origins of behavioural neuroscience Flashcards
reading 1
compare the roles of generalisation and reduction in behavioural neuroscience research.
Generalisation is vital in order to understand cognitive phenomenon being researched so that the behaviour and psychology can be understood.
Research, especially that of complex nature, needs to be reduced so that it can be understood in a simple context.
Both types of explanation are needed to understand neurological concepts in a broader way so they can be used by behavioural neuroscientists. This means that behaviour needs to be understood both physically and psychologically to understand the overall function.
summarise contributions to the modern field of behavioural neuroscience made by individuals involved in philosophy, physiology, and other disciplines.
Hippocrates: brain in charge of all thoughts and emotions, not the heart which was previously believed to have the role according to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks.
Galen: found that all the nerves were connected to the brain, proving Aristotle’s theory wrong. He did all his work on animals such as sheep, pigs, monkeys and apes.
Descartes: first to come up with the idea of dualism (the mind and body are separate though they work together). the human body was a machine, link between the mind and the body (brain controlled movements, and the body, due to organs, provided information on what was happening).
Galvani: how the nervous system influences our responses. electrical stimulation of a frog’s nerve caused muscular contractions to occur even when detached from the rest of the body, implying that the contraction is a role of the tissue.
Müller: doctrine of specific nerve energies. Observed that although all nerves carry the same basic electrical impulse, we perceive the messages from different nerves in a different way- the brain is functionally divided (some parts of the brain respond to different functions that others).
Fluorens: removed various parts of animal’s brains and observed what they could no longer do, inferred that the behaviour no longer capable was found in the certain area of the brain removed. Known as “experimental ablation”.
Broca: autopsy on a mans brain who had suffered from a stroke and lost the ability to speak. He found that in the cerebral cortex was integral to speech, if disrupted, an individual lost the ability to talk. Called the area “Broca’s area”.
Santiago y Cajal: used Golgi staining to examine individual neurones of the brain. His drawings from the bran, spinal cord, and retina depicted their detailed structures for the first time. Lead to the conclusion that the nervous system controlled the billions of neurons.
20th/21st C: many more advances and discoveries in behavioural neuroscience, such as: sensitive amplifiers to detect weak electrical signal, O’Keefe, Moser and Moser on spatial positionings in the brain, technology has aided treatments for severe depression etc.
describe the role of natural selection in the evolution of behavioural traits
Natural selection is the process in which species evolve to fit into their changing environment. Although behaviour is not inherited, the structure of behaviour in the brain is inherited. This led Darwin to come up with the idea of functionalism, which states that every characteristic has a useful function. He found that adaptations occur is the brain structures of living beings which causes their behaviour to change. For example, if a specific function of behaviour is desirable, a process of natural selection will occur to make it more likely to appear in offspring of the same species. This means that the species will become more adapted to their changing environment in which they live in. Therefore, their behaviour will evolve, to suit their environment and to ensure their own survival. This implies that natural selection is vital for the evolution of behavioural traits as it shows how the function of the characteristic changes to adapt to the environment. The change (mutations) due to natural selection creates an advantage (selective) to the species through the process of “survival of the fittest”.
identify factors involved in the evolution of large brains in humans.
- Increased neural complexity
- Large skull
- Having a larger amount of neurones within each gram of tissue (specifically in the cerebral cortex)
- Slowing the processes of brain development allowing for more time to grow. (neoteny: slowing of the process of maturation to allow for more time of growth).
outline reasons for the use of animals in behavioural neuroscience research and the regulations in place for oversight of this research.
- Scientific research- to teach us about humans without having to use humans in research. (must be ethical)
- Allow researchers to make progress in understanding and treating diseases (create vaccines).
- Use of laboratory animals allow us to learn more about psychological conditions that affect humans and can be found in other species (animals).
- Research on animals helps other animals as they are able to work out treatments for diseases that affect certain species of animal (not just humans).
- Regulations: according to the IACUC which review all proposals for research involving animals , with the intent, ensuring humane and ethical treatment of all animals involved.
Ensures the welfare of animals and that the research is completed according to the local, state and federal regulations.
discuss ethical considerations run research with human participants.
Informed consent must be gained for psychological research to take place- participants make an informed decision about whether they want to voluntarily take part in the research.
Socially sensitive topics are often researched within behavioural neuroscience meaning participants identity must be kept anonymous and confidential throughout.
The BPS underpin strict ethical guidelines all researchers must follow.
The IRB also ensure ethical treatment of volunteers in research (similar to the IACUC).
identify careers in behavioural neuroscience.
- Neuroscientists- concerned with all aspects of the nervous system
- Behavioural neuroscientists- study all behavioural phenomenon that can be observed in humans and animals.
- Neurologists- physicians who diagnose and treat diseases of the nervous system
- Cognitive neuroscientists- have a PHD and specialise in training in the principles and procedures of neurology. Some teach, research, employed by colleges/universities, employed by institutions devoted to research.
identify effective learning strategies for studying behavioural neuroscience.
- Write notes that organise information into meaningful groups without simply highlighting.
- Teach yourself by teaching someone else.
- Study in the environment in which you will be tested, or vary the environments you study in.
- Study with the absolute minimum distractions.
- Don’t cram, spread out revision and study sessions.
- Study the most challenging topic first or last to allow for the most time to understand it.
Use mnemonics.
