Quantitative Human Physiology: An Introduction, winner of a 2018 Textbook Excellence Award (Texty), is the first text to meet the needs of the undergraduate bioengineering student who is being exposed to physiology for the first time, but requires a more analytical/quantitative approach. This book explores how component behavior produces system behavior in physiological systems. Through text explanation, figures, and equations, it provides the engineering student with a basic understanding of physiological principles with an emphasis on quantitative aspects.
Zooplankton is a major work of reference for researchers in plankton biology, physiology and behavior, which combines behavioral and psychological approaches to the study of plankton on present and interdisciplinary investigation of sensory processes in pelagic environments. The breadth of perspective thus achieved provides valuable insights into the larger scale ecological processes of biological productivity, community structure and population dynamics.
Technological advances in almost all aspects of biological research have opened up opportunities for a re-examination of the sensory ecology of planktonic organisms. In this wide-ranging collection, leading researchers in planktonic behavior and physiology address the rapidly developing interface between these two major areas. The studies presented range from the laboratory to the field and from the cell to the whole organism, but share the common goal of understanding the special sensory world of organisms that live in pelagic environments and how their behavior and physiology relate to it.
As new technology fuels the rapid growth of research in psychophysiology, it is essential that those new to the field receive a comprehensive introduction. Psychophysiology: Human Behavior and Physiological Response provides students with elementary information regarding the anatomy and physiology of various body systems, recording techniques, integrative reviews of literature, and concepts in the field. Highly accessible, this book fills a gap between edited handbooks that are often difficult for beginners, and journal articles that may also be a challenge to digest.
In this new edition, John L. Andreassi incorporates:
*a glossary of terms at the end of each chapter to help students learn definitions of novel terms introduced throughout the book;
*a new chapter focusing on the proliferation of neuroimaging studies, including positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); and
*content changes in all chapters to cover new areas of research, as well as to update findings in traditional topics of interest.
Upper level undergraduate and beginning graduate students in psychophysiology, biological psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and physiological psychology will benefit immensely from this important text, just as professionals new to psychophysiology will find this book exceptionally useful in their work.
Serotonin has been implicated in practically every type of behavior, such as appetitive, emotional, motor, cognitive and autonomic. However, from a physiological perspective, it is not clear whether 5-HT affects such behaviors specifically or more generally by coordinating the activity of the nervous system, particularly to set the tone of activity in conjunction with the amount of arousal.
Perturbation of the 5-HT system by different types of drugs can elicit alterations in behaviors. Drugs affecting serotonergic neurons and their receptors are used to treat diseases such as depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia. In part because of this, 5-HT also has been speculated to be involved specifically in the regulation of all types of behaviors and physiological processes. The possible involvement of 5-HT in three areas, neuroendocrine function, circadian rhythms and feeding behavior, will be highlighted for illustrative purposes.
The possible involvement of 5-HT in feeding behavior has been an active area of research for many years. Pharmacological studies have contributed primarily to the idea that 5-HT has an inhibitory effect on feeding behavior. Drugs that either directly or indirectly activate postsynaptic 5-HT receptors decrease food consumption, whereas agents that inhibit serotonergic transmission increase food intake. Precisely how this occurs is controversial, with claims that 5-HT governs the selection of macronutrients in the diet, influences responses to the taste qualities of food or modulates gastric activity to reduce feeding. Perhaps the most comprehensive and enduring view is that enhanced serotonergic activity enhances satiety, particularly by increasing the rate of satiation and prolonging the state of satiety [32].
The pharmacological effects produced by drugs such as fenfluramine on feeding behavior in animals have led to its use in the treatment of obesity in humans. In many double-blind, placebo-controlled trials, chronic administration of fenfluramine causes greater weight loss than placebo. Although not as extensively studied clinically, fluoxetine produces similar effects. Weight gain occurs when fenfluramine is stopped, which indicates that the weight loss was related to its administration [33]. Given all of the medical problems associated with obesity, anorectic agents are valuable tools to be used in association with other modalities, such as diet and exercise, in the treatment of the truly obese individual.
The exact physiological and behavioral effects of melatonin in humans are unclear. Such effects primarily result from the actions of melatonin on the SCN to influence the timing of circadian rhythms. The effects of melatonin are mediated by its activation of specific receptors. Two mammalian receptors for melatonin have been cloned [35], both of which belong to the G protein-coupled receptor family. A third subtype has been cloned from chickens but not yet in mammals. The melatonin1A receptor is expressed in the hypophyseal pars tuberalis (PT) and the SCN, presumed sites of the reproductive and circadian effects of melatonin. The human melatonin1B receptor is 60% identical to, and exhibits similarity in, its pharmacological profile and second-messenger coupling to the melatonin1A receptor. It is found most abundantly in retina and to a lesser extent in brain. It has not been detected in the PT or the SCN. It seems likely that the ability of melatonin to act in the retina to affect some light-dependent functions, such as photopigment disc shedding and phagocytosis, may be due to its activation of the melatonin1B receptor.
For courses in Physiological/Biopsychology
Physiology of Behavior provides a scholarly yet accessible portrait of the dynamic interaction between biology and behaviour. Lead author Neil Carlson and new co-author Melissa Birkett drew upon their experience teaching and working with students to create the new edition of this comprehensive and accessible guide for students of behavioral neuroscience. In addition to updated research, the 12th Edition offers an updated art and visual program and a more robust learning architecture that highlights key concepts, guiding students through the text.