PSYC 388 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Circadian Clock, Autoradiograph, Active Transport
17 Oct 2020
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Psyc 388 - lecture 6 - from black box models to neural mechanisms. In simplest form, circadian system in any organism must contain at least 3 elements. Outputs from oscillator that drive rhythms in biological functions of organism. Input-oscillator-output components can be represented as 3 black boxes. By observing behaviours of animals & manipulating their environments, we can identify additional features of circadian rhythms that require representation in conceptual model. Black box models - seek to represent all of components of circadian system needed to explain observable rhythms. Goal as behavioural neuroscientists - understand how behaviour generated by operations of brain. Approach to understanding biology of behaviour is systematic. Start by taking careful observations of behaviour to define exactly what it is we need to explain. In case of circadian rhythms, need to explain. Black box models - help us specify in concrete terms the elements that must exist in brain to explain behavioural rhythmicity.
