About the Book
Basics of Biopsychologyclearly presents the fundamentals of the study of the biology of behavior and makes the topics personally and socially relevant to the student.
Table of Contents:
1. Introduction to Biopsychology
How Biopsychologists Think about Behavior
1.1 What is Biopsychology?
1.2 Human Evolution
1.3 Fundamental Genetics
1.4 Thinking about the Biology of Behavior: Mind-Brain and Nature-Nurture Issues
Chapter 2
Anatomy of the Brain
The Systems, Structures, and Cells that Make Up Your Nervous System
2.1 General Layout of the Nervous System
2.2 Cells of the Nervous System
2.3 Neuroanatomical Techniques and Directions
2.4 The Spinal Cord
2.5 The Five Divisions of the Brain
2.6 Major Structures of the Brain
Chapter 3
Neural Activity and How to Study It
How Neurons Work
3.1 The Neuron’s Resting Membrane Potential
3.2 Postsynaptic Potentials and Action Potentials
3.3 Conduction of Action Potentials
3.4 Synaptic Transmission: Chemical Transmission of Signals from One Neuron to Another
3.5 The Neurotransmitters
3.6 How Biopsychologists Study the Brain
PART 2: Sensory and Motor Systems
Chapter 4
The Visual System
How We See
4.1 Light Enters the Eye and Reaches the Retina
4.2 The Retina and Translation of Light into Neural Signals
4.3 From Retina to Primary Visual Cortex
4.4 Seeing Edges
4.5 Seeing Color
4.6 Cortical Mechanisms of Vision: Beyond Primary Visual Cortex
Chapter 5
Mechanisms of Perception
Hearing, Touch, Taste, Smell, and Attention: How You Know the World
5.1 Principles of Sensory System Organization
5.2 Auditory System
5.3 Somatosensory System: Touch and Pain
5.4 The Chemical Senses: Smell and Taste
5.5 Selective Attention
Chapter 6
The Sensorimotor System
How You Do What You Do
6.1 Three Principles of Sensorimotor Function
6.2 Sensorimotor Association Cortex
6.3 Secondary Motor Cortex
6.4 Primary Motor Cortex
6.5 Cerebellum and Basal Ganglia
6.6 Descending Motor Pathways
6.7 Sensorimotor Spinal Circuits
6.8 Central Sensorimotor Programs
PART 3: Plasticity of the Brain
Chapter 7
Development of the Nervous System
From Fertilized Egg to You
7.1 Phases of Neurodevelopment
7.2 Postnatal Cerebral Development in Human Infants
7.3 Effects of Experience on the Early Development, Maintenance, and Reorganization of Neural Circuits
7.4 Neuroplasticity in Adults
7.5 Disorders of Neurodevelopment: Autism and Williams Syndrome
Chapter 8
Brain Damage and Neuroplasticity
Can the Brain Recover from Damage?
8.1 Causes of Brain Damage
8.2 Neuropsychological Diseases
8.3 Animal Models of Human Neuropsychological Diseases
8.4 Neuroplastic Responses to Nervous System Damage: Degeneration, Regeneration, Reorganization, and Recovery
8.5 Neuroplasticity and the Treatment of Nervous System Damage
Chapter 9
Learning, Memory, and Amnesia
How Your Brain Stores Information
9.1 Amnesic Effects of Bilateral Medial Temporal Lobectomy
9.2 Amnesia of Korsakoff’s Syndrome
9.3 Amnesia of Alzheimer’s Disease
9.4 Amnesia after Concussion: Evidence for Consolidation
9.5 Neuroanatomy of Object-Recognition Memory
9.6 The Hippocampus and Memory for Spatial Location
9.7 Where Are Memories Stored?
9.8 Synaptic Mechanisms of Learning and Memory
9.9 Conclusion: Infantile Amnesia and the Biopsychologist Who Remembered H.M.
PART 4: Biopsychology of Motivation
Chapter 10
Hunger, Eating, and Health
Why Do Many People Eat Too Much?
10.1 Digestion and Energy Flow
10.2 Theories of Hunger and Eating: Set Point versus Positive Incentives
10.3 Factors That Determine What, When, and How Much We Eat
10.4 Physiological Research on Hunger and Satiety
10.5 Body Weight Regulation: Set Points versus Settling Points
10.6 Human Obesity
10.7 Anorexia and Dieting
Chapter 11
Hormones and Sex
What’s Wrong with the Mamawawa?
11.1 The Neuroendocrine System
11.2 Hormones and Sexual Development
11.3 Three Cases of Exceptional Human Sexual Development
11.4 Effects of Gonadal Hormones on Adults
11.5 Neural Mechanisms of Sexual Behavior
11.6 Sexual Orientation, Hormones, and the Brain
Chapter 12
Sleep, Dreaming, and Circadian Rhythms
How Much Do You Need to Sleep?
12.1 Physiological and Behavioral Events of Sleep
12.2 REM Sleep and Dreaming
12.3 Why Do We Sleep, and Why Do We Sleep When We Do?
12.4 Comparative Analysis of Sleep
12.5 Circadian Sleep Cycles
12.6 Effects of Sleep Deprivation
12.7 Four Areas of the Brain Involved in Sleep
12.8 The Circadian Clock: Neural and Molecular Mechanisms
12.9 Drugs That Affect Sleep
12.10 Sleep Disorders
12.11 The Effects of Long-Term Sleep Reduction
PART 5: Biopsychology of Health
Chapter 13
Health Psychology
Addiction, Emotions, and Stress: Impact of Psychological factors on Health
13.1 Principles of Drug Addiction
13.2 Effects on Health of Five Commonly Abused Drugs
13.3 Addiction and the Neural Mechanisms of Motivation
13.4 Introduction to the Biopsychology of Emotion
13.5 Stress and Health
13.6 Brain Mechanisms of Emotion
Chapter 14
Lateralization, Language, and the Split Brain
The Left Brain and the Right Brain of Language
14.1 Cerebral Lateralization of function: Introduction
14.2 The Split Brain
14.3 Differences between the Left and Right Hemispheres
14.4 Cortical Localization of Language: The Wernecicke-Geschwind Model
14.5 Evaluation of the Wernicke-Geschwind Model
14.6 The Cognitive Neuroscience approach to Language
14.7 The Cognitive Neuroscience Approach and Dyslexia
Chapter 15
Behavioral Neuroscience of Psychiatric Disorders
The Brain Unhinged
15.1 Schizophrenia
15.2 Affective Disorders: Depression and Mania
15.3 Anxiety Disorders
15.4 Tourette Syndrome
15.5 Clinical Trial: Development of New Psychotherapeutic Drugs
Epilogue
Appendix I: The Autonomic Nervous System
Appendix II: Some Functions of Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Activation
Appendix III: The Cranial Nerves
Appendix IV: Functions of the Cranial Nerves
Appendix V: Nuclei of the Thalamus
Appendix VI: Nuclei of the Hypothalamus
Review :
"The text consistently excels!.. The entire text is honed and refined to the extent that students reading the text will be transformed into reasonably sophisticated biopsychologists by the book's end!.. I think that many of the chapters are close to perfection." -- Nancy J. Woolf, UCLA "Pinel is an excellent writer!. [The case studies] are a major strength over Kalat. These sections should pique the students' interests and hopefully help them appreciate the relevance of this course." -- Joseph H. Porter, Virginia Commonwealth University "When I review a possible book for adoption, I first turn to the chapter on axonal and synaptic transmission. A really great author should be able to make these topics interesting and engaging. Pinel has succeeded in doing this by taking some new directions that I applaud." -- Douglas Engwall, Central CT State "Dr. Pinel has a wonderful style that makes complicated material accessible. This is particularly helpful for those students who might be intimidated by the 'hard sciences.' ! I would like to thank Dr. Pinel for his efforts over the years to provide clear and concise material for students to appreciate the depth and fascination of biopsychology. Congratulations on a fantastic job! " -- David Holtzman, University of Rochester "Pinel's use of anecdotes and personal stories is superior to Kalat's." -- Stanley N. Bursten, Santa Barbara City College "I really liked the illustrations. I thought the attention to detail, especially, in labeling all of the important structures and pathways was outstanding. This may the first book in which illustrations are complementary to the text, as opposed to something fun to look at while you read." -- Rita Michelle Lewellen, Cerritos College Excerpt from a letter to the author (used with permission)::"I am currently a 2nd year Psychology student at the University of Western Ontario and I am taking a Biopsychology class...I have to say what an amazing text this is... I recently switched majors from physiology/medical sciences to psychology and I was confused for a while about what I liked more: biological sciences or psychology. I didn't know I could combine them until I read your textbook. Your book was inspirational for me and I now have a clearer, more defined idea of what I would like to do with my degree and future endeavours. Thank you very much for writing such an interesting textbook that was so clearly aimed to help students understand and appreciate biopsychology. I honestly attribute my new-found interest in biopsychology to the amazing work you put in to this text. Too bad I am several provinces away from B.C, I would have loved to be in one of your classes! Thank you again and I hope to read more of your work in the future." - Tannis, student at University of Western Ontario Excerpt from a letter to the author (used with permission):: "I am doing a Graduate Diploma in Psychology in Brisbane, Australia and just wanted to say that your textbook is particularly interesting and stimulating. I can see that there is passion and clarity in every chapter and your own experiences with the tumour as relayed in Chapter 10 was fascinating. It's good to know that some texts can have that "human" factor, and this really makes an impact on the reader. " - Simon, student at Brisbane, Australia Excerpt from a letter to the author (used with permission)::"Dr. Pinel: I just completed a Physiological Psychology class at Chapman University College. Your Biopsychology text was required for the class. It was the BEST textbook I have ever used. I'm 51 years old and have taken many classes in my life so that's saying a heck of lot!!! Believe me, I have certainly never written to the author to complement him on the text. You made me laugh out loud on more than one occasion. Thank you, thank you, thank you for making a tough class enjoyable."- Eileen, student at Chapman UniversityExcerpt from a letter to the author (used with permission)::"I have just finished reading your book and wanted to thank you for writing it. I like the way you presented the information as if you were "chatting" with me. It was very easy to understand and a fun read. I especially liked all the vignettes and diagrams. They helped me to visualize and understand the topic you were discussing. I also reviewed the CD after every chapter I read and found it to be a helpful tool in preparing for my exams. Before taking this class I was very nervous and unsure of whether or not I would be able to grasp the information. Now class is almost over and I have a 95% in my class. I am taking my final exam tomorrow and I am confident I will do well. I feel that my understanding of the information in your book was due to the way it was written. It was very relaxed and personal, a goal you strived for in writing this book. So again, thanks for sharing your knowledge with me." - Priscilla, student at Chapman UniversityExcerpt from a letter to the author (used with permission): "Dr. Pinel, I am a student who has just completed a Biopsychology course designed around your textbook (6th ed.) at Birmingham-Southern College. To confess my initial thoughts, I largely began this course because it is one of the requirements of my Psychology major and I gazed rather unexcitedly upon the cover of your textbook, assuming it to be like some of the other repetitive, over-written books I had become accustomed to during my three years at this college. However, as I delved a little deeper into the subject matter, exploring topics from sex and hormones to sleep cycles to neuroplasticity, I began to realize that your textbook is unlike any I had ever used. Not only is the research you include very pertinent to the subject and thought-provoking, but you seem to take the time to include personal notes, stories, and anecdotes that truly set your work apart from other texts. I can tell that Psychology is a field that really excites you, and in turn, I am more excited about my major. I just wanted to send you this small token of my graditude and a thanks for changing my mind about Psychology. - Jeff Tullis, Birmingham-Southern College 2008"
