Lecture 2: History of neuropsychology: Chapter 1 Flashcards
What are the 4 important people for neuropsychology in antiquity (400 BC - 300 CE)?
- Aristotle
- Hippocrates
- Herophilus
- Galen
What was Aristotle’s view? (4)
- Carefully observe things in nature and making theories with them.
- The human body is sacred, so you can’t dissect them to study the body.
- All things that make decisions have a heart and the heart is the seat of intelligence
- Brain cools the body
What were the medical practices of the ancient Greeks and Romans based on?
Body had 4 elements (earth, air, water, fire) served by 4 humours (blood, phlegm, yellow bile, black bile).
The humours had to be correctly balanced to prevent becoming ill
What are some aspects about Hippocrates? (4)
- Father of modern medicine
- Brain is for mental functions
- First lesion observations: what happens when an area is damaged
- Tried to convince others that symptoms aren’t attributable to forces like the gods
What are 2 important aspects of Herophilus?
- Pioneerd observation over philosophising
- Described the nervous system through dissections
–> First basic anatomy
What are 3 aspects of Galen?
- Pioneered dissection and comparative anatomy
- Mapped ventricular system and cranial nerves
- Distinguished sensory and motor nerves
Why was there so little progress in neuropsychology before the renaissance? (3)
- Notion that the soul had no physical basis
- Experimentation on humans is forbidden
- Scientific method isn’t established
What is some progress made in neuropsychology before the renaissance?
- Gross anatomy
- Idea that brain is important for mental function
- No specific theory of brain-behavior relationships
What are 3 important people for neuropsychology in the renaissance?
- Vesalius
- Descartes
- Gall
What are 2 aspects of Vesalius?
- Founder of human anatomy
- Created detailed descriptions and drawings of the anatomy of the brain
What are 3 aspects of Descartes?
- Mind body dualism
- Body is a machine and only humans have an interface to a greater power (thinking)
- Influenced empirical physiology: possible to study physical body
What are 2 aspects of Gall?
- Shaped the idea of localization
- Developed phrenology
What are 4 aspects of neuropsychology before 19th century?
- More knowledge about brain structure
- Relationship between brain and behavior still unclear
- No conceptual framework that ties brain/behavior together
- Views are influenced by religious and political ideas
What are 4 important people in the 19th century for neuropsychology?
- Charcot
- Broca
- Wernicke
- Hughlings Jackson
What are 4 aspects of Charcot?
- First neurology professor
- First described and categorized neurological disorders
- Developed systematic examination
- First associated specific lesiosn with clinical symptoms
What are 2 aspects of Broca?
- Identified critical area of language production
- Established methods of behavioral observation and post mortem anatomy
What are 2 aspects of Wernicke?
- Identified critical area for language comprehension
- Established the idea of disconnection aphasia
What are 3 aspects of Hughling Jackson?
- Suggested hierarchical organization of brain
- Founded the first journal for neurology (brain)
- Distinguished between different types of epilepsy
What are 2 aspects of Galton? And why is he controversial?
- Meant a lot for methodology: brought maths to psychology
- Pioneered psychometric assessment
Galten was a racist –> he wanted to prove race supremacy with science
What are 3 important people for neuropsychology in the 20th century?
- Luria
- Fodor
- Milner
What was the consequence of the many headtraumas (due to the world wars) in the 20th century?
Realization that the brain functions as an integrated whole –> holism
What are 4 aspects of Luria?
- Studied soldiers with brain injuries
- Pioneered systems view of brain function
- Developed a comprehensive assessment battery
- Developed rehabilitation protocols for brain injury
What are Luria’s 3 functional units and where are they located?
- Arousal and tone (brainstem, medulla)
- Processing information (temporal, parietal, occipital)
- Planning and executing (frontal)
What are the functions of Luria’s functional units?
- Arousal/tone: regulates wakefulness, consciousness
- Processing info: perception and storing and retrieving info
- Planning/executing: planning, decision making, problem solving, executing complex behaviors
What is Luria’s hierarchical organization? (3)
Hierarchical processing happens within each functional unit
- Primary: input
- Secondary: processing
- Tertiary: integration with other areas, organize behavior
All functional units are involved in each mental activity