions arise from interactions among several of these areas

TERMINOLOGY• Micron - one thousanth of a millimeter• Soma or Perikaryon• Nissl stain• Endoplasmic reticulum (Nissl bodies)• Golgi Apparatus• Microtubules• Neurofilaments• Dendritic spine• Axon Collaterals • Synaptic vesicles• Active zones

Types of Synapses

Axodendritic

Axosomatic

Axoaxonic

Neuroglial Cells

• Peripheral Nervous System

• Schwann Cell

• Central Nervous System

• Oligodendroglial Cell

• Astrocyte

• Microglia

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Brain Anatomy - Three Divisions

FOREBRAIN

Telencephalon

Cerebral cortex

Basal Ganglia

Limbic System

Diencephalon

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

• MIDBRAIN• Mesencephalon• Tectum• Tegmentum• Periaqueductal Gray• HINDBRAIN• Metencephalon• Cerebellum• Pons • Myelencephalon• Medulla Oblongata • •