Origins of Behavioral Neuroscience — Chapter 1

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the Origins of Behavioral Neuroscience chapter.

mind-brain problem

The question of how the mind relates to the brain and whether mental events are separate from, identical to, or produced by brain activity.

monism

The belief that mind and body are the same substance; in neuroscience, the mind is produced by physical brain (materialistic monism) or that both are aspects of one substance.

dualism

The belief that mind and body are separate; the mind may influence the brain, and is often considered nonphysical.

Descartes’ hydraulic model

René Descartes’ idea that nerves are hollow tubes carrying animal spirits; movement is produced when these fluids flow, directed by the pineal gland.

animal spirits

The hypothetical fluid Descartes proposed to flow through nerves to produce movement and sensation.

pineal gland - Descartes theory

A small brain structure Descartes believed directed the flow of animal spirits; he called it the seat of the soul.

localization

The principle that specific areas of the brain are responsible for specific functions.

equipotentiality

The idea that brain functions are distributed and not confined to a single, localized area.

Broca’s area

A region in the left frontal lobe associated with speech production; damage can cause expressive aphasia.

phrenology

A 19th-century theory that skull bumps reflect underlying brain areas controlling faculties; associated with 35 claimed ‘faculties.’

Fritsch & Hitzig

Pioneering 1870 experiments showing electrical stimulation of dog cortex could evoke movement, supporting localization of function.

Helmholtz

Physiologist who measured nerve conduction speed and showed it is slower than electrical signals in wires, supporting a mechanistic view of the nervous system.

Decade of the Brain

A designation in the 1990s to raise public awareness of brain research and expand neuroscience.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid; the double-helix molecule that stores genetic information using bases A, T, G, C.

gene

The biological unit that directs cellular processes and transmits inherited characteristics; located on chromosomes (and some in mitochondria).

chromosome

DNA-containing structures in the cell nucleus; humans have 46 chromosomes (23 pairs); sex chromosomes are X and Y.

allele

Alternative forms of a gene; different versions can be dominant or recessive and produce different phenotypes.

X-linked

Traits caused by genes on the X chromosome, often more apparent in males due to having a single X chromosome.

polygenic

Traits influenced by many genes, such as height, intelligence, and many behavioral characteristics.

Huntington’s disease

A single-gene, autosomal-dominant disorder used to illustrate a genetic basis for disease and behavior.

Human Genome Project

International effort to map and sequence all human genes; revealed about 21,000 protein-coding genes and extensive noncoding DNA.

ENCODE project

Research initiative to identify functional elements in the noncoding genome and understand gene regulation.

junk DNA

Noncoding DNA; much of it is functional and regulates gene expression; noncoding regions influence development and evolution.

HACNS1

A human-specific regulatory DNA element that, when inserted into a mouse embryo, can turn on genes involved in the forearm/thumb development.

CRISPR

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats; a gene-editing technology using Cas enzymes to cut and replace DNA sequences.

gene expression

The process by which information from a gene is used to synthesize functional products (mainly proteins), affecting development and brain function.

heritability

The proportion of variation in a trait in a population that is due to genetic factors; estimated via twin studies and influenced by environment and population studied.

identical vs fraternal twins

Identical twins share all genes (monozygotic); fraternal twins share about 50% of genes (dizygotic); used to estimate heritability.

vulnerability

The concept that genes provide a predisposition for a disorder, which may require environmental triggers to manifest; gene-environment interaction.