Chapter 1 - What is Behavioral Neuroscience?

behavioral neuroscience

The study of the biological correlates of behavior, emotions, and mental processes.

concordance rate

The statistical probability that two cases will agree; usually used to predict the risk of an identical twin of developing a condition already diagnosed in the other twin.

diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)

Use of MRI technology to trace fiber pathways in the brain by tracking the flow of water.

electroencephalogram (EEG)

The recording of the brain’s electrical activity through electrodes placed on the scalp.

event-related potentials (ERPs)

An alteration in the EEG recording produced in response to the application of a particular stimulus.

eye tracking

A method for identifying where a person is looking and for how long.

facial electromyography (fEMG)

The recording of the activity of facial muscles used to assess the quality and intensity of emotional expression.

forward genetic screen

A method that begins with a phenotype and attempts to discover its underlying genetic correlates.

functional MRI (fMRI)

A technology using a series of MRI images taken one to four seconds apart to assess the activity of the brain.

functional magnetic resonance spectroscopy (fMRS)

A non-invasive method for assessing changes in the activity of neurochemicals in the brain.

functional near-infared spectroscopy (fNIRS)

A method of measuring brain activity similar to fMRI using near-infrared light exposure.

genome-wide association study (GWAS)

A method using the entire genome to search for individual genes that vary between particular phenotypes.

heart rate variability (HRV)

A measure of the variability in the spacing of heartbeats believed to reflect a person’s level of stress.

heritability

The amount that a trait varies in a population due to genetics.

hyperscanning

A method of simultaneously recording brain activity from two or more individuals using fMRI, fNIRS, or EEG.

invasiveness

A measure of the degree of harm involved with a method.

lesion

Pathological or traumatic damage to tissue.

MRI

An imaging technique that provides very high-resolution structural images.

magnetoencephalography (MEG)

A technology for recording the magnetic output of the brain.

microdialysis

A technique for assessing the chemical composition of a very small area of the brain.

molecular genetics

A field of study that attempts to link the features of organisms to their underlying DNA.

neuroscience

The interdisciplinary study of the nervous system, whose ultimate goal is to understand brain and nervous system function and neurological disease at many levels.

open science

Initiatives aimed at improving the openness, integrity, and reproducibility of scientific research.

optogenetics

The genetic insertion of molecules into specific neurons that allows the activity of the neurons to be controlled by light.

positron emission tomography (PET)

An imaging technique that provides information regarding the localization of brain activity.

pupil dilation

A measure of general arousal and positive or negative reactions to visual stimuli.

repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS)

A technique for stimulating the cortex at regular intervals by applying a magnetic pulse through a wire coil encased in plastic and placed on the scalp.

reverse genetic screen

The replacement of a gene of interest with a knockout version to discover the effects of the gene on the resulting phenotype.

single-cell recording

The recording of the activity of single neurons through microelectrodes surgically implanted in the area of interest.

skin conductance response (SCR)

A measure of general arousal taken with surface electrodes placed on the skin; also known as a Galvanic skin response.

spatial resolution

The ability to see fine detail in an image.

temporal resolution

The ability to obtain information without delay.

transcranial electrical stimulation (tES)

A method for delivering electrical current to the brain through surface electrodes.

voxel

Short for “volume pixel.” A pixel is the smallest distinguishable square part of a two-dimensional image. A voxel is the smallest distinguishable box-shaped part of a three-dimensional image.