Chapter 1 - Biopsychology as a Neuroscience Flashcards
Who did prefrontal cortex lobotomy?
Dr. António Egas Moniz
What is a lobotomy?
A procedure that disconnects the prefrontal cortex from the rest of the brain
Neuroscience definition
The study of the nervous system
Biopsychology definition
The study of brain and behavior; or textbook: the scientific study of the biology of behavior; biological approach to study of psychology
How heavy’s the brain?
1.3kg
How many neurons and neural connections are in the brain?
90 billion neurons, 100 trillion connections
Human Brain’s Paradox
Does the human brain have the capacity to understand something as complicated as itself?
Jimmie G. Case
Age 49, thinks he’s 19. Great sensory/motor/cognitive abilities, but horrible memory. “A Man Frozen In Time”.
4 Big Themes in Textbook
Thinking Creatively, Clinical Implications, Evolutionary Perspective, Neuroplasticity
2 Emerging Themes in Textbook
Epigenetics and Consciousness
Origins of Biopsychology
1949: The Organization of Behavior by Donald Webb (made a theory of how psychology phenomena can be explained by brain activity). Eclectic approach. Young infant field
Neurochemistry definition
The study of the chemical base of neural activity
Neuropathology
The study of nervous system dysfunction
Neurophysiology
The study of functions and activity of the nervous system
3 Main Distinctions in Types of Research
Non-Human vs. Human, Experimental vs. Non-experimental, Pure vs. Applied
Advantages of Non-Human Subjects
Simpler brains, comparative approach (comparing species), more ethical possibilities
What differs between human and non-human brains?
Quantity rather than Quality. Size and cortical development. (evolutionarily similar with similar fundamentals)
2 Camps of Ethics for non-human animals
1) Support animal research only if minimizes harm and potential benefits cannot be obtained otherwise
2) Oppose animal research because stress to animals is not outweighed by benefits
Committees for Animal Research : 3 R’s
Reduction (reduce animals), Refinement (change elements in study to reduce harm), Replacement (use alternative techniques)
Between-Subjects Design vs. Within-Subjects Design
Between: different groups under one condition each (more common)
Within: same group gets every condition
What is the 1 difference between the groups called?
The independent variable
Coolidge Effect
Done in hamsters. Copulation starts again when new female introduced. Novelty.
Lordosis
The posture of female rodent in sexual reciptivity
How did they adjust for the fatigue of males confound?
Made different groups where 3 males introduced
Quasi-experimental Studies
No random assignment (possible confounds). Correlation. Real world conditions. Ex: 100 detoxified males vs. 50 non-drinkers, found poorer cognitive ability for detoxified males (confound = education)
Case Studies
Same subject or small group. No controlling variables. Low generalizability
Pure vs. Applied Research
Differs in purpose. Pure is to acquire knowledge. Applied is to bring direct benefit to humankind.
Translational Research
Research that aims to use findings from pure research for applied settings
Physiological Psychology
Direct manipulations to the brain to see behavior. Controlled experiments. Non-human. Pure.
Psychopharmacology
Drugs effects on behavior. Similar to physiological psych (manipulating brain to see behavior). Mostly applied (therapeutic). Non-human usually first.
Neuropsychology
Study psychological effects of brain dysfunction. Never controlled experiment. Most applied of subdisciplines
Cerebral Cortex
Neural tissue covering cerebral hemisphere. Most likely to be damaged, so largest focus
Mr. R Case Study
Car accident led to decline in grades. High IQ but low verbal and reading. Language skills affected (may be right temporal damage). Switched to architecture major (no language needed)
Psychophysiology
Physiology of psychological processes (ex: schizophrenia and eye tracking). Behavior –> brain activity. Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Automatic Nervous System (ANS)
nervous system division for inner environment regulation
Cognitive Neuroscience
The neural basis of cognition. Youngest subdivision. Functional Brain Imaging.
Cognition
Higher mental processes (memory, attention, etc.)
Comparative Psychology
Behavior of animals in natural environments. Evolution, Genetics, and Adaptation.
Ethological Research
Studies animals in natural environments
Converging Operations
Use of multiple approaches to study a single issue
Korsakoff’s Syndrome
A neuropsychological disorder: memory loss, sensorimotor dysfunction, severe dementia
Cause of Korsakoff’s Syndrome
Mostly due to lack of vitamin B1. Used converging operations to find cause.
Scientific Inference
Observable events are used to infer properties of unobservable events. Ex: movement of images on retina on perception of movement
Critical Thinking
recognizing weakness of existing ideas and the evidence that they’re based
José Delgado and the Bull
Claimed to find taming center of the brain in caudate nucleus
Problems with Jose Delgado Case
Stimulation could’ve made bull top charging for several reasons.
Morgan’s Canon
Simplest interpretation for behavior should be given precedence
Moniz Case
Nobel in Physiology and Medicine (1949); Prefrontal lobotomy of 2 chimpanzees.
Transorbital Lobotomy
insert ice-pick-like device in eyelid. Walter Freeman
Leucotome
Device to cut out brain tissue
Psychosurgery
Any brain surgery to treat psychological problem
Problems with Lobotomy Cases
No objective effectiveness evaluation. Low sample. Later on, people showed negative effects (after 40,000 in USA).
Howard Dully
wrote memoir of being lobotomized at age 12
