Summary Neuropsychology
Written by Floor Quinten
Summary for the course Neuropsychology embedded in the bachelor program
Pedagogische Wetenschappen at the Radboud University (RU) Nijmegen.
Course name: Neuropsychology
Course code:SOW-PWB2240
Study year: 2020-2021
Education program: Bachelor program: Pedagogische Wetenschappen
School: Radboud University (RU)
The summary is based on the literature for this course which consists of obligatory selected
book chapters (1, 2, 5-12, 14) from the following study book:
Kolb,B., Whishaw, I. and Teskey G.C., An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, 6th International
Edition, ISBN 978-1319243562 (Hardcover).
The summary is written in English and contains tables and pictures from the book. Also the
terms are written in bold. At the beginning of each chapter, the corresponding week number and
college number are given according to the timetable of the course.
Written by Floor Quinten
September 2020
,Summary Neuropsychology 2020-2021
Chapter 1: What are the origins of brain and behavior? (week 1: lecture 1)
1.1: the brain in the twenty first century
Brain = physical object, living tissue, body organ
Behavior = action, momentarily observable but fleeting
There are 3 reasons for studying brain and behavior:
1. How the brain produces behavior is a major scientific question
2. The brain is the most complex organ and is found in many groups of animals
3. A growing list of behavioral disorders can be explained and treated as we increase our
understanding of the brain
A study from Harvey shows that the brain can be conscious to a great extent in the absence of much
overt (openlijk) behavior.
Thinking = electrical and biochemical activity in the brain (Eibl-Eibesfeldt: behavior consists of
patterns in time which can be defined as thinking)
Inherited behavior (animals) = behavior with little or no previous experience
Learned behavior = behavior that requires experience and practice
Plasticity = the ability to change in response to a learning experience
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) = wound to the brain that results from a blow to the head
Concussion = damage to the brain caused by a blow to the head
Neuron = specialized nerve cell engaged in information processing
Glial cells = brain cells that support the function of neurons
Central nervous system (CNS) = the brain and spinal cord, which together mediate behavior
Peripheral nervous system (PNS) = all the neurons in the body outside the brain and spinal cord,
provides sensory and motor connections to and from the central nervous system
Cerebrum (forebrain) = major structure of the forebrain that consists of 2 mirror-image hemispheres
(left/right) and is responsible for most conscious behavior
Hemisphere = literally half a sphere, referring to one side of the cerebrum
Brainstem = central structure of the brain, responsible for most unconscious behavior
Cerebellum = major brainstem structure specialized for learning and coordinating movements,
assists the cerebrum in generating many behaviors
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Kolb,B., Whishaw, I. and Teskey G.C., An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, 6th Edition
,Summary Neuropsychology 2020-2021
1.2: perspectives on brain and behavior
Psyche = synonym for mind, an entity once proposed to be the source of human behavior
Mentalism = explanation of behavior as a function of the nonmaterial mind
Natural selection = the theory explaining how new species evolve and how existing species change
over time, differential success in the reproduction of different characteristics results from the
interaction of organisms with their environment
Species = a group of organisms that can breed among the characteristics we can see or measure
Phenotype = set of individual characteristics that can be seen or measured
Genotype = the expression of certain phenotypic traits; particular genetic makeup of an individual
Epigenetics = studies how gene expression is turned on or off at different times and how
environment and experience influence our behavior through their effects on our genes
Epigenetic factors = consist of a number of biochemical changes that influence whether a gene is
active or inactive; can turn on or off a gene’s function so that the gene influences the function of our
body and/or behavior or it stops that influence (do not change genes but rather influence how genes
inherited from parents express specific traits)
1.3: evolution of brains and of behavior
Common ancestor = forebear of 2 of more lineages of family groups, ancestral to both groups (the
human’s ancestors are great apes, in theory humans can still be defined as apes)
The steps of evolution of the nervous system in animals:
1. Neurons and muscles: brain cells and muscles evolved together, enabling animals to move.
They likely have their origins in single-cell animals such as amoeba that developed numerous
ways of moving about, traits that became more specialized in multicellular animals
2. Nerve net: the nervous system representative of evolutionarily older phyla such as jellyfishes
is extremely simple. It consists of a diffuse nerve net which has no structure that resembles a
brain or spinal cord but consists entirely of neurons that receive sensory information and
connect directly to other neurons that move muscles, the nervous system of humans is
reminiscent of the neve net in phylogenetically simpler animals
3. Bilateral symmetry: in more complex animals such as flatworms, the nervous system is more
organized, and it features bilateral symmetry: the nervous system on one side of the animal
mirrors that on the other side. The human nervous system is also bilaterally symmetrical
4. Segmentation: the body of an animal such as an earthworm consists of a series of similar
muscular segments. Its nervous system has similar repeating segments. The human spinal
cord and bran display such segmentation: the vertebrae contain the similar repeating
nervous system segments of the spinal cord
5. Ganglia: in still more recently evolved invertebrate phyla, including clams, snails and
octopuses, are clusters of neurons called ganglia that resemble primitive brains and function
somewhat like them in that they command centres. In some phyla, encephalization (having
the ganglia in the head) is distinctive (for example insects)
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Kolb,B., Whishaw, I. and Teskey G.C., An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, 6th Edition
, Summary Neuropsychology 2020-2021
6. Spinal cord: in relatively highly evolved chordates, animals that have both a brain and a spinal
cord, a single nervous system pathway connects the brain with sensory receptors and
muscles. Chordates get their name form the notochord, a flexible rod that runs the length of
the back. In humans, the notochord is present only in the embryo, by birth, bony vertebrae
encase the spinal cord
7. Brain: the cordate phylum, of which amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals are class
members, display the greatest degree of encephalization: a true brain. Of all of the
chordates, humans have the largest brain relative to body size, but many other chordates
have large brains as well. Although built to a common plan, the brain of each chordate
species displays specializations related to the distinctive behaviors of the species
Classification of life (for humans):
1. Living organisms = classified in 5 main kingdoms: monera (bacteria), Protista (single cells),
plantae (plants), fungi (fungi) and Animalia (animals)
2. Kingdom Animals: neurons and muscles used for locomotion
3. Phylum Chordates: brain and spinal cord
4. Class Mammals: large brains and social behavior
5. Order Primates: visual control of hands
6. Family Great apes: tool use
7. Genus Human: language
8. Species Modern human: complex culture: modern humans are the only one surviving
species of the genus that includes numerous extinct species of humanlike animals (humans
are distinguished in belonging to the large-brained primate lineage and are unique in having
the largest most complex brain in this lineage)
Nerve net = simple nervous system that has no center but consists of neurons that receive sensory
information and connect directly to other neurons that move muscles
Bilateral symmetry = body plan in which organs or parts present on both sides of the body are mirror
images in appearance (hands are, but heart is not)
Segmentation = division into a number of parts that are similar, refers to the idea that many animals
(including vertebrates) are composed of similarly organized body segments
Ganglia = collection of nerve cells that function somewhat like a brain
Chordate = animal that has both a brain and a spinal cord
Cladogram = phylogenetic tree that branches repeatedly, suggesting a taxonomy of organisms based
on the time sequence in which evolutionary branches arise
Chapter 2: what is the nervous system’s functional anatomy? (week 1: lecture 1)
2.1: overview of brain function and structure
The brain’s primary function is to produce movement, and collectively this is termed behavior. To
produce effective behavior, we take in sensory information, as we search, explore and manipulate
our environment. Without stimuli, the brain cannot properly orient the body and direct it to produce
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Kolb,B., Whishaw, I. and Teskey G.C., An Introduction to Brain and Behavior, 6th Edition
