Psychology 2221B Lecture 5: Chapter 5; Biopsych

• School: Western University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: Psychology 2221B
• Professor: Shelley Cross- Mellor

Document Summary

Goals of research in behavioural neuroscience: assess how different brain areas control behaviour, determine which cells and chemicals are involved in behaviour, measure activity of neurons in conjunction with behaviour. There are many techniques to allow us to do these things use multiple approaches: converging operations. To prepare nervous tissue for examination under the microscope: histology. Flush blood from animal"s body using saline: use animals heart to flush away everything, perfusion, fixation: Must make it hard to hold it. Chemicals (formalin) stabilize tissue to prevent disintegration after death. Embed brain in wax or another supporting medium (freeze) Slice very thin and mount each slice on a microscope slide. But sectioned brain tissue is nearly transparent visualizing requires stain. Staining to see structure: different dyes adhere to different cells or parts of nervous system. In the late 1800"s franz nissl discovered that methylene blue would stain.