Neuroscience is the study of the brain.

Neuroscience has many subsets, such as cognitive

neuroscience, behavioral neuroscience, and computational neuroscience. Behavioral
neuroscience is a scientific discipline that studies the functions of behavior, brain function, and
mental processes. For example, the study of procrastination is an aspect of behavioral
neuroscience. Procrastination has been found by neuroscientists to begin in the decision-making
centers of the brain. There are many subsets of behavioral neuroscience, such as studying
depression, where scientists have found that while, depression can affect physical and mental
health, and depression is treatable through medication and lifestyle changes. Another aspect is
the study of how memory and learning are affected by hormones and mental illnesses, such as
dementia. Cognitive neuroscience is a field of psychology and neuroscience that investigates
the relationship between the brain and cognition. Cognitive neuroscience is a broad term that can
be applied to many different areas of study in psychology, including perception, memory,
attention, language, and action. Another aspect of cognitive neuroscience is sensorimotor
processes and how things, such as hearing, touching, and walking, are powered by the brain.

RESEARCH METHODS USED IN BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE

Tissue Analysis (Histology): Identify cell types and connections; identify disease states; ex.
Stains
Behavioral Analysis: generate tests to allow people and neuropsychological lab animals to
demonstrate behavioral capacities; ex. tests, mazes
Brain Perturbation: modify brain activity to observe behavioral changes; ex. lesions,
stimulation
Optogenetics: uses light to activate specific ion channels and relate to behavior; ex. insert
specific light sensitive proteins
Recording Graded Potentials: measure coordinated activity of thousands of neurons; ex. EEG,
ERP, MEG
Recording Action Potentials: record action potentials of individual neurons; ex. single-cell
recording, multi-cell recording
Static Images: noninvasive examination of brain structure; ex. CT, MRI, DTI
Dynamic Images: measure brain activity during specific behaviors; ex. fMRI, PET, fNIRS
Genetics: relate genes to brain and behavior; ex. DNA analysis
Epigenetics: identify effects of experience on gene expression, brain and behavior; ex. gene
expression analysis.
Behavioral neuroscience has also had a strong history of contributing to the understanding of
medical disorders, including those that fall under the purview of clinical
psychology and biological psychopathology (also known as abnormal psychology).
Although animal models do not exist for all mental illnesses, the field has contributed important
therapeutic data on a variety of conditions, including:

 Parkinson's disease, a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that often impairs
motor skills and speech.
 Huntington's disease, a rare inherited neurological disorder whose most obvious symptoms
are abnormal body movements and a lack of coordination. It also affects a number of mental
abilities and some aspects of personality.
 Alzheimer's disease, a neurodegenerative disease that, in its most common form, is found in
people over the age of 65 and is characterized by progressive cognitive deterioration,
together with declining activities of daily living and by neuropsychiatric symptoms or
behavioral changes.
 Clinical depression, a common psychiatric disorder, characterized by a persistent lowering of
mood, loss of interest in usual activities and diminished ability to experience pleasure.
 Schizophrenia, a psychiatric diagnosis that describes a mental illness characterized by
impairments in the perception or expression of reality, most commonly manifesting as
auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions or disorganized speech and thinking in
the context of significant social or occupational dysfunction.
 Autism, a brain development disorder that impairs social interaction and communication, and
causes restricted and repetitive behavior, all starting before a child is three years old.
 Anxiety, a physiological state characterized by cognitive, somatic, emotional, and behavioral
components. These components combine to create the feelings that are typically recognized
as fear, apprehension, or worry.
 Drug abuse, including alcoholism.

The Brain and Nervous System

The central nervous system (CNS) is composed of the brain and spinal cord.
The outermost part of the brain is known as the cerebral cortex. This portion
of the brain is responsible for functioning in cognition, sensation, motor
skills, and emotions.

The brain is comprised of four lobes:

 Frontal lobe: This portion of the brain is involved in motor skills,

higher-level cognition, and expressive language.
 Occipital lobe: This portion of the brain is involved in interpreting
visual stimuli and information.
  Parietal lobe: This portion of the brain is involved in the processing of
tactile sensory information such as pressure, touch, and pain as well
as several other functions.
 Temporal lobe: This portion of the brain is involved in the
interpretation of the sounds and language we hear, memory
processing, as well as other functions.

Another important part of the nervous system is the peripheral nervous

system, which is divided into two parts:

 The motor (efferent) division connecting the central nervous

system to the muscles and glands.
 The sensory (afferent) division carries all types of sensory
information to the central nervous system.

There is another component of the nervous system known as the autonomic

nervous system, which regulates automatic processes such as heart rate,
breathing, and blood pressure. There are two parts of the autonomic
nervous system:

 The parasympathetic nervous system: This works to bring your

body back to a state of rest and regulates processes such as
digestion.5
 The sympathetic nervous system: This controls the "fight or flight"
response. This reflex prepares the body to respond to danger or stress
in the environment.