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Contents - Lessons & Practice

Science · Social Sciences

Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience

OpenStax book

OpenStax

Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience

19 lessons

One lesson for each chapter of Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience, in the book’s order. The lesson teaches what that chapter says you need to know, then checks it.

  1. 1Structure and Function of the Nervous System: Cells and AnatomyThe basic cellular building blocks of the nervous system are neurons and glia.
  2. 2NeurophysiologyNeurons are bilingual, using two inter-related but distinct signaling systems.
  3. 3Basic NeurochemistryThe function of these neurotransmitters is determined by the region of the brain they innervate, the type and location of the receptor, and the nature of the mechanisms induced by the receptor.
  4. 4Comparative NeuroscienceThe choice of model organisms is based on behavioral characteristics, breeding, ease of handling and/or exceptional abilities.
  5. 5NeurodevelopmentThe cells of the brain are produced from neural stem cells that occupy the neural tube and differentiate into neurons and glia.
  6. 6VisionLight reflected from surfaces is imaged by the eye’s optical system, the cornea and lens, onto the retina at the back of the eye, where photoreceptors detect photons of light energy.
  7. 7Hearing and BalanceUnderstanding the different ways sounds are generated and how sound waves interact with the physical environment lays the groundwork for examining how the ear senses sound and how the brain processes acoustic information
  8. 8The Chemical SensesThe anatomical and molecular differences between the vertebrate and insect gustatory systems are vast, but what is truly astounding are the commonalities between animals.
  9. 9Touch and PainThe emotional experience of pain is contributed to significantly by the limbic system structures, which also play a critical role in the regulation of our emotions, such as depression.
  10. 10Motor ControlEffector skeletal muscles move limbs and body parts in desired directions by pulling in a coordinated manner, typically in conjunction with antagonistic partners pulling in opposite directions.
  11. 11Sexual Behavior and DevelopmentAdditionally, we examined intersexual competition, where mate choice drives the evolution of traits that are attractive to the opposite sex, such as elaborate plumage or intricate courtship behaviors.
  12. 12StressThe slower neuroendocrine response depends upon the HPA axis and is important for the long-term effects of the stress response as well as various other bodily functions.
  13. 13Emotion and MoodThis view was advanced by Magda Arnold, Richard Lazarus and other appraisal theorists who suggested a range or dimensions that are evaluated during the appraisal process to ultimately determine which emotions are…
  14. 14PsychopharmacologyFactors such as the route of administration and the rate of absorption, metabolism, and excretion can impact the ultimate concentration of a drug that ends up in the circulatory system.
  15. 15Biological Rhythms and SleepEndogenous biological rhythms are found in nearly every organism on the planet.
  16. 16HomeostasisMany homeostatic systems throughout the body are regulated by the nervous system.
  17. 17NeuroimmunologyThe immune system is broadly divided into innate and adaptive responses.
  18. 18Learning and MemoryOnce memories are encoded, they need to be stabilized in a time-sensitive process known as consolidation, but even then, the memories are not solidified; memories are vulnerable to disruption every time they are…
  19. 19Attention and Executive FunctionThe concepts of arousal, vigilance, and selective attention are all tightly related aspects of our brain’s ability to bring certain pieces of information into conscious awareness and maintain that information over time.