PSYC312 - HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY Chapter 2 Notes - Physiology, Psychophysics, Science of Mind Physiology, Psychophysics, Science of Mind - The painting "The Extraction of the Stone of Madness" by Hieronymus Bosch is in Museo del Prado in Madrid, Spain, is from around 1500 · Painting is usually interpreted as allegory for foolishness/stupidity " Alternative title is "the Cure of Folly" - Brain surgeries existed during Bosch's time, and were called trephining · Historical evidence indicates brain surgeries existed more than 8,000 years ago for reasons like releasing evil spirits or curing headaches or bizarre behaviors · Was recognized that brain is an organ of importance dating back millions of years in human history Renaissance was a productive time for advances in brain anatomy - Leonardo da Vinci dissected more than 300 cadavers and made more than 1,500 = drawings of the brain " Andreas Vesalius made significant advances in neuroanatomy and described the human brain "more realistically than ever before, in words and with pictures" · Important milestones during the Renaissance include: o Discovery of cerebrospinal fluid o Differentiation between white and gray matter in the cortex o Naming of many brain areas (such as the pons and hippocampus) o Discovery that the image on the retina was inverted. - The microscope was a critical invention for neuroanatomy and neurophysiology in the 17th century · Anton van Leeuwenhoek was the first person to use the microscope to examine neurons " Also used his microscope to study the tissues of the eye -> especially the retina and may have been the first person to see the photoreceptors for vision (rods and cones) - Understanding of brain function (neurophysiology) was limited and would have to await the technological advancements of the 19th century " Early neurological work had medical implications " Philosophical speculation about the nature of mind led to increased interest by anatomists and physiologists in the brain, spinal cord, and senses - The field of psychophysics emerged in the 19th century · Sought to measure relationships between events in physical world and psychological perception of events o Psychophysics deals with the relationship between physical stimuli and mental phenomena - Work in neurophysiology, sensory psychiatry, and psychophysics were critical as building blocks for the new science of psychology that emerged at the end of the 19th century. Brain and Nervous System - Neuroscientists have a variety of techniques to examine brain and behavior relationships · Including fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imager) o fMRI allows for images of blood flow or metabolic changes in a functioning brain in a conscious human subject and allows for comparison of brain activity with ongoing mental activity - Today's technology is adding considerably to our understanding of the actions and functions of the brain and NS · Despite advancements in brain science, there is still much to be learned about the body's complex system - At the beginning of the 19th century, there were three key questions in neurophysiology that would be important to the