Psychobiology is the merging of fields within psychology and biology.  Behavior results from activity in the brain, and  psychobiology defines brain behavior relationships.  Traditionally, the study of behavior has been the domain of psychology, and its explanation has always involved factors related to the brain.  The disciplines of psychobiology and neuroscience are similar because each seek to understand the brain, and some would suggest that the disciplines are the same.  Psychobiology and neuroscience involves studies of evolution and natural selection, comparative studies and taxonomy, anatomy and physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, biophysics, and all aspects of neurobiology.  Because of this, studies in psychobiology and neuroscience are difficult for students and require a wide variety of educational resources related to the brain sciences.

Principles of Psychobiology is  an interactive study guide developed for introductory psychobiology, neuroscience, or biology students.  The software is intended to provide an educational resource to students who are interested in further understanding the brain sciences, psychobiology, and the neurosciences.  Psychobiology and neuroscience courses typically use a textbook study guide for students.  However, study guides do not allow students to manipulate concepts in psychobiology and neuroscience so that they can observe the concepts in operation.  Courses in psychobiology and neuroscience  also may use separate resources for students to study brain anatomy, such as coloring books.  Principles of Psychobiology is both an interactive study-guide and a drawing tool that is used to learn brain anatomy and the core principles of psychobiology and neuroscience.

The programs cover the following topics in psychobiology, neuroscience, anatomy, and the brain sciences:

Principles of Psychobiology: Cell biology, biophysics, and resting potential
Cell Biology - Organelles, CNS glia and common synaptology.
Biophysics -  Current; Background, Equipment; membrane. Voltage; Background, Neural Circuits,  Membrane. RC Effects; Background, Equipment, Time Constants.
Resting Potential - Chemical and Electrostatic forces; channel Tutor, Ion Concentrations, Nernst Potential, Goldman Equation, Ion animation (equilibrium), Ion Cloud Model. Psychobiology and Neuroscience core topics.

Principles of Psychobiology: Action potential
Action Potential -  Goldman Equation, Ion Concentrations, Ion Flow Animation, Channel Timing and effects of toxins/poisons of activation/inactivation gates.  Refractory States.  psychobiology and neuroscience core topics.

Principles of Psychobiology: Membrane conduction, including decremental and regenerative conduction
Membrane Conduction -  Decremental Conduction, Length Constant, Synaptology, "Make it Work", Altered States, Regenerative Conduction, Influence of Myelin.  Stimulation experiments with decremental and regenerative (saltatory) conduction; manipulation of conduction by changes in passive elements (Rm / Rl).   psychobiology and neuroscience core topics.

Principles of Psychobiology: Post-synaptic potentials and neurotransmission. Introductory neurochemistry
Post-Synaptic Potentials -  Goldman Equation, neurotransmission including Degradative Enzymes, Re-uptake Mechanisms, Storage/Release, receptor Poisons/Toxins, Animation of Chemical neurotransmission, Thresholds for action potentials, Temporal Summation Experiments, Gap Junctions.  psychobiology and neuroscience core topic.

Principles of Psychobiology: Introductory Anatomy of the Human Brain
Explore the Brain - Opening Screen:  Anatomy of Telencephalon; neocortex, basal ganglia, amygdala, hippocampus. Diencephalon, Midbrain, Hindbrain, Spinal Cord.  The Basic Plan of the Chordate Brain, Vascular System; Arterial Plan, Review Planes and Directions.
Neocortex - Architecture; Connections of the neocortex; Association/Commissural Pathways, Brodmann's Scheme, Cortical cell Morphology and Columns, Corticospinal and Corticobulbar Motor Systems, Alzheimer's Disease.
Amygdala -  Anatomy, Connections of the amygdala and Functions.
Basal Ganglia -  Anatomy, Connections of the basal ganglia and Functions; Altered States: Parkinson's disease.
Hippocampus -  Anatomy, Connections of the hippocampus and Functions. Perforant Pathway Animation.
Thalamus and Hypothalamus - Anatomy, Connections of the thalamus/hypothalamus and Functions. Specific and Non-specific thalamic nuclei and neocortical Targets.
Midbrain - Anatomy, Connections and Functions of the midbrain. Rubrospinal System, Altered States - Parkinson's Disease: Clinical Attempts at Treatment; Enrichment, Transplants, Stimulation.
Medulla - Anatomy, Connections and functions of the medulla. cerebellum; Major Circuits, cranial nerves.
Spinal Cord - Anatomy, Connections and Functions of the spinal cord.  Autonomic Nervous System.
All anatomy modules utilize detailed human coronal sections. Segregation of information presentation into sensory, motor, and integrative schemes.
psychobiology and Neuroscience core topics.

Principles of Psychobiology: Neurochemical anatomy
Neurochemical Anatomy - Organization of classical transmitters in the brain. Criteria for classical transmitters, synthesis/degradation, illustration of synthesis / degradation. Illustration of experiments involving immunological, autoradiographic, and lesion manipulations. Detailed coverage of brain classical transmitter systems summarized from Handbook of Neurochemical Anatomy.  psychobiology and neuroscience core topics.

Principles of Psychobiology: Sensory transduction including vision, audition, somatosensation, gustation, and olfaction
Sensory Transduction and Receptor Systems - Receptor anatomy and transduction: adequate stimuli, range fractionation, thresholds, theories of coding, and power law relationships. 5 separate modules on vision, audition, somatosensation, gustation, and olfaction. Major themes of transduction mechanisms at the membrane, receptive fields, "best responses", intensity coding, quality coding, CNS connections, and clinical observations following damage. Variety of receptor anatomy illustrations and experiments.

Principles of Psychobiology: Student Resources
Student Resources: Psychobiology Help with Active Glossary, Notebook; module reviews and practice exams, Exam editor (formal exam archive must be decompressed using password provided by faculty member), Macroscope Viewer with high resolution color coronal sections of the forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain and spinal cord, Lab Draw with "coloring book" feature, Student Resource, answer key to Notebook practice exams. (see Features page for details on these resources)

Our software is provided on CD-ROM, which includes a student manual, Help Files and all Student Program accessories.  The price is $24.95 USD.  Our secure order page is http://www.redreef.com/border.html   Press this link to access our e-mail form for rapid correspondence or  FAX us at (561) 735-3856.