Introduction to Psychology PSY1004F

BIOSPYCHOLOGY
= The study of biological bases of behaviour and mental processes
 Known as Psychological psychology & Behavioural neuroscience
 Part of a larger field of neuroscience
 Understands animal behaviour as direct result of body events
NEUROPSYCHOLOGY:
= The study of relationship between brain and behaviour
 Aims to understand brain function by investigating brain damage
 Cross between neurology and psychology
 Correlates structure and function of mind with anatomy and psychology
of the brain
ROLES OF NEUROPSYCHOLOGISTS:
 Diagnosis of neurological disease
 Identifying areas of damage
o Can predict what type of behaviour an individual will exhibit
 Differentiation of normal ageing- Are they ageing normally?
 Hospital & rehab settings
 Academia
o Teaching & Research
 Private practice & medico-legal setting
o Car accident- are these people okay to work?


CAUSES OF BRAIN INJURY
 Vascular
o Strokes
o Problems with motor movement
 Tumors
o Takes up space in the skull that the brain can no longer utilize
 Degenerative disease
o Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease
o Parkinson’s disease effects the motor movement- shakes

,  Infectious disease
o HIV/AIDS leading to dementia
o Lead to subcortical damage
 Trauma
o A violent assault on the brain
o Can lead to epilepsy
o Car or weapon usually causes trauma
o Concussion can cause brain trauma
o Can result in vascular problems
 Epilepsy
o Bursts of electrical activity
o Transient loss of consciousness


PHINEAS CAGE
 Railway worker (US 1800s)
 Steel rod shot through his head
 Showed quick recovery
 No obvious cognitive changes
 Complete personality change
o Reliable worker  unreliable drunk
o Respectful  rude & obnoxious
o Normal  aggressive
 Shows how important the FRONTAL LOBE is in developing personality


THE NERVOUS SYSTEM
 The brain is the core of the nervous system
 Nervous system  Peripheral  Autonomic (Involuntary) 
Parasympathetic (SLOWS body down, activates AFTER stress) //
Sympathetic (activates FIGHT OR FLIGHT)
 Nervous system Peripheral  Somatic (voluntary)
 Exams and bills are stressful but we can’t run away from it, therefore fight
or flight can’t be used efficiently

,  STRESS: (sympathetic- fight or flight)
o Pupils dilate (more light to see)
o Don’t produce saliva
o Production of tears
o Heart beats faster
o Bladder can release
 RELIEF: (parasympathetic)
o Pupils constrict
o Produce saliva
o Contraction of bladder
o Constricts bronchi
o Slow heartbeat
o Stimulates digestion


DAMAGE TO THE CNS
 No longer thought to be permanent
 Neuroplasticity
o The ability to constantly change structure & function of cells in
response to experience or trauma


GLANDS & HORMONES
Endocrine Glands:
 Pituitary gland
o Brain, growth hormone, influences & other glands
 Pineal gland
o Base of cerebrum
o Secretes melatonin (sleep)
 Thyroid gland
o Neck
o Regulates metabolism
 Pancreas
o Controls blood sugar levels

,  Gonads
o Ovaries/testes
o Regulates sexual development/behavioural reproduction


STRESS
 Stress is anything requiring adaptation
o Psychological
o Cognitive
o Behavioural


GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME
 3 stages in body’s response to a stressor
o Alarm (mobilization of body in reaction to the stressor)
o Resistance (rarely get sick in this phase)
o Exhaustion


STRESS & IMMUNE SYSTEM
 Stress triggers similar responses to infection
 Immune system
o Cells/organs/chemicals responding to attacks from disease
infections/injuries
o Affected by stress – AIDS etc
 Psychoneuroimmunology
o The study of the effect of the mind on health and resistance to
disease.
HIV/AIDS
 Stress adds to the rapid progression
 AIDS caused by HIV which attacks the immune system
o Stress is linked to a more rapid progression of HIV
 Stress affects immune system
o Depression adds to diseases
o HIV