Chapter 1 What are the Origins of Brain and Behaviour

1.1 Neuroscience in the Twenty-First Century

Cerebrum in the forebrain, made up of 2 same/identical hemispheres, role in conscious behaviour
Hemisphere 1 side of the cerebrum
Brainstem role in unconscious behaviour
Cerebellum role in learning new movements and coordinating the body
Neuron nerve cells with a role in information processing
Spinal Cord in the CNS; gives connections b/w brain and body
CNS brain + spinal cord, role in basic behaviour
PNS neurons outside of the brain + spinal cord, role in sensory and motor functions relaying these
messages to and from CNS
Embodied Language hypothesis; movements we make and what we think of the movements of others,
affects the way we communicate towards others

1.2 Perspectives on Brain and Behaviour
Psyche aka the Mind, once thought to control human behaviour
Mind responsible for intelligence/iq, attention, awareness, and consciousness/alive (nonphysical
things or mental things)
Mentalism behaviour is from the functioning of the nonphysical/mental/imaginary mind
Dualism both nonphysical mind and actual body affects behaviour, together
Mind-Body Problem dilemma trying to explain how the body and mind interact as one is present and
the other does not even physically exist
Materialism states that behaviour can be explained by the function of the brain and nervous system
without having to take an explanatory route to mind; sometimes what we do/behave/want is
instinctive
Natural Selection Charles Darwin, those with the most successful genes/phenotype that correspond
with the environment will stay alive and well (Variance success in reproduction of different
characteristics(phenotypes) results from interaction of organism with environment)
Species organisms that can interbreed
Phenotype observable characteristics of an organism
Genotype genetic makeup of individual
Epigenetics study of genetic differences among people who live in different environments or have had
different experiences
Minimally conscious State (MCS) person can display very few behaviours (smiling/uttering words) but
is otherwise unconscious for the most part
Traumatic Brain Injury brain injury from a blow/strike to head
Persistent Vegetative State person is alive but not able to communicate/function at most basic level
Clinical Trial repeated experiment aimed at developing a treatment for the medical condition being
aided for
Deep Brain Stimulation electrodes are implanted in the brain stimulating a specific area with a low-
voltage current which strikes/facilitates behaviour
Common Ancestor specific species/forebearer from which 2+ lineages/family groups arose from and
therefore is ancestral to both groups

Nerve Net simple nervous system, no brain or spinal cord but many neurons that receive sensory info
and connect to other neurons and move muscles
Bilateral Symmetry body plan, organs on both sides of body are identical/mirror images in appearance
(ex: Hands/ears = bilaterally similary, heart/liver are not)
Segmentation body consists of series of similar muscular segments/organs/patterns
Ganglia nerve cells that function similar to that of a brain
Chordate if an organism/animal has both a spinal cord and a brain it is a chordate

Cladogram phylogenetic tree with numerous branches to show similarity/relatedness between various
animals/organisms/species
Hominid primates, upright movement/walking (including past, and present humans)
Encephalization Quotient (EQ) ratio of actual brain size: expected brain size, which was Jerisons
quantitative measure of the brain (in accordance to proper animal mass: size ratio)
Radiator Hypothesis idea that in early hominids brains could growl larger through improved brain
cooling which lead to increased blood circulation
Neoteny delay in maturation, infant characteristics remain with adult

Species Typical Behaviour behavioru characteristic of all members of the same speicies
Culture through teaching and experience, the learned bheaivours that are passed on from
age//generation to the subsequent



























Chapter 2 Nervous System Functioning
Neuroplasticity nervous systems potential for physicalchemical changes