Download Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin Behavioral Neuroscience The

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
CHAPTER 2:
Behavioral Neuroscience
Behavioral Neuroscience
The Body’s Communication Networks
The Neuron
The Brain
Prospects for the Future
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Body’s Communication Networks
The Nervous System
 Central Nervous System(CNS)

The network of nerves contained within the
brain and spinal cord
 Peripheral Nervous System(PNS)

The PNS comprises the somatic and
autonomic nervous systems
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Body’s Communication Networks
Divisions of the Nervous System
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Body’s Communication Networks
The Endocrine System
 Endocrine system:
Ductless glands that
regulate growth,
reproduction,
metabolism, mood,
and some behavior.
 Hormones: Chemical
messengers secreted
into the bloodstream.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Neuron
 Neurons

Nerve cells that serve as the building blocks
of the nervous system
 Sensory Neurons

Neurons that send signals from the senses,
skin, muscles, and internal organs to the
CNS
 Motor Neurons

Neurons that transmit commands from the
CNS to the muscles, glands, and organs
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Neuron
The Withdrawal Reflex
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Neuron
The Structure of a Neuron
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Neuron
The Neuron in Action
 Action Potential

An electrical impulse that surges along an axon,
caused by an influx of positive ions in the
neuron
 Threshold

The level of stimulation needed to trigger an
action potential
 Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit information
by crossing the synapse from one neuron to
another
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Neuron
How Neurons Communicate
 Impulse releases
neurotransmitter from
axon terminals.
 Neurotransmitter
enters synaptic gap.
 Neurotransmitter
binds to receptors on
the receiving neuron.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Neuron
Neurotransmitters
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Acetylcholine (ACh)
Dopamine
Endorphins
Norepinephrine
Serotonin
Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA)
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Tools of Behavioral Neuroscience
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Clinical Case Studies
Experimental Interventions
Electrical Recordings
Brain-Imaging Techniques
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Tools of Behavioral Neuroscience
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
•An instrument
used to measure
electrical activity
in the brain
through electrodes
placed on the scalp
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Tools of Behavioral Neuroscience
Positron Emission Tomography

A visual display of brain
activity, as measured by
the amount of glucose
being used
 Radioactive isotopes (small
amounts) are placed in the
blood.
 Sensors detect radioactivity.
 Different tasks show
distinct activity patterns.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Tools of Behavioral Neuroscience
Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A brain-imaging
technique that uses
magnetic fields
and radio waves to
produce, clear
three-dimensional
images
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Regions of
the Brain
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Regions of the Brain
The Brainstem
 Medulla

Vital involuntary
functions
 Pons

Sleep and arousal
 Reticular formation

Sleep, arousal,
attention
 Cerebellum

Motor coordination
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Regions of the Brain
The Limbic System
 Thalamus

Sensory relay station
 Amygdala

Fear, anger, and
aggression
 Hippocampus

Memory formation
 Hypothalamus

Regulates glands,
autonomic NS
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Regions of the Brain
The Cerebral Cortex in Animals
•The outermost
covering of
the brain, largely
responsible
for higher-order
mental processes
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Regions of the Brain
The Four Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Regions of the Brain
Within the Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex Are:
 The Somatosensory Cortex

Receives sensory information
 The Motor Cortex

Sends impulses to voluntary muscles
 The Association Cortex

Houses the brain’s higher mental processes
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Somatosensory and Motor Areas
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
Regions of the Brain
Language Processing
 Broca’s Area

Located in the left
hemisphere, directs the
muscle movements in
speech production
 Wernicke’s Area

Located in the left
hemisphere, involved in
the comprehension of
language
The brain operates as
an integrated system.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
The Split Brain
The Corpus Callosum
A bundle of nerve
fibers that connects
the left and right
hemispheres
 If surgically severed for
treatment of epilepsy,
hemispheres cannot
communicate directly.

Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
The Split Brain
 Both eyes send
information to both
hemispheres.
 Images in the right half
of the visual field go to
the left hemisphere.
 Images in the left half of
the visual field go to the
right hemisphere.
Visual Processing
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
The Split Brain
Sperry’s Split-Brain Experiment
 Split-brain subjects could not name objects shown only
to the right hemisphere.
 If asked to select these objects with their left hand, they
succeeded.
 The left hemisphere controls speech, the right does not.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
The Split Brain
The Talking Left Hemisphere
 Brighter areas
indicate higher
activity levels.
 When hearing
words, for example,
auditory cortex and
Wernicke’s area are
the most active.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
The Brain
The Split Brain
 A patient with a stroke
in the right hemisphere
was asked to copy the
drawings.
 Typical of neglect
syndromes, the left side
of the model is almost
completely ignored.
Neglect Syndrome
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
Prospects for the Future
The Brain’s Capacity for Growth &
Reorganization
 Plasticity

A capacity to change as a result of experience
 Richer environments lead to heavier, thicker
brains, more synapses, and better learning.
 The cost of plasticity is the case of the
phantom limb.
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall
Prospects for the Future
The Brain’s Capacity for Growth &
Reorganization
 Neurogenesis

The production of new brain cells
 Neural Graft

Technique of transplanting healthy tissue
from the nervous system of one animal into
that of another
Psychology, 4/e by Saul Kassin
©2004 Prentice Hall