Week 1 - intro to biological bases of behaviour

Background

• Neuroscience as a Scientific Discipline

  • Study of the nervous system and its influence on behavior.

• Methodological Approaches

  • Various methods used to study the relationship between brain and behavior.

• Levels of Analysis

  • Understanding brain-behavior relationships involves multiple levels of analysis, from molecular to social.

Biological Bases of Behavior

• Study examines how brain and body structures produce behavior and experiences.

• Involves several scientific disciplines:

  • Neuroscience

  • Psychology

  • Mathematics and Computer Science

• Significance:

  • Addresses major scientific questions about human identity.

  • Enhances understanding of other living organisms.

  • Aids in comprehending and treating brain-behavior disorders.

Approaches to the Brain-Behavior Relationship

• 1. Somatic Intervention:

  • Manipulating the brain to observe changes in behavior, e.g., applying stimulation to limbs.

• 2. Behavioral Intervention:

  • Changing behavior to impact brain structure, e.g., studying London taxi drivers and brain size changes due to navigation demands.

• 3. Correlation:

  • Examining parallels between brain and behavior changes, such as linking severity of disorders to structural changes in the brain.

Levels of Analysis in Brain-Behavior Relationship

• Social Level:

  • Observation of individuals in social contexts.

• Neural Systems Level:

  • Investigating interactions involving neural systems.

• Organ Level:

  • Studying brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

• Brain Region Level:

  • Focused on specific brain regions, like visual cortex and eyes.

• Cellular Level:

  • Analysis of single neurons.

• Molecular Level:

  • Examining synaptic interactions and receptors.

Brain & Behavior Through the Ages

• Historical Perspectives on Brain Control:

  • Ancient Egypt (14th Century BC): Heart and other organs valued over the brain.

  • Ancient Greece:

    • Aristotle believed brain was a cooling unit for blood.

    • Galen noted link between head injuries and behavior.

  • 17th Century:

    • Descartes proposed dualism, suggesting mind and body interaction in the pineal gland.

  • 19th Century:

    • Phrenology: Belief that head bumps could determine personality traits.

  • Late 19th Century (William James):

    • Proposed consciousness as a property of the nervous system.

  • 20th Century (Donald O. Hebb):

    • Asserted strong correlation between behavior and neural function.

Perspectives on Brain and Behavior

• 1. Mentalism:

  • Proposes behavior originates from a nonmaterial entity (soul).

• 2. Dualism:

  • Descartes’ theory that mind and body are separate but interact.

• 3. Materialism:

  • Current perspective that behavior arises from nervous system activities.

  • Integrates developments in biology, including:

    • Darwin’s theory of natural selection.

    • Genetic inheritance.

    • Epigenetics (gene expression influenced by the environment).

Readings for This Week

• Key Texts:

  • Garret & Hough: Chapter 1 (Focus: pp. 1-8; 14-18)

  • Breedlove & Watson: Chapter 1 (Focus: pp. 1-8)

• Further Reading:

  • Kolb & Whishaw: Chapters 1 and 7 (Focus: pp. 1-3; 6-11; 12-13; 222; 224; 226; 228-229; 231-234)