Physiological Psychology
Physiological Psychology
To understand how the brain affects behavior or mental Locations: Europe, Siberia, China, Mesoamerica,
process, we must look at the different levels of France
perspectives:
Tools: Sharp rocks, obsidian blades, bronze to steel
1. Description of Behavior saws or scalpels, glass,
2. Evolution of Behavior
The Extraction of the Stone of Madness
3. Development (ontological) of Behavior
(Hieronymus Bosch in 1494)
4. Mechanisms of Behavior
5. Applications of Biopsychology to Behavior Dr. John Clark. First physician to perform
trepanation in the American colonies.
DESCRIPTION OF BEHAVIOR Craniotomy. Rebrand of Trepanation in the 20th
century to forget the brutal history.
- Acts, process, or functions
1960’s. The rise of psychedelics in the goal of
EVOLUTION OF BEHAVIOR
expanding consciousness.
- Number of behaviors can be shared by a
Bart Hughes. Dutch librarian postulated that
variety of animals due to common elements
trepanation was ticket to a permanent high. He
wrote a monograph in 1962 “Homo sapiens erectus”
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that contends children have a higher state of Ibn-i-Sina (Avicenna). Prince of Medicine who wrote
consciousness because their skulls are not fully closed. “Al-Qanoonfil-Tibb” or “The Cannon of Medicine”
that talked about perception, imagination, and
John Lennon. Approached Bart Hughes to have the generation of ideas.
procedure done on him.
Rene Descartes. Believed that mind possessed
January 9, 1965. Hughes trepanned his own head as innate ideas, and proposed mind-body dualism
a publicity stunt (inspired Amanda Fielding & Joey interacting at the Pineal Gland. Describe reflex action
Mellon). as a basis of understanding behavior from a
neuroscientific view.
2002. Men from Cedar City, Utah was prosecuted for
practicing medicine without a license and
performing trepanation. Nerves
Galen. Prominent surgeon agreed with Hippocrates Jean Pierre Flourens. Conducted many brain
on brain as the seat of mind. He carried out ablation experiments and found the Cerebellum
dissections and found Cerebrum to be soft and played an important role in coordinated
Cerebellum to be hard. He also discovered fluid- movements.
filled ventricles (Cerebrospinal Fluid) which he
though was used to communicate. Skull Bumps
Muslim Physician Franz Gall. Studies skull bumps and proposed
modularity of brain. (Different parts of brain perform
IbnZakrarivaal-Razi or Rhazes. Persian Physician different functions).
that criticized Galen on his theory bodily humors. He
describes Cranial Nerves and 31 spinal nerves in
Speech Area
Kitabal-Hawi Fil-Tibb.
Paul Broca. Studied patient Tan after his death and
Al-Haytum or Alhazen. Wrote a 7-volume book on
found the area in the brain that was involve in
optics called “Kitab-al-Manazir”. He correctly
speech production.
identified light as an external source for vision and
dispelled Empedocles idea of the visual ray.
Speech Comprehension
Al-Zahrawi or Abulcasis. Arab surgeon from Spain
the describes several surgical treatments for Carl Wernicke. Identified speech comprehension
neurological disorders. He wrote “Kitabal-Tasrif”, a area.
30-volume encyclopedia of medical practices.
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Brain Areas
Localization of Function
Reward Centers
Brain Lateralization
Biology of Memory
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CEREBRUM DIANCEPHALON
MEDULLA OBLONGATA
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Spinal Cord. The link between the brain and the - Control complicated process (e. g.,
nerves in the rest of the body. movement, thought & memory)
- Plays an essential role in the things our body
4 Different Regions does without thinking (e.g., breathing,
blushing, blinking)
1. Cervical
2. Thoracic Affects our health related to:
3. Lumbar
4. Spinal Nerves (Afferent & Efferent) • Thoughts, memory, learning, and feeling
• Movements (e.g., balance and coordination)
Afferent or Sensory – responsible for • Senses (how brain interprets what you see,
carrying information from the body to the brain hear, taste, touch, and feel)
(conducting inward). • Sleep, healing, and aging
• Response to stressful situations
Efferent or Motor – carries information from • Digestion (feeling hungry or thirsty)
the brain to the body (conducting outward). • Body processes (e.g., puberty)
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3 Parts:
1. Cervical (Neck)
2. Thoracic (Chest)
3. Lumbar (Lower back)
3 Tissue Layers:
1. Dura Mater
2. Arachnoid Mater
3. Pia Mater
Dura Mater
Epidural Space
Arachnoid Mater
Spinal cords receive signals from the brain - Located between arachnoid mater and pia
that control movement and autonomic mater
functions - Location of Cerebrospinal fluid
Pia Mater
• Carrying information to the brain
- Layer that covers the spinal cord
Spinal cords transmit messages from the
body to the brain
• Reflex Responses
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Anatomy of Brain
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Cerebellum
Functions:
Gray Matter – composed of neutral cell bodies rather Forebrain – thalamus & hypothalamus
than myelinated nerve fibers (white)
Cerebral Hemispheres – dominate brain’s
appearance
Cerebellum Left & Right Hemispheres Convolution – wrinkled appearance (ridge & grooves)
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Direction and Location in the Central Nervous Four Major Regions of the Brain
System
1. Cerebrum – folds and crevices that we most
associate with a mental image of the brain.
Example:
Brain Stem
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Functions:
Hindbrain
Diencephalon - Medulla
1. Thalamus - Pons
2. Hypothalamus - Reticular formation
3. Epithalamus - Cerebellum
Epithalamus
Meninges
Sheep Brain
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Myelin – fatty insulation around many axons - Cells that convey sensory information into the
brain
Cell Body – metabolic center of the neuron, contain
cytoplasm & organelles - Carry out operations involved in thought,
feeling, and action
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- 70 billion in cerebrum
MOTOR NEURON (Multipolar)
- 1 billion in spinal cord
Function: Conducts messages from brain and spinal
cord to muscles and organs.
INTERNEURON (Multipolar)
Stimulus > Receptor > Sensory Neuron > Brain > Motor
Neuron > Effector > Response
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- Receptors that act like a lock while - Non neural cells that supports neurons
Neurotransmitters act like a key - Increase the speed of conduction in neurons
Parts of Synapse
1. Chemical Synapses
2. Electrical Synapses
Chemical Synapse
Electrical Synapse
- The special protein channels that connect the - are chemical messengers in the body
two cells make it possible for the positive - job is to transmit signals from nerve cells to
current from the presynaptic neuron to flow target cells (muscles, glands, or other nerves)
directly into the postsynaptic cell. - 100 neurotransmitters
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Benzodiazepines (Benzos)
Dopamine
- drugs that can treat anxiety’
- pleasure or reward neurotransmitter - work by increasing the action of GABA
- important for memory, learning, behavior, and - has a calming effect that can treat anxiety
movement coordination attacks
- also responsible for muscle movement
- dopamine deficiency can cause Parkinson’s
disease
- healthful diet may help balance dopamine Serotonin (Inhibitory Neurotransmitter)
levels
- amino-acid help produce dopamine - helps regulate mood, appetite, blood clotting,
- eating high amounts of saturated fat can lead sleep, and the body’s circadian rhythm
to lower dopamine activity - plays a role in depression and anxiety
- deficiency in Vitamin D can lead to low - Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or
dopamine activity SSRIs, can relieve depression by increasing
- exercise may help boost levels naturally serotonin levels in the brain
- Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) causes
symptoms of depression in the fall and winter,
when daylight is less abundant (lowers level
Endorphins of serotonin)
- inhibit pain signals and create an energized, Serotonin-Norepinephrine (SNRIs)
euphoric feeling
- the body’s natural pain relievers - increase serotonin and norepinephrine
- best-known ways to boost levels of feel-good - to relieve symptoms of depression, anxiety,
endorphins is through aerobic exercise chronic pain, and fibromyalgia
- laughter releases endorphins
- may help fight pain Recommendation: exposed to bright light, especially
- deficiency in endorphins may also play a role sunlight, vigorous exercise, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-
in fibromyalgia HTP), is available as a supplement BUT is not a safe
- recommend exercise as a natural treatment or effective treatment for depression and can possibly
for fibromyalgia (have the ability to boost make the condition worse
endorphins)
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- can cause life-long damage without any 1. Sympathetic - activates the body
replacements 2. Parasympathetic - slow down the body
- effects on muscles and vital organs as well
1. Tetraplegia – total or
partial loss of use all four
limbs and torso
2. Paraplegia – same but
doesn’t affect the arms
STRUCTURE FUNCTION
Forebrain
Motor cortex Plans and execute voluntary movements
Smooths movement generated by motor
Basal ganglia
cortex
Broca’s area Controls speech, adds grammar
Prefrontal cortex Involved in planning, impulse control
Parietal Lobe
Somatosensory cortex Projection area for body senses
Association area Location of body and objects in space
Temporal Lobe
Auditory cortex Projection area for auditory information
Wernicke’s area Language area involved with meaning
Inferior temporal cortex Visual identification of objects
Occipital Lobe
Primary visual cortex Projection area for visual information
Peripheral Nervous System
Processes components of visual
Visual association cortex
- made up of cranial nerves which enter and information
leave the brain, and the spinal nerves
Communication between the
Somatic Nervous System - motor neurons, operate Corpus collosum
the skeletal muscles hemisphere
Ventricles Contains cerebrospinal fluid
Autonomic Nervous System - regulates general Thalamus Relay sensory information to cortex
activity level in the body and control smooth muscles, Coordinates emotional and motivational
glands, and other organs Hypothalamus
functions
Midbrain
Cranial Nerves - nerves-sensory and motor function of
the head and neck. They enter and exit on the ventral Superior colliculi Role in vision -ex. Eye movement
side of the brain Inferior colliculi Role in audition ex. Sound location
Pineal gland Controls daily and seasonal rhythms
Spinal Nerves- concerned with sensory and motor Substantia nigra Integrates movement
activities within the body
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