Introduction to Biopsychology

Instructor: Matt Smear (preferred names: Matt, Dr. Smear, Professor Smear, but not Mister Smear)
Emphasis on the importance of being addressed accordingly (seven years in grad school).

Summary of Key Ideas:
- Biopsychology represents the scientific study of the biology (physiology) underlying behavior.
- Key Quote: "How are last week's potatoes wider than the sky?" – Richard Feynman.
- This quote relates to the topic of recycling materials in biology, particularly in the brain.
- Importance of understanding how biochemical substances in food can influence brain function and behavior.

Example with radioactive phosphorus:
- If introduced into a rat brain, the retention and breakdown of this substance can be tracked over time.
- Conclusion: Brain materials are regularly recycled; half of the molecules in a brain can be replaced within two weeks.
- Metaphor: "Last week's potatoes" represents the constant cycling of atoms and materials, indicating individual identity is a pattern of recycled matter, not fixed molecules.

Central Question: How do brains generate behavior?
- Exploration of how the brain produces various actions and behaviors such as sleeping, communication, and participation in neuroscience experiments.
- Definition of biopsychology: It is the biological approach to understanding psychological phenomena.

Topics Covered:
- Structure and function of the brain and its cells such as:
- Neurons
- Neurotransmitters and their role in neuronal communication
- Hormones affecting behavior
Behavioral areas discussed include:
- Sensory perception
- Emotions
- Learning and memory
Subtopics will include genetics and DNA frameworks, but they will be made accessible.

Format and Structure:
- Classes will be delivered in-person and via Zoom, with recordings available on Canvas.
- Lecture slides will be provided for study purposes.
No textbook is required; recommendations can be made if desired.

Lab Sections: 10% (mix of in-person and online activities)
Two Midterms: 25% each
Final Exam: 30%
- Labs will include online discussions and material engagement.
Attendance Policy:
- In-person attendance is mandatory, but Zoom attendance is an alternative when necessary.
Online Discussion:
- Students must participate in discussion threads on Canvas under various topics.
- Expected to post thoughtful, well-developed comments reflecting class materials.
- Weekly posts are due by 11:59 PM on Sundays.

Exams conducted via Canvas; in-person attendance is not required.
Midterm retake policy: Possible to retake exams within the same week - scores averaged or the higher score taken if the second performance is worse.
Gradings will be curved, typically making the mean score around 80%.

Participation in human subjects pool: 1 extra credit point per hour, up to 3 points.
Writing an extra credit paper: 2 pages double-spaced on a seminar topic or a brain-related topic after approval.

Personal motivation:
- Instructor’s brother has severe autism, driving curiosity about neurodevelopmental differences and behaviors.
Discussion on the Neurodiversity Alliance aimed at supporting neurodivergent students.

Historical context of AI developments related to early neuroscience principles.
Example of AI capabilities: Automated analysis in videos that mirror human intelligence.

Early beliefs regarding where thought occurs:
- Aristotle believed in the heart’s role; Hippocrates attributed mental processes to the brain.
Dualism vs. Reflex theory discussed with René Descartes' ideas about reflex actions.

Luigi Galvani introduced concepts of electrical signals through his experiments with frog legs, proposing animal electricity, later corrected by Alessandro Volta.
The relationship between electrical signals in the brain and behavior.
Hermann von Helmholtz’s investigations into the speed of electrical signals in nerves compared to that in wire.

Proposed by Johannes Müller, theorizing that the nature of each nerve signal is the same, but its impact is determined by the connections within the brain.

Correlation vs. Intervention experiments
Pioneered neurological study methods by Paul Broca and the identification of localized brain functions based on brain injury.
Santiago Ramón y Cajal’s neuron doctrine emphasized neurons communicate without fusing together, marking a fundamental shift in neuroscience understanding.

Active learning encouraged through Q&A sessions, with an open invitation for students to engage either in person or online.
Class discussions around the relevance of experimental design in neural behavior studies affecting various neurological and psychiatric conditions.

Students encouraged to embrace curiosity and challenge misconceptions surrounding the biological basis of behavior, thereby preparing them to delve deeper into biopsychological studies throughout the course.