COURSE NAME :
COURSE CODE :
CREDIT :
STUDENT
LEARNING TIME :
PREREQUISITE :
LEARNING
OUTCOMES :
SYNOPSIS
BRAIN AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR
FEM 4100
3 (3+0)
120 hours per semester
None
:
Students will be able to: describe brain anatomy, nervous system and functions (C2) 1.
2. analyse the relationship between nervous system and human responses towards normal and stressful events (A3,
P2, CTPS)
3. explain brain damage, brain plasticity and rehabilitation
(C5, CS)
This course covers a detailed analysis of the brain and its influence on human behavior. Discussions include the neuron structure, brain anatomy and its function, communication within the brain and between the nervous systems, and how the nervous system is organized and works together from the central nervous system to the peripheral nervous systems to help human respond to normal and stressful events.

CONTENT
LECTURE :
Contact Hours
1. Introduction: brain biology and human behaviour

Brain: source of control and behaviour

Gene, brain and environment
2. Brain anatomy

Brain structure

Neuron structure

Spinal cord

Structure of the major nervous system
3.
Neural conduction: sending and receiving of messages

Synapse

Neural activity within the neuron

Neurotransmitters and human behaviour
4. Brain development

Brain development: before and after birth

Stimulation and brain development
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Effect of experience on brain development
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Brain laterisation and functions

Brain damage: autism and Williams Syndrome
3
3
3
6
5.
Mechanism of perception, awareness and
6. attention

Principle of sensory system organization, brain wave and perception

Visual system and brain processing

Audio system and brain processing

Tactile system and brain processing

System of smell, taste and brain processing

Consciousness, attention and human behaviour
6
Sensorimotor system 6

Principle of sensorimotor system functions
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Sensorimotor association cortex
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Primary motor cortex
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Secondary motor cortex

Pons, medulla and mid brain
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Cerebelum and basal gangalia
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Brain association cortex and sensorimotor behaviour

EVALUATION :
7.
8.

Sensorimotor system and mobility
Cicardian Rhythm, sleep and dreaming

Neural mechanism of sleep

The Circadian Clock: Neural and Molecular
Mechanisms.

Physiology of Sleep: REM and dreaming

Psychology of Sleep: what and why

Effect of sleep deprivation on human behaviour
3
Brain and language mastery

Brain laterisation and hman function
3

Cortical Localization of Language: The Wernicke-
Geschwind Model

The Modern Cognitive Neuroscience Approach to
Language

Dyslexia, language encoding and communication skills
9. Memory storage and information processing

Neuro-anatomy of Object-Recognition Memory.
6

Hippocampus and Memory for Spatial Location

Synaptic Mechanisms, information processing and memory storage

Amnesia, Infantile amnesia

Effects of bilateral medial temporal lobectomy

Relationship between diseases (such as Korsakoff sindrom and alzheimer) and human recall memory
10. Brain damage and recovery

Types of brain damage

Cause of brain damage

Neuro-psychological diseases

Neuro-plastisity: reaction toward brain damage

Plasticity, treatment of brain damage and human
3 functions
42 Total
Course work
Final examination
60%
40%

REFERENCES : 1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Carlson, L. E. (2004). Physiology of Behavior with
Neuroscience Animations and Student Study Guide.
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Coch, D., Fisher, K.W. & Dawson, G. (eds.). (2007).
Human Behavior, Learning and the Developing Brain.
New York: Guilford.
Darby, D. & Walsh, K. (2005). Neuropsychology (5th
Edition). London: Churchill Livingstone.
Pinel, J. P. (2003).
Biopsychology with “Beyond the Brain and Behavior”.
Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Whishaw, I. Q. & Kolb, B. (2005). An Introduction to
Brain and Behavior (2nd Edition). New York: Bedford,
Freeman & Worth.