PSB3340 UF (CHAPTER 1)

Neuron

a specialized cell transmitting nerve impulses; a nerve cell.

tb def: also called nerve cell. the basic unit of the nervous system

Synapses

Tiny spaces between neurons; the gaps between neurons are referred to as synaptic gaps.

axons

a part of a neuron that carries impulses away from the cell body

neuroscience

study of the nervous system

behavioral neuroscience

also called biological psychology (relates behavior to bodily processes). the study of the neural bases of behavior and mental processes.

conserved in evolution

referring to a trait that is passed on from a common ancestor to two or more descendant species

ontogeny

development of individual

the process by which an individual changes in the course of its life time (growing up)

somatic intervention

an approach to finding relations between body variables and behavioral variables that involves manipulating body structure or function and looking for resultant changes in behavior

behavior intervention

an approach to finding relations between body variables and behavioral variables that involves intervening in the behavior of an organism and looking for resultant changes in body structure or function.

correlation

the covariation of two measures

neuroplasticity

the ability of the nervous system to change in response to experience or the environment

reductionism

reducing complex systems to simpler components that are more manageable to study

levels of analysis

The scope of experimental approaches. A scientist may try to understand behavior by monitoring molecules, nerve cells, brain regions, or social environments or using some combination of these levels of analysis.

dualism

the presumption that mind and body are two distinct entities that interact.

Rene descartes, notion that the mind is subject only to spiritual interactions while the body is subject only to material interactions.

Phrenology

the outmoded belief that bumps on the skull reflect enlargements of brain regions responsible for certain behavioral faculties.

consciousness

the state of awareness of one's own existence and experience

What is the function of behavioral neuroscientists in relation to the Human genome project?

Behavioral Neuroscientists study functions of mapped genes and their products interactions of resulting biochemistry with environmental events, as they relate to behavior.

explanatory reductionism

The process of ascertaining knowledge of the components of a system that will ultimately explain properties of the system as a whole

Four categories of biological explanations of behavior

Proximate explanations

- physiological: relationship between behavior and activity of brain

- ontogenetic: development within individual (genes, nutrition, expereince, etc).

ultimate explaantions

- functional: purpose served by particular behavior (adaptions fro survival)

- phylogenetic: evolutionary organization of the capacity for particular behavior.

Mentalism

An approach to explaining behavior that assumes that a mental, or "inner," dimension exists that differs from a behavioral dimension and that phenomena in this dimension either directly cause or at least mediate some forms of behavior, if not all.

Monism

belief that world consists only of matter and energy and the mind is part of it; mind is really activity of brain

abolitionists

demand cessation of animal captivity, slaughter of animals for food, use of animal for work, and all animal research as a moral imperative

minimalists

desire reduction in animal research and controls on type of research, distress to animals, and species used

refinement

alternative techniques or procedures to minimize potential pain, distress, or discomfort to those animals which must be used

reduction

alternatives or methods which allow you to minimize the number of animals used to obtain significant results

replacement

alternatives to the use of live animals for this research

Human Genome Project

The human genome project understands functional activities and interactions between proteins,

Understands connections between brain regions and their functions

Human Connectome Project

connections between brain regions and their functions

Human Proteome Project

functional activities and interactions between proteins

proximate explanation

explanation based on how an individual function

subcategories: physiological, and ontogenetic

ultimate explanation

how species have evolved

subcategories: functional and phylogenetic

physiological

relationship between behavior and brain activity

ex: part of the male songbird grows under influence of testosterones during mating season.

ontogenetic

development within an individual

ex: immature young songbirds, must hear a specific song during early stage of life in order to adapt it in older

functional

purpose served by a particular behavior (adaptation for survival)

ex: male songbirds sing during mating season, to defend property, etc

phylogenetic

evolutionary organization of the capacity for particular behavior

ex: species that are closely related have the same song. it shows that they evolved from a common ancestor

mentalism

the idea that the mind is responsible for behavior.

Aristotle believed in this*