Chapter 3: The Biological Bases of Behaviour (map 2 of 2)

1. Cerebellum
   1. literally means "little brain"
      1. adjacent to the back surface of the brainstem
         1. Plays a key role in organizing the sensory information. critical to the coordination of movement and to the sense of equilibrium
            1. damage to the cerebellum disrupts fine motor skills
2. Medulla
   1. attaches to the spinal cord
      1. in charge of largely unconscious but vital functions
3. Pons
   1. literally means "bridge"
      1. includes a bridge of fibres that connects the brainstem with the cerebellum.

1. is the segment of the brainstem that lies between the hindbrain and the forbrain.
   1. contains an area that is concerned with intergrating sensory processes such as vision and hearing
      1. Reticular formation runs through the hind and mind brain. Contributes to modulation of muscle reflexes, breathing and pain perception. Best know for regulation of sleep and arousal.

1. Is the largest and most complex region of the brain. Encompassing a variety of structures.
   1. Thalamus
      1. is the structure in the forebrain which all sensory information (except smell) must pass to get to the cerebral cortex
         1. appears to play an active role in integrating information from various senses
            1. Picture below taken from pg 100 of the 4th edition of pychology themes and variations
   2. Hypothalamus
      1. Is found near the base of the forebrain,laying beneath the thalamus.
         1. involved in the regulation of basic biological needs
            1. Controls the autonomic nervous system
               1. serves as a vital link between the brain and endocrine system
                  1. Plays a major role in regulating the biological drives related to survival

                     Annotations:

                     • - 4 "F"'s fighting, fleeing, feeding and mating.
                     1. Contributes to the control of hunger, thrist and temperature regulation and other basic biological processes
   3. Limbic System

      Annotations:

      • - Limbic system is a loosely connected network of structures located on the border between the cerebral cortex and deeper subcortical areas.
      1. limbic means edge
         1. Is NOT a well defined anatomical system with clear boundaries
            1. Involved in the regulation of emotion, memory and motivation
   4. Cerebrum

      Annotations:

      • -Seat of complex thought
      1. The wrinkled surface of the cerebrum is the cerebral cortex-the outer layer of the brain which looks like a cauliflower
         1. Responsible for the most complex mental activities, learning, remembering, thinking and consciousness
            1. Divided into two hemispheres right and left
               1. Corpus callosum is the structure that connects the 2 cerebral hemispheres.
                  1. Each hemisphere is divided into 4 lobes
                     1. OCCIPITAL LOBE

                        Annotations:

                        • - Found at the back of the head, includes the cortical area where most visual signals are sent and the visual process is begun. this is called the VISUAL CORTEX
                        1. PARIETAL LOBE

                           Annotations:

                           • - Is forward of the occipital lobe. -includes the area that registers the sense of touch. -Called the PRIMARY SOMATOSENSORY CORTEX -Involved in integrating  visual input and in monitoring the body's position in space.
                           1. TEMPORAL LOBE

                              Annotations:

                              • -Means near the temples. -lies below the parietal lobe -contains an area devoted to auditory processing called the AUDITORY CORTEX
                              1. FRONTAL LOBE

                                 Annotations:

                                 • -Largest lobe in the human brain -Contains the principle areas that control  the movement of muscles, called the MOTOR CORTEX
                                 1. Mirror neurons

                                    Annotations:

                                    • - are neurons that are activated by performing an action or by seeing another monkey or human perform the same action. -Discovered by accident

1. Neurogenesis is the formation of new neurons

Annotations:

• - The bundle of fibres that connects the cerebral hemispheres(corpus callosum) is cut to reduce the severity of epileptic seizures - choosen only for the most severe cases. - create a unique study opportunity

1. Each hemisphere's primary connections are to the opposite side of the body.IE left hemisphere controls and communicates with the righht side of the body
   1. Information received by one hemisphere is readily shared with the other via the corpus callosum.
      1. When the two hemispheres are surgically disconnected, functional specialization of the brain becomes apparent.
   2. Picture above taken from pg 108 of the 4th edition of psychology themes and variations

1. Left
   1. Better on tasks involving verbal processing, such as language, speech, reading, and writing
2. Right
   1. Better on tasks involving nonverbal processing,like spatial, music, and visual recognition tasks ans tasks involvingthe perception of other's emotions.

1. hormonal messages travel to distant cells at slower speeds that neural messages and tend to be less specific
   1. Hormone release tends to be pulsatile

      Annotations:

      • -Pulsatile means hormones tend to be released several times a day in brief bursts or pulses that last only minutes
      1. Is controlled by the nervous system through the hypothalamus.
         1. Pituitary gland is the "master gland" releasing a great variety of hormones that stimulate actions in the other endocrine glands
            1. Hormones help to modulate human physiological development.

1. Is determined at conception and is fixed forever.

1. Phenotypic characteristics (ie hair color) may change over time and may also be modified by environmental factors.

1. Researcher asses hereditary influence by examining blood relatives to see how much they resemble one another on a specific trait

1. Researchers asses hereditary influence by comparing the resemblance of identical twins and fraternal twins with respect to a trait

1. Asses hereditary influence by examining the resemblance between adopted children and both their biological and their adoptive parents

1. four crucial insights
   1. #1 Organisms very in endless ways
   2. #2 Some of these characteristics are heritable
   3. #3 organisms tend to produce offspring at a pace that out strips the local availability of food supplies, living space and other crucial resources
   4. #4 if a specific heritable trait contributes to an organism's survival or reproductive success, organisms with that trait should produce more offspring and the prevalence of that trait should gradually increase over generations resulting in evolutionary change

1. Most mutations are NOT beneficial

1. Many behavioural adaptations are designed to improve an organism's chances at reproductive sucess
2. Impact of genetic makeup depends on environment, and the impact of environment depends on genetic makeup.