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This document contains notes from all lectures. With pictures from the book and explanations. It was written in English. I didn't finish HC 9 completely.
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Introduction to Brain and Behavior
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Introduction to Brain and Behavior
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Introduction to Brain and Behavior
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Aantekeningen hoorcollegesHC1: Evolution and function of the nervous system
Why is the brain so important? The primary function of the brain is to produce behavior. The brain
receives information about the world through our senses. This info needs to be integrated to create a
kind of sense of reality. This reality feels real to us, but is different for every species.
We also need predictions. Only with predictions you can adapt behavior. The make up of the
nervous system allows the brain to do all this.
Understanding how it happens, helps you understand behavior. The brain works in combination with
the nervous systems.
What is behavior?
1. Fixed behavior: dependent on heredity (erfelijk). Vogels kunnen iets vanaf hun geboorte al.
2. Flexible behavior: dependent on learning.
The complexity of our behavior varies in different species and also depends om the complexity of the
nervous system. The more complex the nervous system, the more complex the brain is, the more
complex behavior can be seen.
Filosophy of brain and behavior:
1. Mentalism; Aristotle: An explanation of behavior as a function of the nonmaterial mind. Not
observable, but influence our mind. Something like our soul.
2. Dualism; Descartes: both non material and material body contribute to behavior. Because he found
it weird that only a non material mind could influence our behavior. He says it’s through our pineal
gland. His theory was difficult to prove. There was a mind-body problem > its impossible to explain
how those two interact. How can non material command something material.
3. Materialism; Darwin: Main philosophy. Behavior can be fully explained as a function of the
nervous system. We can explain it by studying the brain.
- evaluation theory Charles Darwin: we can understand the human brain by studying animals
- natural selection: success of reproduction depends on the interaction of the organism with the
environment. If you cope better with the environment the chances you will pass over your genes are
higher. That’s how species are developed.
- Neuroplasticity: the brain is plastic. The brain is developing and changing, depending on you
interaction with environment. It is seen in development of children raised in more stimulation
environments vs poor environments. Brain responds to environment. Neuroplasticity is also seen
following injury.
- How the brain can adapt to the environment is related to epigenetics > study of differences in gene
expression related to environment and experience. Those genes and dna are there when you are born,
but not all your genes comes to expression during life. This depends on the environment you are living
in. Environment can turn on and off genes. This is called epigenetics and it can happen throughout
lifetime.
- Phenotype is features you see. Same dna but different environment can result in to different
phenotype.
But remember we don’t have a average brain, individual differences are huge.
, Nervous system:
- somatic: info coming from senses.
- autonomic: digestion
- enteric: lever. What you eat can effect your mood.
Brain: Has two hemispheres
1. Forebrain: makes human behavior
complex. Higher order functions.
2. Cerebellum: coordination of motor and
cognitive processes
3. Brainstem: central structures of the brain
(hin mid thalamus hypothalamus).
Responsible for unconscious behavior.
4. Spinal cord: goes down your back.
Coordinates the signals from the brain
, Important things from the central nervous system:
** FOREBRAIN INFO FROM HERE
Vanaf boven naar beneden, more simple behavior. The forebrain is whole outer part of your brain. It
contains different cortex.
- The cerebral/ neo cortex that is folded in 6 layers. Because of this we have gyri= bumps and
sulci= grooves.
- Forebrain also contains allocortex: This cortex contains 3 or 4 layers. That is found in cingulate. Its
less complex.
- Cingulate cortex: controlling motivational states, attentions and self monitoring (oeps response, for
example when you forget something).
Brain-body orientation: says something about the direction, where
de brain structure is in the brain.
- Dorsal: back side. In humans it’s the top off our head.
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