chap 1 - overview of behavioral neuroscience

What is Behavioral Neuroscience?

• Scientific study of the biological bases of behavior and mental function

  • official definition

  • interplay of NS influences & interaction b/w environment

• Interplay between the nervous system, behavior, thoughts, and the environment

Goals of Behavioral Neuroscience

• To understand how the brain contributes to mental function and behavior

  • ex:

    • how do we…?

    • which parts are important for…?

• To understand how experience modifies the brain

  • i.e. experience of learning → retain memory

  • influence synaptic connections

• synonyms?

  • ex: biopsych

neuroscience

• Neuroscience: study of the physiology of the nervous system (aka mechanistic processes)

  • Broad field

  • Often assesses biochemical mechanisms

  • Sometimes no link to cognition (e.g., just how a receptor protein works in a neuron)

Neurophysiology

• Neurophysiology: field of neuroscience that primarily uses electrophysiological recordings (cellular level) → measuring voltage, current @ cellular level

  • Single-unit recording → electrode into single neuron => measuring voltage/current

  • Patch clamp → tight connection b/w pipet & cell membrane => measuring flow of ions across channel

  • Voltage clamp → measures movement of ions

Neuropharmacology

• Neuropharmacology: research on mechanisms and effects of medications on mental function and behavior, including psychological disorders

  • Can focus on a behavioral level

    • behavioral neuro-pharm

    • impact of meds on behavior → how interventions impact mood/behavior

  • Can focus on a molecular level

    • how meds are affecting the molecular level of the synapses

Cognitive Neuroscience

• Cognitive Neuroscience: uses assessments of brain function (i.e., brain scans like MRI, fMRI, PET) to study cognitive operations (memory, attention, perception, etc.)

  • using brain scans to better understand cognition

  • better understanding of how the interaction b/w the NS & brain function

• cognition/cognitive = mental activity/function

Neuropsychology

• Neuropsychology: assesses the influence of brain damage on behavior/cognition (focus on the patient)

  • ex: how damage is affecting…

Neurology

• Neurology: study of brain damage and brain disease (e.g., effects of stroke, Parkinson’s); often in medical settings

Behavioral Neuroscience Research Perspectives

• Description → trying to describe/understand the research question in more detail

• Evolution → caring more about evolutionary change

  • i.e., specific brain region development (focus on structure)

• Development (Ontogeny) → development within a lifespan

  • i.e., parts of the brain, like attention & how they function over time

  • ontogeny = development

• Biological mechanisms → physiological explanation

  • how is it happening

  • i.e., if block these receptors…

  • i.e., looking @ pathways

• Applications → trying to solve real-world problems

  • apply to certain populations

  • see if you can apply behavioral neuro. to real problems

Methodology

• Animal Studies → w/ neurophys. & neurosci.

• Lesion Studies → from tumor or stroke

  • looks at areas of brain damage

• Neuroimaging → ex: MRI & fMRI

• Behavior

• examples of diff types of tests:

  • paper/pen tests

  • neuroimaging

    • structural → MRI

    • functional → fMRI

  • behavioral

  • survey

  • neurophysiology → patch clamp, SCR

Animal Models

• Research in animal models allows scientists to ask questions that would be difficult or impossible to address in humans

  • then apply findings to humans

Types of Behavioral Neuroscience Interventions

• Somatic intervention:

  • Experimentally alter the structure or function of the brain and observe how it changes behavior

  • ex: TMS

• Behavioral intervention:

  • Experimentally alter the behavior or experience of an organism and observe its consequences on brain/body structure and function

  • ex: video game training

• Correlation:

  • Examine association between two measures

  • (no manipulation of IV)

  • ex: measure business

    • seeing how affect cognition

Neuroplasticity

• Neuroplasticity: neural alterations due to behavior or experience

  • Greater capacity for neuroplasticity when young

    • ex: easier for kids to learn language

  • Certain brain regions show greater neuroplasticity (e.g., hippocampus)

    • shows the most/greater

  • Structural plasticity: physical changes to neurons

    • ex:

      • modify structural changes

      • growing dendritic spines

      • added receptor

      • new synaptic connections

  • Functional plasticity: an area of the brain performs a new function to compensate for damaged/altered brain function

    • not a structural change, diff region is performing now function to compensate/assist deficit

Neuroplasticity Example

evidence for activation of visual cortex in blind individuals during Braille reading

Social Neuroscience

• Our brain and behavior are influenced by social behavior

  • We can learn from others

• We often behave in social environments

Levels of Analysis

• Social interaction

  • Individual behavior

    • Brain, Spinal Cord, Peripheral Nervous System

      • Neural Systems Level (e.g., visual pathway)

        • Neural circuits

          • Neuronal level (cellular)

            • Synaptic level

              • Molecular level

• A reductionist view breaks down a process into smaller and smaller units of explanation

  • ex: like attention of memory → i.e., attention of individuals in social groups

• There is useful information at each level!

Monism vs. Dualism

• Dualism: the brain is distinct from the mind

• Monism: brain activity and mental activity are inseparable

  • What view do neuroscientists support?

    • monism

History

• Early explanations: the heart → that the heart was contributing to behavior

• Galen

  • Discovered that injuries to gladiator’s heads influenced behavior

  • New emphasis on the brain

• Descartes

  • Suggested pineal gland was link between mind and body

    • wrong about extent

    • still technically has affect on NS

Phrenology

• Phrenology: belief that bumps on skull correspond to brain enlargements and that specific brain regions are responsible for specific functions

  • Has been falsified

  • Idea of localization of function still used today

    • lots of communication

    • not just isolation