Physiological Psychology

273 Pages·2004·4.418 MB·English

by  Hugh Wagner, Kevin Silber

Physiological Psychology
The INSTANT NOTES series
Series Editor: B.D. Hames, School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology,
University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
Animal Biology 2nd edition
Ecology 2nd edition
Genetics 2nd edition
Microbiology 2nd edition
Chemistry for Biologists 2nd edition
Immunology 2nd edition
Biochemistry 2nd edition
Molecular Biology 2nd edition
Neuroscience
Developmental Biology
Plant Biology
Bioinformatics
Chemistry series
Consulting Editor: Howard Stanbury
Organic Chemistry 2nd edition
Inorganic Chemistry 2nd edition
Physical Chemistry
Medicinal Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Psychology series
Sub-series Editor: Hugh Wagner, Dept of Psychology, University of Central
Lancashire, Preston, UK
Psychology
Cognitive Psychology
Physiological Psychology
Forthcoming title
Sports and Exercise Psychology
Physiological
Psychology
H. Wagner
Department of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire,
Harrington Building, Preston, UK
and
K. Silber
Psychology Department, Staffordshire University,
College Road, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
© Garland Science/BIOS Scientific Publishers, 2004
First published 2004
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any
electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and
recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
ISBN 1 85996 2033
Garland Science/BIOS Scientific Publishers
4 Park Square, Milton Park,
Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN, UK and
29 West 35th Street, New York,
NY 10001–2299, USA
World Wide Web home page: www.bios.co.uk
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2004.
Garland Science/BIOS Scientific Publishers is a member of the Taylor & Francis Group
Distributed in the USA by
Fulfilment Center
Taylor & Francis
10650 Toebben Drive
Independence, KY 41051, USA
Toll Free Tel.: [phone]; E-mail: [email protected]
Distributed in Canada by
Taylor & Francis
74 Rolark Drive
Scarborough, Ontario M1R 4G2, Canada
Toll Free Tel.: [phone]; E-mail: [email protected]
Distributed in the rest of the world by
Thomson Publishing Services
Cheriton House
North Way
Andover, Hampshire SP10 5BE, UK
Tel.: [phone]; E-mail: [email protected]
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Wagner, Hugh L.
Physiological psychology / H. Wagner, K. Silber.
p. cm. — (Instant notes)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN 1-85996-203-3
1. Psychophysiology—Outlines, syllabi, etc. I. Silber, Kevin, 1959– II. Title. III. Series: Instant notes series.
QP360.W335 2004
612.8—dc22 2004003212
ISBN 0-203-48825-3 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-59735-4 (Adobe eReader Format)
Production Editors: Harriet Milles and Catherine Jones
C
ONTENTS
Abbreviations vii
Preface ix
Section A – The science of physiological psychology
A1 Psychology and biology 1
A2 Methods of research 7
Section B – Neural conduction and synaptic transmission
B1 The components of the nervous system 11
B2 Transmission of the nerve impulse 14
B3 Synaptic transmission 21
Section C – The central nervous system
C1 The anatomy of the central nervous system 25
C2 Localization of cortical function 34
C3 Hemispheric lateralization 37
C4 Brain damage and recovery 40
Section D – The peripheral nervous system
D1 The somatic nervous system 43
D2 The autonomic nervous system 45
Section E – The endocrine system
E1 Hormones and their action 49
E2 The pituitary gland 52
E3 The adrenal glands 55
E4 The pancreas 57
E5 The thyroid and parathyroid glands 59
E6 The gonads 61
E7 The other glands 63
Section F – Psychopharmacology
F1 The principles of drug action 65
F2 Sites of drug action 67
F3 Psychoactive drugs 69
F4 Tolerance and dependence 74
Section G – Vision
G1 The visual system 77
G2 Coding in the retina and lateral geniculate nucleus 82
G3 Coding in the visual cortex 85
G4 Two visual systems 89
Section H – Audition
H1 The auditory system 91
H2 Coding for pitch and timbre 96
H3 The localization of sound 98
Section I – Other senses
I1 The somatosensory system 101
I2 Taste and smell: the chemical senses 107
vi Contents
Section J – Movement
J1 Muscles and reflexes 111
J2 Control of movement by the brain 115
Section K – Biological rhythms and sleep
K1 The nature of sleep and dreams 119
K2 The functions of sleep 124
K3 Mechanisms of sleep and arousal 129
K4 Biological rhythms 133
K5 Disruptions of sleep and rhythms 137
Section L – Regulation of internal states
L1 Homeostasis 141
L2 Thirst and drinking 145
Section M – Eating
M1 Digestion, energy use and storage 151
M2 Physiological mechanisms in eating 155
M3 Dietary choice and psychological factors 160
M4 Weight control and its disorders 164
Section N – Reproductive behavior
N1 Reproduction and sexual differentiation 169
N2 Hormonal control of sexual behavior 173
N3 Neural mechanisms in sexual behavior 178
N4 Parental behavior 181
Section O – Emotion
O1 Peripheral factors in emotion 185
O2 Central mechanisms in emotion 190
O3 Emotional expression 195
O4 Aggression 199
O5 Stress and psychosomatic illness 204
Section P – Learning and memory
P1 The nature of learning and memory 209
P2 Classical and instrumental conditioning 211
P3 Brain structures involved in memory 215
P4 The neural basis of learning and memory 217
P5 Amnesia 221
Section Q – Language
Q1 Language and its disorders 225
Q2 The neural basis of language 230
Section R – Psychopathology
R1 Schizophrenia 235
R2 Mood disorders 240
R3 Anxiety disorders 244
References 247
Further reading 257
Index 259
A
BBREVIATIONS
5HT 5-hydroxy-tryptamine (serotonin) LH luteinizing hormone
ACh acetylcholine LPN lateral parabrachial nucleus
AChE acetylcholinesterase LSD lysergic acid diethylamide
ACTH adrenocorticotropic hormone LTP long-term potentiation
ADH antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin) MAOI monoamine oxidase inhibitor
AMH anti-Müllerian hormone MDMA methylenedioxymethamphetamine
AN anorexia nervosa (ecstasy)
ANS autonomic nervous system MP muramyl peptide
BN bulimia nervosa MPA medial preoptic area
BNST bed nucleus of the stria terminalis MPN median preoptic nucleus
BRAC basic rest–activity cycle MPRF medial pontine reticular formation
Ca2+ calcium ions MSG monosodium glutamate
CAT scan computerized axial tomography Na+ sodium ions
CCK cholecystokinin NMDA N-methyl-D-aspartate (receptors)
CNS central nervous system NPY neuropeptide Y
CR conditioned response NST nucleus of the solitary tract
CRF corticotropin releasing factor OVLT organum vasculosum of the lamina
CRH corticotropin-releasing hormone terminalis
CS conditioned stimulus PAG periaqueductal gray
DMTN dorso-medial nucleus of the PET scan positron emission tomography
thalamus PIH prolactin-release inhibiting
DNA deoxyribonucleic acid hormone
ED50 median effective dose POAH preoptic area and anterior
EE expressed emotion hypothalamus
EEG electroencephalogram/ PRH prolactin-releasing hormone
electroencephalography PTSD posttraumatic stress disorder
EPSP excitatory postsynaptic potential PVN paraventricular nucleus
fMRI functional magnetic resonance RAS reticular activating system
imaging REM sleep rapid eye movement sleep
FSH follicle-stimulating hormone RSBD REM sleep behavior disorder
GABA gamma-aminobutyric acid SAD seasonal affective disorder
GAS general adaptation syndrome SCN suprachiasmatic nucleus
GH growth hormone(somatotropin) SDN sexuallydimorphicnucleus
GHB gamma-hydroxybutyrate SFO subfornical organ
GI gastrointestinal SNRI selective norepinephrine reuptake
GnRH gonadotropin-releasing hormone inhibitor
GRH growth-hormone-releasing SSRI selective serotonin reuptake
hormone (somatocrinin) inhibitor
HSE Herpes simplex encephalitis SW sleep slow-wave sleep
INAH-3 third interstitial nucleus of the TABP Type A behavior pattern
anterior hypothalamus THC tetrahydrocannabinol
IPSP inhibitory postsynaptic potential TRH thyrotropin-releasing hormone
K+ potassium ions UCR unconditioned response
LD50 median lethal dose UCS unconditioned stimulus
LGN lateral geniculate nucleus VMH ventromedial hypothalamus
LH lateral hypothalamus WKS Wernicke–Korsakoff syndrome

P
REFACE
Psychology is the study of behavior and mental processes. This study cannot
be complete without considering the biological context in which behavior and
mental processes occur. In the broadest sense, this means that we consider
human beings to be the result of evolution. This book is particularly concerned
with the physiological processes upon which all behavior and mental processes
depend. This subject is known by various names, including physiological
psychology, psychobiology, biological psychology, biological bases of behavior, physi-
ology of behavior, and biopsychology. Our starting point is that we cannot
hope to understand psychological phenomena fully without examining their
physiological basis. Evolution implies continuity of anatomical structures and
physiological processes with other species. This means that we can learn much
by studying physiological processes in other species.
This book is intended as a study guide or revision aid in physiological
psychology. We present the key ideas and facts in this field of study in 18
sections, divided into a total of 63 topics. Each topic has a Key Notes panel
which summarizes concisely the main points covered in the main text of the
topic. The main text includes illustrations that are mostly simple line drawings.
These are mainly limited to figures which will assist the student in under-
standing the material, and which should be easy for the student to reproduce.
Each topic stands alone, but, especially for later sections, understanding will be
helped by referring back to earlier topics. For this reason we provide a list of
related topics for each topic.
The contents of the book have been selected on the basis of our experience of
many years of teaching physiological psychology in universities in the UK. We
have also considered the syllabus of courses taught both here and abroad. In the
first part of the volume we concentrate on the underlying biological, anatomical
and physiological structures and principles. Section A examines the biological
background and methodology of physiological psychology. This includes con-
sideration of genetics and evolution. It is worth emphasizing here an axiom that
guides us and should guide the student. Anatomical structures and physiologi-
cal processes are largely determined by genetics. This implies that, in turn, psy-
chological processes are influenced by genes. However, it is impossible to say
that behavior is caused by genes. Equally, we cannot say that behavior is caused
by environmental factors. We reject both of these extremes of the nature–nurture
debate in favor of a view that holds that behavior and mental processes result
from an interaction between genetic and environmental factors.
The next four sections cover the ‘hardware’ on which behavior depends.
Section B describes the components of the nervous system, and how informa-
tion is transmitted along and between neurons. Section C provides an account
of the basic anatomy and physiology of the body’s central ‘processor’: the central
nervous system. This includes an overview of the effects of brain damage. This
is followed in Section D by a description of one of the parallel effector systems:
the peripheral nervous system. This has two main components: the somatic and
the autonomic nervous systems. The other effector system, the endocrine system,
is covered in Section E. Here we look at the nature of hormones and how they
act on different tissues, and look at the specific endocrine glands that are of