Syllabus

Fall Quarter 2001 Psy 377 Physiological Psychology         MWF 1:10-2:10

Instructor: Dr. George F. Michel             Office Hours: MWF 2:30-4:30
Office: 507 Bryne Hall       Telephone: 325-4246
E-Mail: gmichel@condor.depaul.edu        Discussion Group

Text: Pinel, J.P.J. Biopsychology, 4th Ed., 2000, Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Textbook Web Site at: http://www.abacon.com/pinel

Course Format: Each day I will lecture on the assigned topic and allow about 10-15 minutes for your questions and answers. I depend upon you for letting me know what parts of the text and/or lectures need clarification. Therefore, please read the text before lecture.

Grading: Your grade will be based upon your contribution to class discussion, your written homework assignments, and your performance on a midterm and final examination. Homework assignments will be given for each chapter (see enclosed pages). The homework is due on the first day for which the chapter is assigned.

COURSE OUTLINE

Date                                Topic                                    Assignment

9/5-9/7                         Introduction                              Ch 1 & pp. 21-24; 43-49
9/10-9/14                     Methods                                   Ch 5
9/17-9/21                     Neural Signals                           Ch 4
9/24-9/28                     Psychopharmacology                Ch 13
10/1-10/5                     Neuroplasticity                          Ch 15

10/8                           MIDTERM

10/10-10/15                 Memory                                      Ch 14
10/17-10/22                 Rhythms & Sleep                         Ch 12
10/24-10/29                 Stress & Illness                            Ch 17
10/31-11/5                     Eating & Drinking                         Ch 10
11/7-11/12                   Laterality & Language                   Ch 16

11/15 11:45-2:00          FINAL EXAM

Homework Assignments:  Each assignment is due the first day of class that the topic will be discussed. Please keep a copy of your homework for your own records and use.

Chapter 5: a. Compare the following kinds of electrophysiological recording techniques:
                        EEG recording, intracellular unit recording, extracellular recording, and multiple
                        unit recording.
                  b. Describe two reasons why the behavioral effects of  aspiration/electrolytic/radio-
                        frequency/cryogenic brain lesions can be difficult to interpret.

Chapter 4: a. Compare and contrast both excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials with
                        action potentials.
                   b. A neurotransmitter can influence a postsynaptic neuron through either ionotropic or
                        metabotropic receptors. Compare and contrast the effect that each type of
                        receptor has on the function of the postsynaptic neuron.

Chapter 13:  a. Compare and contrast the phenomena of contingent drug tolerance and
                        conditioned drug tolerance. Provide an example of each kind of tolerance.
                      b. Describe the positive-incentive hypothesis of addiction.

Chapter 15: a. Describe the neural basis of the following kinds of learning in the Aplysia
                        gill-withdrawal circuit: habituation, sensitization, and Pavlovian conditioning.
                     b. How do adult motor and sensory systems reorganize themselves after damage?.

Chapter 14: a. Compare and contrast the cognitive-mapping theory, the configural learning
                        theory, and the path-integration theory of hippocampal function.
                     b. Compare the memory deficits observed in patients with Alzheimer's disease with
                        those of patient H.M. and patients suffering from Korsakoff's disease. What might
                        account for these differences?

Chapter 12: a. Describe the strengths and weaknesses of two major theoretical views about the
                        functions of sleep.
                     b. Describe the differences between SWS and REM sleep.

Chapter 17: a. Support the view that stress promotes human disease and present one strong
                        criticism of this view.
                     b. Describe the dopamine hypothesis of schizophrenia.  What are the short-comings
                        of this idea?.

Chapter 10: a. Describe some of the factors that influence when and how much we eat.
                     b. Discuss the neural basis for drinking behavior induced by hypovolemia and
                        cellular dehydration, respectively.

Chapter 16: a. Compare and contrast the analytic-semantic theory, the motor theory, and the
                        linguistic theory of cerebral asymmetry.
                     b. Identify the seven key components of the Wernicke-Geschwind model of
                        language.  Briefly describe what we currently know about the role of each
                        component of the model.