PSYC 2200, section 002 (formerly Psyc 257)
   Physiological Psychology
   Fall 2008
   Castleman 212, Tu/Th 12:30 - 1:45p 

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS: Last updated 8/31/2008

The Honors Discussion Group, which will allow group conversion to honors credit and involves a 1-hr meeting  each week to discuss a scientific journal article, will be held:

MONDAYS 12 - 1PM, BOUS (Psychology) rm. 162

First organizational meeting (15 min max) Monday Sept 8, 2008, 12p.

                    


Instructor R. Holly Fitch, Ph.D.

Time: Tu/Th, 12:30 - 1:45 PM

Place:  Castleman 212, (link to view of classroom here)

Email: Roslyn.h.fitch  at  uconn.edu   (put “PSYCH 2200-your-last-name” in subject line)

Class Website: There are numerous links and additional information provided at this site (as well as a link to downloadable (PDF) PowerPoints for each lecture -- see Test Material, below). Also, please check this website if you are unsure about weather and emergency cancellations (see Special Announcements, above -- cancellations should be posted by 10 AM).

Instructor Office Hours: Bousfield room 113 (first floor) Thurs 2-4, & by appointment.  (Please email me to set up an appointment time if these hours do not fit your schedule).

Textbook (required): Biological Psychology: An Introduction to Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience 5/e (Edition 5), 2007, Rosenzweig, Breedlove and Watson.
ISBN-13: 978-0-87893-705-9
http://www.sinauer.com/detail.php?id=7059

Textbook support & Biopsychology News Wesbsite:
http://www.biopsychology.com

The make-up multiple-choice test will cover material from all prior 4 tests (cumulative). This will be the only sectional make-up test opportunity.

In addition, there will be a final exam (multiple-choice) covering all material discussed over the semester (cumulative). The final exam will occur according to the UConn Final Exam schedule (tentative date, TBD: http://www.registrar.uconn.edu/finals.html).

Any student missing the final exam will receive a class grade of “X” in PeopleSoft. If an absence is excused/validated in writing by the Dean of Students, arrangements will be made for re-scheduling the final (please go to the DOS website, http://www.dos.uconn.edu for acceptable reasons for missing a final & timeline to reschedule). If the student cannot validate a missed final, a class grade will be calculated accordingly (20% of your class grade = F).


Test Material:
Tests will be multiple choice, and will cover material discussed in class. Items from readings that were not discussed in class will not be on the test, although some material covered in class may not be in the text (and still be on the exam). To assist you in studying, I will make available downloadable PowerPoint presentations for each lecture (in PDF) -- click on the link below to see listing of files (click on the file you want, and it will be downloaded to your computer, so you can print it). Note -- some public computers (e.g., library) may not accept downloads. The PDFs for each lecture will normally be available the day before, allowing you to print the material and bring it to class for note-taking. Study guides with key terminology will be uploaded here prior to exams (I will try to bring hard copies of the Study Guides to Review Sessions for those who forget to print, but copies are limited). The syllabus provides some basic info about material to be covered in each lecture, but please use the PowerPoints and Study Guides to prepare for exams.

****Click below for directory of PowerPoint Downloads (PDF, save to disk)**
PDF LECTURE FILES (ORGANIZED BY DATE) are posted here

Reviews:
Review sessions are scheduled prior to each exam, and students are strongly encouraged to bring any questions on the material to class at this time.

Readings:
Class readings are assigned from the required textbook. The readings are intended to elaborate/support the lectures, but all details covered in the specified text readings will not necessarily be covered in class, nor included in the exams.

Some additional readings are provided by links, as a supplement to special topics covered at the end of each class ("Current Interests"). Detailed material from these websites will not be on exams unless the material is discussed in class. Again, the exams will cover material that has been discussed in class. Please use the PowerPoints and study guides to focus in on pertinent material.

Extra Credit:
Each student will have an opportunity to write one extra credit paper that can be applied for up to 10 points (depending on quality) to one exam score. The paper will be a review of a current peer-reviewed science article of my choosing, selected in accord with topics being studied. The student will be expected to write a synopsis of this scientific paper covering: the Problem being investigated (2 points), Hypothesis (2 points), Methods (2 points), Conclusion (2 points), and Why Do We Care (2 points). Minimum 2 pages (single-space), recommended 3 pages.

Please email me to arrange extra-credit before the start of class Thurs Nov 13. Email requests for extra credit received after the start of class Nov 13 will not be accepted. Extra credit papers must be turned in (at the very latest) by the start of class on Thurs Nov 20. Late extra-credit papers, or papers not addressing the assigned topic, will not be accepted.

Honors Conversion:
A once-weekly discussion group, focusing more in depth on original scientific papers relating to the topics of study, has been arranged for PSYC 2200 students who would like to convert this class to Honors credit. This group is not graded, but requires attendance and participation. The group will be held:

MONDAYS 12-1PM BOUS 162

All interested students need to attend the organizational meeting on Monday Sept. 8

If you have any questions about the conversion process, see the Honors website, or go to CUE Building Rm. 419.

Extra Support:
In addition to individual lecture web-links, the website "Neuroscience for Kids" has extensive explanations and demo's (including animations) for many basic principles and topics that we will be covering in class. Check it out at:

http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/introb.html

SECTION I, Fundamentals of the Brain

Tues Aug 26 -- Introduction; Why Study Biological Psychology?
First class, no readings.
Review syllabus, exams, grading, and class format.


Thurs Aug 28 – Fundamentals of the Brain 1 – Anatomic Structure and Organization
Reading:    CH 2, 23-49 (to “ventricles”); CH 19, 587 (bottom)-592: (total pages 32).
What you need to know: Basic structure of a neuron; structures and subdivisions of the human brain (peripheral (cranial, spinal, autonomic)/central (brain, spinal cord)); developmental subdivisions; structural subdivisions; cortical hemispheres, cortical regions and function; basic ventricular system; laterality, ear-advantage, corpus callosum.
Current interest: Split-brain and hemispheric asymmetry.
http://www.indiana.edu/~pietsch/split-brain.html


Tues Sept 2 – Fundamental of the Brain 2 – Mammalian Brain Evolution & Development
Reading:    CH 6: 151 – 161, 165-173; CH 7, 181-194 (total pages 32).
What you need to know: Phylogeny, classification, evolution & natural selection, ways to measure evolutionary/species brain differences; stages of neurodevelopment, cell migration, cell death (necrosis, apoptosis), neurotrophic factors, stem cells.
Current interest:   When does the brain stop developing? Adolescents, decision making and the frontal cortex.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/teenbrain/work/adolescent.html


Thurs Sept 4 – Fundamentals of the Brain 3 – Neurons, synapses, & transmission.
Reading:    (CH 2, rev 23-34); CH 3, 59-69 & 75-80; CH 4, 89-94 (total pages 22).
What you need to know: Detailed neuronal structure/function (dendrite, soma, axon), glia, synapse, circuits; action potential, hyperpolarization/depolarization, ion channel, basics of synaptic transmission & neurotransmitters.
Click here to see movie animation of action potential


Tues Sept 9 – Fundamentals of the Brain 4 – Basic Experimental Design, Methods of Study (MRI, fMRI, electrophysiology)
Reading:    CH 2, 51-55; CH 19, 586-587; see also --
http://www.med.harvard.edu/AANLIB/home.html
What you need to know: Basics of experimental design (experimental/control groups, independent/dependent variables, “significant difference”); CAT scan, MRI, PET, fMRI, electrophysiology, MEG, TMS, applications for neuroimaging techniques in human health.
Current interest:   Neuroimaging & coma: surprising activity using fMRI.
(This link can only be accessed from inside UConn firewall).
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v443/n7108/full/443132b.html


Thurs Sept 11 – Section I Review Session and discussion with Q&A.
Reading:    Review all Section I readings; bring questions.


Tues Sept 16 – *****Test, Section I, Fundamentals of the Brain *****

SECTION II – Things that Affect the Brain

Thurs Sept 18 – Things that Affect the Brain 1 –Hormones (emphasis on steroids)
Reading:    CH 5, 119-130 (review table 5.2); CH 12, 368-383 (total pages 28).
What you need to know: Hormone categories (protein, amine, steroid); major glands, their products & basic functions; sexual differentiation, organizational versus circulating (activational) steroid effects, gender, sexual orientation.
Current interest:   Sex differences in cognition: Myth or reality?
http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/debate05/debate05_index.html


Tues Sept 23 – Things that Affect the Brain 2 – Experience & Genes (Nature vs Nurture)
Reading:    CH 7, 194– 206 (top); CH 9, 263; CH 19, 573-575 (total pages 17).
What you need to know: intrinsic versus extrinsic influence, critical/sensitive periods, Hubel & Wiesel, twin/adoption studies, genetic abnormalities, deprivation, enrichment, plasticity, experience.
Current interest:  Does early music training alter brain development?
(This link can only be accessed from inside UConn firewall).
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v434/n7031/full/434312a.html


Thurs September 25 – Things that Affect the Brain 3 –Aging, Injury & Disease
Reading:    CH 7, 210 – 213; CH 11, 342-350; CH 19, 577-581, 595-602 (total pages 22).
What you need to know: How brain function changes with aging; alzheimers and dementias; brain trauma (stroke, etc) and functional effects (aphasia, prosopagnosia, hemispatial neglect, dementia pugilistica), spinal injury, apraxia, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s, ataxia.
Current interest:  Stem cells and spinal cord injury: Can paralysis be cured?
http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/stemcell/
http://science-education.nih.gov/home2.nsf/Educational+Resources/Resource+Formats/Online+Resources/+High+School/41B8971F1A21A38F85256CCD00631593


Tues Sept 30 —Things that Affect the Brain 4 – Drugs and Alcohol
Reading:    CH 4, 95 – 116 (total pages 22)
What you need to know: receptors, receptor sub-types, endogenous/exogenous, affinity, competitive and non-competitice agonist and antagonist, re-uptake inhibitors, neuromodulators (e.g., caffeine), recreational drugs and their effects.
Current interest: The neural effects of XTC and other recreational drugs.
http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/units/addiction/drugs/mouse.cfm


Thurs Oct 2 –Section II Review and Discussion w/Q&A
Reading:    Review section II readings; bring questions.


Tues Oct 7 – *****Test, Section II – Things that Affect the Brain*****
 

SECTION IV – How the Brain Works, Part II

Tues Oct 28 – How the Brain Works Pt. IIa –Sleep
Reading:    CH 14, 419-447 (total pages 30).
What you need to know: Circadian rhythm, diurnal/nocturnal, SCN, entrainment, stages of sleep, brain structures/circuits in sleep.
Current topics: Does sleep deprivation affect memory?
http://www.sciencefriday.com/kids/sfkc20051104-1.html


Thurs Oct 30 – How the Brain Works Pt. IIb – Emotion
Reading:     CH 15, 451 – 478 (total pages 28)
What you need to know: Limbic system, amygdala, anterior cingulate, aggression, stress, oxytocin, cortisol, norepinephrine/epinephrine and excitement.
Current topics: Surfing, snowboarding, skydiving – addicted to adrenalin?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adrenaline_junkie
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,6903,714100,00.html


Tues Nov 4 (Election Day) – How the Brain Works Pt. IIc – Learning and Memory
Reading:    CH 17, 513 – 550 (total pages 38)
What you need to know: Anterograde/retrograde amnesia, declarative/procedural memory, Korsakoff’s, classical conditioning, operant conditioning (shaping), short vs long term memory, brain structures involved in learning and memory (e.g., medial temporal lobe), primacy & recency effects, LTP.
Current topics: 50 First Dates: Does it really happen?
http://health.howstuffworks.com/question672.htm


Thurs Nov 6 – How the brain Works Pt. IId – Cognitive & Language Development
Reading: Review cognitive milestones over the first 5 years of life at:
http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/yourchild/devmile.htm
What you need to know: Cognition, Bayley Scales of Infant Development, Habituation & Recognition Memory, Operant Conditioning; Piagetian Stages, Object Permanence; critical periods, developmental milestones.

Tues Nov 11 (Veteran's Day) – How the Brain Works Pt. IIe – Language Continued; Review w/Q&A
Reading: CH 19, 571-581; review section IV readings, bring questions.
What you need to know (language): phoneme, spectrogram, formants, Wernicke’s, Broca’s, aphasias, non-human "language."
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/lang.html


Thurs Nov 13 – ******Test, Section IV-- How the Brain Works Pt. II********

Final Exam  -- Cumulative (covers all material) --- Time and place TBD (See above for inclement weather policy).