1. Biopsychology

2. What Is Biopsychology?
“The study of the brain and how it causes or relates to behaviour” (Wickens, 2000)
Psychobiologists are interested in the role of physiology and anatomy in relation to behaviour
Neuroscientists restrict themselves to the role of the brain and spinal cord in relation to behaviour.
Assumption that every thought feeling and behaviour must have physical or neural basis in the brain.
The mind is a product of the brains activity
To link brain to behaviour is a difficult task and we only have an hour so I’m going to outline some of the basics of neuroanatomy (how brain fits together) and neurophysiology (how neurons work). Before talking about some key studies and what we can learn from these.
Not going to talk about who discovered neurons and electrical currents in the brain - Read up on history in their own time! Start with the nervous system...

3. The Role of the Nervous System
The major controlling, regulatory, and communicating system in the body.
Centre of all mental activity including thought, learning, and memory.
Together with the endocrine system, the nervous system is responsible for regulating and maintaining homeostasis.
Through its receptors, the nervous system keeps us in touch with our environment, both external and internal.
The various activities of the nervous system can be grouped together as three general, overlapping functions:
Sensory – taking in information
Integrative – co-ordinating information and activity
Motor – controlling the skeletal muscles

4. NERVOUS SYSTEM PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
BRAIN
SPINAL CORD
SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM
PARASYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

5. Neuron Structure Cell body Terminal buttons Nucleus Axon
Dendrites
Cell body
Terminal buttons
Nucleus
Node of Ranvier
Axon
The neuron is the functional unit of the NS(smallest structure that can carry out the functions of the system).
It is uniquely shaped with long appendages. These appendages or PROCESSES are usually classified as either dendrites (which receive incoming signals) or axons (which carry outgoing information)
The shape number and length of axons and dendrites vary from one neuron to the next but they are the essential feature that allows neurons to communicate with each other and with other cells by SENDING NEURAL IMPLUSES.
Cell body,
nucleus (brain of cell)
Myelin sheath - makes message get sent faster
terminal buttons - (at the end of axon, contain neurotransmitter substances)
Myelin sheath surrounding the axon
Soma
Sending Neuron
Receiving Neuron

6. Types of neurons
Copy up Table 3 page 23 onto the back of your diagram of the neuron.

7. Knee Jerk Reflex
Write a couple of sentences explaining what is happening in the knee jerk reflex.

8. Knee Jerk Reflex Hammer hits just below the patella.
Sensory neuron transmits to the interneuron in the spinal cord.
Interneuron transmits to motor neuron which signals the quadriceps muscle to contract and the hamstring to relax producing the jerk of the lower leg.

9. Functions of the synapse
The connection between neurons is at the synapse. Neurons do not touch at the synapse; a chemical diffuses between the cells at what is called the synaptic cleft.
The terminal buttons, sometimes called synaptic knobs, at the end of the axon contain small structures called synaptic vesicles. These contain certain chemicals called neurotransmitters.
Copy up onto diagram

10. Neurotransmitters Effects of drugs
Chemicals stored in synaptic vesicles that are released into the synaptic cleft when the neuron is activated.
Shown to have effects on behaviour and mental processes.
75 chemicals identified as neurotransmitters.
e.g. acetylcholine (ACH), dopamine, serotonin.
Effects of drugs
Psychoactive drugs work by interfering with the action of neurotransmitters. E.G. some antidepressants work on serotonin.
Copy up onto the back of your diagram of the synapse.

11. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
Used to treat depression and anxiety.
Prevent serotonin from being reabsorbed by the presynaptic membrane.
This increases the amount of serotonin available in the synaptic gap and is associated with a reduction in symptoms of depression.
However, tolerance, withdrawal and psychological addiction can occur.

13. Main assumption
All behaviour and thought is caused by the nervous system and/or genes.
Examines:
Brain function
Hormones
Instincts
Genes
Evolution

14. Basic Assumptions of the Biological Approach
Mind and behaviour have a biological basis e.g. the mind is a result of the way that the brain works.
Changing the structure or function of the nervous system will change behaviour and/or the mind.
Behaviour and the mind have evolved e.g. they are inherited as a result of the action of the genes.
To understand mind and behaviour we have to understand the nervous system and inheritance of characteristics.