Biopsychology

Biopsychology

• “The scientific study of the biology of behavior (psychology).”

• Psychology: The scientific study of behavior.

• Also called psychobiology, behavioral biology, or behavioral neuroscience.

Donald Hebb (1949)

•  Proposed that psychological phenomena might be produced by brain activity.

•  work discredited the idea that psychological functions were too complex to be derived from physiological activities.

late 1940s.

 Biopsychology became a discipline in the

Neuroanatomy

Structure of the nervous system.

Neurochemistry

 Chemical bases of neural activity.

Neuroendocrinology

 Interactions between the nervous system and the endocrine system.

Neuropathology

Nervous system disorders.

Neuropharmacology

Effects of drugs on neural activity.

Neurophysiology

Functions and activities of the nervous system.

1. NeuroAnatomy

2. NeuroChemistry

3. NeuroEndocrinology

4. NeuroPathology

5. NeuroPharmacology

6. NeuroPhysiology

ACE P3

Other Disciplines of Neuroscience

1. Simpler brains: Make brain-behavior interactions easier to study.

2. Comparative approach: Gain insights by comparing species.

3. Fewer ethical restrictions: Although nonhuman research still requires ethical oversight.

Why Use Nonhumans?

1. Follow instructions: Humans can follow complex tasks.

2. Subjective reports: Humans can describe their experiences.

3. Cost-effective: Often cheaper to work with.

4. Easier maintenance: Their cages are easier to clean.

Why Use Humans?

Between-subjects design:

• Different groups tested under each condition.

Within-subjects design:

• Same group tested under each condition.

Pure research

Conducted to acquire knowledge

Applied research

Intended to benefit humankind.

Physiological Psychology:

Studies neural mechanisms of behavior through controlled experiments (e.g., electrical or surgical manipulation of the brain).

Psychopharmacology

Focuses on the effects of drugs on neural activity and behavior.

Neuropsychology

Studies psychological effects of brain damage in humans (clinical emphasis).

Psychophysiology

Examines the relationship between physiological activity and psychological processes (noninvasive methods).

Cognitive Neuroscience

Investigates neural mechanisms underlying cognition.

Comparative Psychology

Compares behavior across species.

Physiological Psychology

• Methods: Direct manipulation of the brain (e.g., electrical or surgical).

• Subjects: Primarily nonhuman (e.g., rats with electrodes implanted in the insula).

Psychopharmacology

• Focus: Effects of drugs on the brain and behavior.

• Example: Discovery of drugs supplementing acetylcholine for Alzheimer’s patients.

Neuropsychology

• Focus: Psychological effects of brain damage in humans.

• Methods: Case studies and quasiexperimental studies (e.g., patients with brain damage from disease, accident, or surgery).

Psychophysiology

• Focus: Relationship between physiological activity and psychological processes.

• Methods: Noninvasive recording procedures (e.g., abnormal visual tracking in schizophrenics).

• Physiological Psychology - Physiological Psychologist

• Study of neural mechanisms of behavior by manipulating the nervous systems of nonhuman animals.

• Example: Surgical removal of the hippocampus in rats to assess memory tasks.

• Psychopharmacology - Psychopharmacologist

• Study of the effects of drugs on the brain and behavior.

• Example: Administering drugs to increase acetylcholine levels in Alzheimer’s patients to improve memory.

• Neuropsychology - Neuropsychologist

• Study of psychological effects of brain damage in human patients.

• Example: Patients with alcohol-induced brain damage show difficulty remembering recent events.

• Psychophysiology - Psychophysiologist

• Study of the relation between physiological activity and psychological processes in humans.

• Example: Familiar faces elicit autonomic nervous system activity even when brain-damaged patients report no recognition.

• Cognitive Neuroscience - Cognitive Neuroscientist

• Study of neural mechanisms of human cognition using functional brain imaging.

• Example: Brain-imaging technology reveals changes in brain activity during memory tasks.

• Comparative Psychology - Comparative Psychologist

• Study of evolution, genetics, and adaptiveness of behavior using the comparative method.

• Example: Bird species that cache seeds have larger hippocampi, confirming its role in memory for location.

• Physiological Psychology

• Psychopharmacology

• Neuropsychology

• Psychophysiology

• Cognitive Neuroscience

• Comparative Psychology

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The Six Major Divisions of Biopsychology

Cognitive Neuroscience

• Definition: The neural bases of cognition, including higher intellectual processes like thought, memory, attention, and complex perception.

• Method: Functional brain imaging is the primary tool.

Comparative Psychology

• Definition: Comparing different species to understand the evolution, genetics, and adaptiveness of behavior.

• Methods: Laboratory and/or ethological research (study of animal behavior in its natural environment).

Converging Operations

• Definition: Using multiple approaches to address a single question.

Korsakoff’s Syndrome

• Description: A condition characterized by severe memory loss, commonly seen in alcoholics.

• Question: Is Korsakoff’s syndrome the result of the toxic effects of alcohol on the brain?

• thiamine

• Case Study: Jimmie G., an alcoholic with Korsakoff’s syndrome.

• Findings:

  1. Korsakoff’s is also seen in malnourished individuals with little or no alcohol consumption.

  2. Thiamine-deficient rats exhibit memory deficits.

  3. Alcohol accelerates brain damage in thiamine-deficient rats.

• Conclusion: Korsakoff’s syndrome is primarily caused by ____ deficiency, but alcohol accelerates the damage.

Critical Thinking

• Definition: The ability to evaluate scientific claims by identifying potential omissions or weaknesses in the evidence.

Morgan’s Canon:

• Prefer the simplest interpretation for behavioral observations.

Jose Delgado and Aggression

• Claim: A charging bull can be tamed by stimulating its caudate nucleus.

• Alternative Explanations: The bull may be dizzy, in pain, or temporarily blinded.

• Morgan’s Canon: Prefer the simplest interpretation for behavioral observations.

Moniz and Frontal Lobotomy

• Background: Moniz won a Nobel Prize for prefrontal lobotomy.

• Issues:

  1. Adoption for human therapy based on a single chimpanzee study.

  2. Inadequate postoperative evaluation of human patients.

  3. Undesirable side effects: amorality, lack of foresight, emotional unresponsiveness, epilepsy, and urinary incontinence.