Topics include the role of genetics, arousal, biological regulatory systems, incentives, expectancies, attributions, social processes, and self-actualization in the generation of behavior. An examination of the effects of hormones on behavior in non-human and human animals. Topics will include the effects of hormones on sexual differentiation, reproductive behavior, parental behavior, homeostasis and biological rhythms, regulation of body weight, learning and memory. This course offers an introduction to clinical neuro-psychology, with illustrative neuropsychological case histories and review of assessment procedures. Clinical syndromes, such as dementia, amnesia, and aphasia, which demonstrate the effect of brain injury on human cognitive abilities, are included, together with an introduction to concepts of cognitive neuro-anatomy.
Students acquire an understanding of central and peripheral nervous systems.
Psychological functions are examined, particularly as related to changes in the biological systems. The course deals with the investigation of biomedical and behavioral knowledge relevant to health promotion and medical treatment. Topics include heart disease, cancer, compliance, smoking, exercise, biofeedback, stress, pain. The course focuses on the interaction of various classes of drugs with the individual neurotransmitter systems in the brain. A brief historic review is followed by a discussion of clinical relevance.