Physiology of Behaviour
Code: 106067 ECTS Credits: 6| Degree | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Biomedical Sciences | OT | 4 |
Contact
- Name:
- Albert Quintana Romero
- Email:
- albert.quintana@uab.cat
Teachers
- Jordi Pastor Ciurana
- Laura Cutando Ruiz
- Francisco Javier Carrasco Trancoso
- Albert Quintana Romero
Teaching groups languages
You can view this information at the end of this document.
Prerequisites
Have approved the subject of Estructure and Function of the Nervous System
Objectives and Contextualisation
Know the basic concepts of ethology and the theoretical basis of different aspects of behavior in animals and humans
Know the neurobiological substrate that regulates behavior in animals and humans
Identify the keys of the behavior and understand the physiological mechanisms of regulation of the same
Train the student to understand the biological basis of behavioral alterations in animals and humans
Acquire the practical skills necessary to understand, program and carry out experiments related to the physiological regulation of behavior.
Competences
- Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
- Display knowledge of the basic life processes on several levels of organisation: molecular, cellular, tissues, organs, individual and populations.
- Display theoretical and practical knowledge of the major molecular and cellular bases of human and animal pathologies.
- Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
- Read and critically analyse original and review papers on biomedical issues and assess and choose the appropriate methodological descriptions for biomedical laboratory research work.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Work as part of a group with members of other professions, understanding their viewpoint and establishing a constructive collaboration.
Learning Outcomes
- Act with ethical responsibility and respect for fundamental rights and duties, diversity and democratic values.
- Describe the organisation of the cerebral crust and the sensory and motor cortex.
- Make changes to methods and processes in the area of knowledge in order to provide innovative responses to society's needs and demands.
- Students must be capable of applying their knowledge to their work or vocation in a professional way and they should have building arguments and problem resolution skills within their area of study.
- Students must be capable of collecting and interpreting relevant data (usually within their area of study) in order to make statements that reflect social, scientific or ethical relevant issues.
- Students must be capable of communicating information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialised and non-specialised audiences.
- Students must develop the necessary learning skills to undertake further training with a high degree of autonomy.
- Students must have and understand knowledge of an area of study built on the basis of general secondary education, and while it relies on some advanced textbooks it also includes some aspects coming from the forefront of its field of study.
- Take account of social, economic and environmental impacts when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Take sex- or gender-based inequalities into consideration when operating within one's own area of knowledge.
- Understand and critique scientific articles on biomedicine and society.
- Understand the behavioural and cognitive development of the human brain.
- Understand the principal neuronal disorders.
- Work as part of a group with members of other professions, understanding their viewpoint and establishing a constructive collaboration.
Content
1. Foundations of behavioral research
2. Structure and function of the Nervous System
3. Methods and Strategies of Research
4. Neuroendocrine modulation of behavior
5. Sleep and Biological Rhythms
6. Motivation and reinforcement
7. Social behavior
9. Neurobiology of aggressive behavior
10. Reproductive and Parental Behavior
11. Learning and Memory
12. Higher cognitive functions.
Activities and Methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type: Directed | |||
| Laboratory Practices | 12 | 0.48 | |
| Seminars | 8 | 0.32 | |
| Theoretical classes | 32 | 1.28 | |
| Type: Supervised | |||
| Tutorial | 5 | 0.2 | |
| Type: Autonomous | |||
| Problem resolution and analysis of data | 28 | 1.12 | |
| study | 60 | 2.4 |
Theoretical classes:
Systematized exposition of the content of the subject, giving special relevance to the concepts related to the behavior (since they constitute the basis of what will be regulated), to the evolutionary flexibility of the behavior and to the biological mechanisms and areas of the nervous system involved in the regulation of normal and pathological behavior.
Seminars and problems:
Preparation and discussion of topics related to psychiatric pathologies
Practical classes:
Students will carry out various tasks related to learning, memory, biological rhythms, and emotions. The experimental results obtained will be analyzed and discussed during the practical session.
Use of AI:
In this course, the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies is permitted as an integral part of the work development, as long as the final result reflects a significant contribution from the student in terms of analysis and personal reflection. The student must clearly identify which parts were generated using such technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools influenced both the process and the final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI will be considered academic dishonesty and may result in a penalty in the activity's grade or more serious sanctions in severe cases.
Tutorials:
They will be done in a personalized way in the teacher's office (hours to be arranged) or collectively at scheduled times. Their objectives are to clarify doubts and concepts.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Assessment
Continous Assessment Activities
| Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory Practices | 15% | 0.5 | 0.02 | 1, 10, 9, 12, 13, 11, 2, 3, 8, 7, 6, 4, 5, 14 |
| Mid-term exam | 35 % | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 10, 9, 12, 13, 11, 2, 3, 8, 7, 6, 4, 5, 14 |
| Second mid-term | 35 % | 2 | 0.08 | 1, 10, 9, 12, 13, 11, 2, 3, 8, 6, 4, 5 |
| Seminars | 15% | 0.5 | 0.02 | 1, 10, 9, 12, 13, 11, 2, 3, 8, 7, 6, 4, 5, 14 |
The evaluation will be based on theoretical exams (essay questions), seminars, and practical classes. Their contribution to the overall grade will be 70%, 15%, and 15% respectively. Theory, seminars, and practicals will be assessed separately. A minimum score of 4 is required in each part to pass the subject. There will be two partial exams for the theory, each of which must be passed independently with a minimum score of 4 for them to be averaged. In the final exam: (a) if a student takes one part of the subject, they must pass it independently of the grade obtained in the other part; (b) if the student takes the entire exam, the overall grade will be considered.
Attendance at practical sessions is mandatory. Students will receive a "Not Assessable" grade if their absence exceeds 20% of the scheduled sessions. To participate in the re-sit exams, students must have previously been assessed in a set of activities whose weight is equivalent to at least two-thirds of the total grade for the subject or module. Therefore, students will receive a "Not Assessable" grade if the assessment activities they have completed account for less than 67% of the final grade.
Practicals, seminars, and theory will be assessed separately.
The subject adheres to a single evaluation system, which will consist of an exam covering theory and seminars. Attendance at practicals is mandatory, and they will be assessed in the same way as in continuous assessment. The theory evaluation will consist of at least 5 essay questions, and the seminar evaluation will consist of one essay question. The theory exam contributes 70% of the total grade, and the seminar exam contributes 15%.
Bibliography
Eibl-Eibesfeldt I: Etología: introducción al estudio comparado del comportamiento, Ediciones Omega, Barcelona, 1979 (lecture book to understand ethology)
Carlson NR and Birkett MA: Physiology of Behavior, 12 ed., Pearson, 2017 (*)
Kalat JM: Biological Psychology, 10 ed., Cengage Learning, 2018 (*)
Breedlove SM, Watson NV, Rosenzweig MR: Biological Psychology: an introduction to behavioral, cognitive and clinical neuroscience, 10 ed., Sinauer Assoc., 2010
Squires LR et al: Fundamentals Neuroscience, Elsevier, 2013 (*).
Kandel ER et al: Principles of neural science, McGraw Hill, 2013 (*)
(*) Electronic access
Software
We do not use any software
Groups and Languages
Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2025. You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject.
| Name | Group | Language | Semester | Turn |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 141 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |
| (PLAB) Practical laboratories | 141 | Catalan/Spanish | second semester | afternoon |
| (PLAB) Practical laboratories | 143 | Catalan | second semester | afternoon |
| (TE) Theory | 14 | Catalan | second semester | morning-mixed |