Bx Neuroscience
342 faucett have graduate TA
Biological basis of behavior and mental processes BNS
BNS are arrogant people think they know it all – lol Amanda
Hearing language – increase in glucose important for auditory processing (temporal lobe
vernikes area)
Seeing words (reading) – seeing letters that have meaning occipital lobe
Speaking words – primary motor contec
Think about words – prefrontal context important for planning next step
Localization – specific parts of the brain for certain bx
BNS are fence straddlers, can’t just be psych or bio, also have medicine social factors, evolution,
anthropology , philosophy, chem, physics etc.
Multiple levels of analysis, brains, neurons, neurotransmitters/ mental processes,
consciousness and awareness emerge from neural processes. – they are reciprocal relationships
Ex. Anxiety might be emotional experience, mental processes, (valium effects
neurotransmitters which effects mental processes.)
Biology and Behavior form reiprocral relationships – pg 3
Subjects given protein drink marketed in two different ways. Tastes bad. One was a guilt
free shake the other indulgence – physiology monitored later. Nutrition the same, the
perceived idea was different. Ghrelin produced by small intestine – associated with whether it’s
full or not (hunger satiation etc) if you thought it was indulgent you had greater increase of
ghrelin compared to sensible idea. The way you think of it changed the way you processed it.
Philosophical roots –
Mind-body question – is the mind separate from the body?
Dualist – mind and body are separate and distinct.
Monism – physical processes of body produces our conscious experience
Materialism – physical substrates that actually matter.
Determinism – you don’t control your own bx, no free will, if so then you could decide to not
have depression.
Reductionism – to understand a system, break it down into components. Take a person and
break them down. BUT what about emergent properties, after breaking it down and putting it
together sometimes we analyze the components, when you put it together again something
may be surprising or emergent (consciousness, thought)
Ex. Cake, ingredients flour chocolate egg milk, put together you do not experience all
the ingredients separately, you experience the cake. Emergent property is the cakeness
Ethical considerations : Animal Welfare
BNS relies on findings from animals
(comparative brain museum)
Animal rights vs. scientific necessity
3 R’s for animal research – reduce (smallest amount of animals to be accurate), replace,(replace
animal models to computer model or petri dish) refine (to make the study well, change it etc).
(Clear scientific purpose, excellent care and housing, minimize pain and distress. )
Human subjects – tightly protected
- Federal government, granting agencies and local review level boards
- Coercion unacceptable
- Benefit must not be excessive
- Informed consent
- Freedom to withdraw without penalty
- Confidentiality
- Willing to provide participant with follow-up