Skip to Main Content

Biological Aspects of Behavior

This library guide is designed to help students find research on the following topics: Structure, function, and disorders of the nervous system; physiological mechanisms and disorders in vegetative and intellectual functions; and psychophysiological metho

Course readings

Required Text:

  • Carlson, N. R. & Birkett, M. A. (2021). Physiology of behavior. (13th ed.). Pearson Education, Inc.

Week 1 - Course Introduction - Network Medicine Dr Nierenberg

Week 2 - Electrical and Chemical Communication of Neurons Dr Fins

  • Textbook Chapter 2- Structure and Functions of Cells of the Nervous System (Topics - Communication within a neuron to the end of the chapter)

Week 3 - Electrical and Chemical Communication of Neurons continued Dr. Fins

Same readings as above

Week 4 - Peripheral Nervous System - Structures of the Central Nervous System Dr. Matthies 

  • Textbook Chapter 3 - Structure of the Nervous System 
  • Becker, J. H., Lin, J. J., Doernberg, M., Stone, K., Navis, A., Festa, J. R., & Wisnivesky, J. P. (2021). Assessment of cognitive function in patients after COVID-19 infectionJAMA Network Open, 4(10), Article e2130645. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.30645
  • Feuillet, L., Dufour, H., & Pelletier, J. (2007). Brain of a white-collar workerLancet, 370(9583),262. https://doi.org/mimas.calstatela.edu/10.1016/S0140-6736(07)61127-1

Week 5 - Basic Introduction to Hormones Dr. Matthies

Week 6 - Sleep physiology - Sleep disorders Dr. Fins

Week 7 - Human Communication, Hemispheric Specialization and Lateralization Dr. Matthies

Week 8 - Learning and Memory Dr. Matthies

Week 9 - Substance Use/Addiction/Reward - Substance Use Disorders Dr. Nierenberg

Week 10 - Somatosenses -Somatosensory pathways -Perception of Pain Dr. Nierenberg

Week 11 - Emotion Dr. Fins

Week 12 - Physiology of stress response -Stress disorders and anxiety disorders Dr. Fins

Week 13 - Psychiatric Disorders (schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder) and their common pharmacological treatments Dr. Matthies

Week 14 - Student panel presentations

Week 15 - Student panel presentations

Week 16 - Student panel presentations