Introduction to Neuroscience and Psychology
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Questions and Answers

At what age does the human brain reach adult size?

  • Age 7 (correct)
  • Age 5
  • Age 10
  • Age 3

By what age is the brain approximately 90% of its adult size?

  • Age 1
  • Age 3
  • Age 6
  • Age 5 (correct)

What significant change occurs in the human brain during the first year of life?

  • Formation of adult-size convolutions
  • Rapid myelination of neurons (correct)
  • Decrease in cortical surface area
  • The beginning of adolescence

During which age range does cortical thickness peak before it starts to decrease?

<p>1-2 years (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of the brain shows significant growth during the first two years of life?

<p>Cortical grey matter (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What evolutionary change has contributed mainly to the increase in human brain size over the last 2-3 million years?

<p>Increase in convolutions of the cerebral cortex (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How many neurons are estimated to be in the human brain?

<p>86 billion (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happens to cortical thickness during adolescence?

<p>It decreases after peaking. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of neuroscience?

<p>The study of the nervous system (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the nature of neuroscience?

<p>A multi-faceted field with overlapping sub-disciplines (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of a quasi-experiment in neuroscience research?

<p>It examines real-world scenarios without random assignment. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which data collection method focuses on a single subject for detailed investigation?

<p>Case studies (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a disadvantage of working with human subjects in neuroscience studies?

<p>They require more extensive lab facilities. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why might a researcher choose to study non-human subjects in neuroscience?

<p>They are cheaper and allow for greater experimental control. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The case of Phineas Gage is primarily significant for demonstrating which aspect of neuroscience?

<p>The impact of injuries on personality and behavior. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one advantage of using human subjects over non-human subjects in neuroscience research?

<p>They can directly communicate their experiences. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of physiological psychology?

<p>Involves direct manipulation and recording of the brain. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of neuropsychology?

<p>Understanding psychological effects of brain dysfunction. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which approach allows for invasive experiments without strict ethical restrictions?

<p>Psychopharmacology. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of studies does cognitive neuroscience primarily involve?

<p>Using non-invasive methods to study cognition. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What phenomena do psychophysiology studies typically measure?

<p>Heart rate, blood pressure, and pupil dilation. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the brain size change from birth to the first year of life?

<p>It doubles in size. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of research in psychopharmacology?

<p>To manipulate neural activity and behavior with drugs. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are brain lesions studied in physiological psychology primarily used to understand?

<p>Impact on function and behavior. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which research approach contrasts the behaviors of species with and without a cerebral cortex?

<p>Comparative approach. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is one of the major areas of study within psychophysiology?

<p>The physiological measurements related to psychological processes. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary goal of the Human Connectome Project?

<p>To create a complete map of neural connections (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How much of a child's daily energy budget does the human brain consume?

<p>40% (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT one of the evolutionary theories mentioned for the development of the human brain?

<p>Genetic mutations (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is the human brain considered 'expensive' in terms of energy consumption?

<p>It consumes a large portion of the body's daily energy budget (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which trait of human intelligence is specifically noted to be prevalent in great apes as well?

<p>Tool use (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What hypothesis is suggested about the relationship between tool use and brain development?

<p>Tool use may have pressured humans to develop larger brains (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of an infant's daily energy budget is consumed by the brain?

<p>80% (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of human behavior is suggested to have influenced brain evolution besides environmental factors?

<p>Cooperation and interaction with others (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the Machiavellian Intelligence Hypothesis suggest about the evolution of large brains?

<p>They developed through social competition leading to reproductive success. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Geoffrey Miller, how do large brains relate to sexual selection?

<p>They function as courtship machines to attract mates. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How did the ability to control fire and cook food influence human brain development?

<p>It provided energy and time for brain growth. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the cultural intelligence hypothesis focus on?

<p>Social learning and cultural skills development. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which theory suggests that intelligence is a sign of disease-resistance?

<p>Disease-resistance theory (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is NOT a proposed factor for the evolution of large brains in humans?

<p>Enhanced aggression towards other species. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following aspects is NOT associated with the Social Brain Hypothesis?

<p>Evolution driven by solitary survival strategies. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

The ecological dominance-social competition model implies that humans evolved to:

<p>Master the natural world and dominate their species. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Neuroscience

The scientific study of the nervous system, including its structure, function, development, genetics, and biochemistry.

Human Brain Development

The process by which the human brain grows and matures from conception to adulthood, involving complex changes in structure and function.

Evolutionary Theories

Explanations for how the human brain evolved over time, emphasizing adaptations for survival and reproduction.

Brain-Behaviour Relationship

The connection between the structure and function of the brain and our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

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Scientific Study

A systematic and objective approach to understanding the natural world, including neuroscience and psychology.

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Overlap of Neuroscience and Psychology

How these fields intersect, with neuroscience providing insights into the biological basis of psychological phenomena.

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Mental Health Disorders

Conditions affecting mental well-being and behavior, often with neurological components.

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Contextualizing Modern Behavior

Understanding how our current behavior is shaped by evolutionary pressures on our brains

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What is Neuroscience?

Neuroscience is the scientific exploration of the nervous system, including the brain and its functions.

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Multidisciplinary Approach

Neuroscience involves multiple scientific fields such as psychology, biology, and computer science to understand the nervous system.

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Neuroscience Sub-disciplines

Neuroscience has various specialized areas of study, such as cognitive neuroscience, neurobiology, and neurochemistry.

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Experiments in Neuroscience

Experiments test cause-and-effect relationships by manipulating groups or conditions to observe the impact on the nervous system.

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What are Quasi-experiments?

Quasi-experiments analyze groups that have naturally experienced different conditions in the real world.

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Case Study in Neuroscience

Case studies delve into a single subject or a small group to thoroughly investigate a specific phenomenon or condition.

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Non-Human Subjects in Neuroscience

Non-human subjects, often mice, rats, and primates, are used in research to understand the nervous system.

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Human vs. Non-Human Subjects

Human subjects can provide subjective reports, while non-human subjects require more rigorous animal care and research protocols.

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Human Brain Size

The human brain is proportionally larger than the brains of other mammals, particularly in relation to body size.

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Connectome

A complete map of neural connections within the brain, showing how different brain regions communicate.

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Brain Energy Needs

The human brain consumes a disproportionately large amount of energy relative to its size.

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Evolutionary Theories of Brain Size

Various theories attempt to explain the evolution of large human brains, including factors like environmental challenges, social interactions, and cultural influences.

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Tool Use in Human Evolution

The increasing reliance on tools throughout human evolution contributed to the development of larger brains.

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Environmental Pressure on Brain Size

The need to adapt to environmental challenges like food acquisition and hunting may have driven the growth of human brains.

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Social Interactions and Brain Evolution

Social interactions, communication, and cooperation may have played a role in the evolution of large human brains.

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Cultural Legacy and Brain Evolution

The accumulation of local knowledge, practices, and cultural traditions may have contributed to the development of larger human brains.

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Physiological Psychology

The study of how the brain controls behavior, using controlled experiments with non-human animals.

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Psychopharmacology

The study of how drugs affect the brain and behavior, using controlled experiments with both humans and animals.

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Neuropsychology

The study of how brain dysfunction affects human behavior, primarily through case studies of patients with brain injuries.

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Psychophysiology

The study of the connection between physiological activity (like brain waves and heart rate) and psychological processes in humans.

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Cognitive Neuroscience

The study of the neural basis of cognition (thinking, memory, etc.) in humans, using non-invasive brain imaging techniques.

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Human Brain Size at Birth

At birth, the human brain is only about ¼ the size of an adult brain.

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Brain Growth in the First Year

During the first year of life, the human brain doubles in size.

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Non-Human Animal Research Advantages

Non-human animal research allows for invasive studies which are sometimes ethically restricted in human research.

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Human Research Advantages

Humans can volunteer for studies and provide more complex data than non-human animals.

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Ethics in Neuroscience Research

All neuroscience research, whether human or animal, must adhere to strict ethical guidelines to protect the welfare of subjects.

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Brain Size at Age 3

The human brain at age 3 is about 80% of the adult size. This signifies a significant amount of growth already achieved in early childhood.

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Brain Size at Age 5

By age 5, the brain has grown to approximately 90% of its adult size, demonstrating the rapid pace of development in early childhood.

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Brain Size at Age 7

The human brain reaches its full adult size by the age of 7. This highlights the crucial role early childhood plays in brain development.

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Brain Growth in First Year

The brain doubles in size from birth to one year old. This highlights the intense growth and development occurring in infancy.

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Cortical Surface Area Expansion

During early childhood, the cortical surface area of the brain expands significantly. This expansion allows for increased cognitive abilities.

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Myelination in First Year

Myelination, the process of coating neurons with a fatty sheath, accelerates in the first year of life, improving nerve signal transmission.

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Pre-Natal Brain Development

The brain undergoes substantial development prenatally, with significant growth in both grey and white matter.

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Grey Matter Growth in First 2 Years

The first two years of life are marked by rapid growth in grey matter, which is primarily responsible for processing information.

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Social Brain Hypothesis

The idea that our large brains evolved due to the complex social challenges of living in groups, which pressured the need for communication and social intelligence.

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Machiavellian Intelligence Hypothesis

Suggests our brains evolved to navigate social competition, with increased intelligence leading to greater reproductive success.

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Sexual Selection Theory

Proposes that our brains evolved to be attractive to potential mates, with larger brains and intelligence acting as signs of genetic fitness.

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Geoffrey Miller's Courtship Machines

Miller argues that the human mind evolved not only for survival, but also to attract and entertain mates.

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Cultural Intelligence Hypothesis

The theory that our brains developed alongside cultural learning, enabling us to understand and adapt to different social norms and customs.

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Cooking's Role in Brain Evolution

The ability to cook food freed up energy and time, which may have played a crucial role in developing bigger brains.

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Reduction in Aggression

The evolution of reduced aggression in humans allowed us to develop empathy, social skills, and more complex cognition.

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Social Exchange Theory

Suggests that humans engage in mutual exchange of resources, such as food, knowledge, and support, to increase survival chances.

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Study Notes

Neuroscience Introduction

  • Course: PSYC112/132: Introduction to Neuroscience
  • Week: 6, Thursday 14th November 2024
  • Lecturer: Dr Abigail Fiske
  • Email: [email protected]

Psychology Anagrams

  • Activity to engage students
  • Provided as a starting point
  • Included: VELOPALMENDET, EMROYM, NGOITIOC, NNRUSICEСEOE

Questions, Comments, Concerns

  • Contact details for contacting the lecturer
  • Email: [email protected]
  • Office: Fylde C42
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Moodle discussion forum

Lecture 2: Neuroscience & The Human Brain

  • Topic of the lecture

Learning Objectives

  • Define neuroscience as a scientific field of study
  • Understand human brain development (in utero to adulthood)
  • Describe evolutionary theories of human brain development
  • By the end of lecture, students will have a basic understanding of neuroscience and human brain development

The Why

  • Scientific background of psychology and neuroscience
  • Brain-behavior relationship, importance of understanding brain development for psychological functions and mental health
  • Theoretical background: incorporating evolutionary theories to understand modern human behavior

Part I: What is Neuroscience?

  • Introduction to the study of the nervous system
  • Neuroscience as a multifaceted field with various sub-disciplines like comparative psychology, cognitive neuroscience, physiological psychology, psychophysiology, psychopharmacology, and neuropsychology.
  • Importance of collaboration among various disciplines to enhance understanding of the nervous system

Defining Neuroscience

  • Neuroscience = the study of the nervous system
  • Human brain complexity necessitates knowledge from various scientific disciplines
  • Neuroscience encompasses multiple sub-disciplines, which often overlap.

Types of Neuroscience Studies

  • Experiments manipulate conditions to establish cause and effect (e.g., memory performance & antidepressants)
  • Quasi-experiments study groups already exposed to conditions (e.g., reaction time & alcohol users)
  • Case studies intensely focus on a single individual or a small group (e.g., Phineas Gage) to investigate the effects of a particular phenomenon or condition

Human and Non-Human Subjects

  • Human Subjects: easily follow instructions, report experiences, cheaper, ethical considerations, compare developmental conditions
  • Non-human Subjects (mice, rats, etc.): less complex brain structure, easier manipulation in experiments, invasive procedures ethical considerations, compare across species

Physiological Psychology

  • Focuses on neural mechanisms of behavior
  • Direct manipulation and recording of the brain
  • Example research topics: emotion, sleep, stress, effects of brain lesions

Psychopharmacology/Neuropharmacology

  • Study of drugs' effects on brain and behavior
  • Employ controlled experiments, both with legal and illegal drugs
  • Includes development of therapeutic drugs, reducing drug abuse

Neuropsychology

  • Study of psychological effects of brain dysfunction in human patients.
  • Primarily focused on studying patients with brain injuries or brain dysfunction
  • Goal is to improve health and well-being through diagnosis and treatment.

Psychophysiology/Neurophysiology

  • Relation between physiological activity & psychological processes (e.g., measuring brain/body response)
  • Non-invasive methods (e.g., EEG, NIRS, fMRI) are employed to measure brain activity, as well as measure autonomic nervous system activity (e.g. heart rate)
  • Data can be used in clinical settings to study psychological processes and to improve treatment strategies

Cognitive Neuroscience

  • Investigates neural basis of cognitive processes like thought, memory, attention and language.
  • Uses non-invasive brain imaging techniques (e.g., fMRI).
  • Collaboration with other disciplines in research is common

Part II: The Human Brain

  • Focus on how the human brain develops

How the Human Brain Develops

  • Brain size at various developmental stages (e.g. infants' brains grow very rapidly).
  • Importance of brain growth during infancy and early childhood
  • Rapid myelination and cortex expansion in the first year
  • Cortical thickness peaks in early years and decreases during adolescence

How the Human Brain Evolved

  • Significant increase in brain size (e.g., brain tripling in size over millions of years) over time
  • Factors that have influenced brain development like our environmental challenges and social behavior
  • Theories on the cultural and environmental requirements for huge brain sizes

How the Human Brain Compares

  • Relative sizes of human brain to other animal species
  • Importance of taking body size into consideration; human brain size relatively huge for body size

Mapping the Human Brain

  • Connectome mapping project- aims to map all brain connections
  • Data from mapping brain connections is available to scientists

Part III: Is the Human Brain Special?

  • The cost of a huge brain: how much energy does the brain consume
  • Evolutionary theories explaining the development of human brains (e.g., social interaction, environmental challenges)

Evolutionary Theories

  • Environmental challenges (e.g., finding food).
  • Social interaction and communication skills (social brain hypothesis); social complexity is a key driver in brain sizes.
  • Cultural knowledge accumulation
  • Sexual selection (brain size as a sign of fitness)
  • Cooking to increase energy from food

Other Theories

  • Cultural intelligence: social learning
  • Reduction in aggression
  • Social exchange theory: mutual exchange of resources
  • Disease resistance: Intelligence as a sign of disease resistance; humans developed more advanced thinking skills, allowing them to develop their intelligence more easily
  • Ecological dominance-social competition: competition and leadership are key drivers in brain size

Homework

  • Read Chapter 1 of the course textbook
  • Review the optional reading list for Lecture 2
  • Watch the "The Neuron" YouTube video.

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Lecture 2 - Neuroscience and the Human Brain PDF

Description

This quiz explores the foundations of neuroscience and its significance in psychology. It covers topics such as brain development, evolutionary theories, and the distinctions between neuroscience and psychology. Test your knowledge on key concepts that define this interdisciplinary field.

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