Biopsychology

3. Glutamate—there is a tentative link between glutamate levels and diseases like obsessive compulsive disorder, autism, depression, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and both Parkinson disease and

Alzheimer’s disease.

BIOPSYCHOLOGY

Biopsychology is also referred to as psychobiology, behavioral neuroscience, and biological psychology. It focuses mainly on the interplay between biology and psychological phenomena. Early biological psychologists include William James, Charles Bell, and William Harvey.

A great deal of research takes place in the field of biopsychology. Many of these research experiments involve animals like mice, rats, and monkeys because they can be studied better from a biological perspective.

Much of the research is related to experimental psychology, in which there are experiments performed that involve independent and dependent variables. In some cases, lesions are created in the animal brain in order to describe a behavioral response. Electrical stimulation can also be used to enhance certain brain areas in order to observe a response. Neural and motor responses in animals can also be measured.

The ultimate goal in doing this kind of research is to help uncover the biological basis of many psychiatric and psychological disorders. Through biopsychology research, diseases like Parkinson s disease, Huntington disease, schizophrenia, autism, and depression can be better understood.