APSARA KATUWAL DANGOL
Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology is based on the study of structure and function of the brain. Also, it relates to psychological processes and behaviors in human and animals. It deals with understanding the patterns of cognition and works for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorder. In different settings, neuropsychologist work. It can be in a research setting, forensic setting, and clinical setting.
History of Neuropsychology
The history of neuropsychology has been traced from Third Dynasty of Ancient Egypt. It is assumed that it was started even earlier. This term is new in the field of psychology. But in 1980, Kolb and Whishaw published a very important book named Fundamental of Human Neuropsychology.In ancient time, people used to think if there is anything wrong, that it was taken the person has unacceptable behavior as he is cursed by God and spirits and almost everything was understood from the religious point of view. But with time, it was cleared that brain is not useless part of the body but it is the one which affects our behaviors.
Imhotep
Hippocrates
Hippocrates was the one who opened the door for the scientists to explore the brain which affects behavior. He said that "The brain exercises the greatest power in man" connecting both brain and behavior of the body. And then scientist also tried to focus on normal and abnormal behaviors. He was the one who introduced a man with the concept of mind.
Rene Descartes is a philosopher and he is well known in the field of medicine and psychology. He is well known for his work mind-body problem. But it was taken that his work lacks scientific reason. Besides that, he introduced pineal gland of the brain as seat of soul and he also provided concept regarding dualism. He was convinced that mind controls body but the body also can influence the mind. This concept helped other psychologists to look over the brain and it was cleared that the capability of man is not just to react but can think in rational and organized manner. Medical community though discarded concept but later on focused on the treatment of dysfunctional mind.
Thomas Wills
During the mid of 17th century, Thomas Wills (studied in Oxford University) used physiological approach to brain and behavior. He coined Hemisphere and lobe concept which referred to the brain. He concluded that higher structures with complex functions and lower structures with simple functions related to animals. as he was interested in people who were suffering from manic disorders and hysteria, his research connected both psychiatry and neurology to study individuals. He also concluded that automated responses like breathing, heartbeat, and motor activities were carried out by lower region of the brain. His research made pioneers to build up theories while looking for the dysfunctional mind.
Franz Joseph Gall
Franz Joseph Gall, a neuroanatomist, and physiologist theorized features and structure of the brain can relate one's personality. The shape of the skull can determine the intelligence and personality, this concept was an invention of phrenology which was his major contribution in the field of neuroscience. But there were so many debates as he was often found wrong in his predictions. He was also asked to study Rene Descartes skull where he determined subject has a limited capacity of reasoning and higher cognition.Though there were debated made by other pioneers, still, his work is considered a firm foundation in neuropsychology field.
Jean-Baptiste Bouillaud
A physician, Bouillad supported the idea that a skull can determine the level of intelligence. He focused on the cortical regions of the brain.As he was more interested in speech, he wrote on the basis of the anterior region of the brain. He put his ideas through many publications and concluded that the different part of the brain is responsible for completion of speech and how we understand. It took a long time to accept his discovery.
Paul Broca
Broca is the first to break away ideas from the study of phrenology. He was committed to the study of speech, where he wants to identify how speech is understood and produced.He discovered that left hemisphere of the brain helps in articulation and understanding of speech. Because of him, Neuropsychology is taken as a respectable discipline.
Karl Spencer Lashley
Lashley was often told as racist but he has also contributed in the field of Neuropsychology. His book Brain Mechanisms and Intelligence has focused on his theory of the Engram. Engram deals with the part of the brain where specific memory was stored. He researched using rats where he used to train a rat to learn a maze and later used to remove sections of cortical tissues using systemic lesions. The result was forgetting was dependent on a number of tissues removed but not from where it removed which was said as Mass Action. He also discovered Equipotential. Equipotential is the phenomena where a portion of the functional area could carry the role of the entire area though rest of area was removed.
Neuropsychology is not just initiation of one pioneer, many pioneers have dedicated hundred of years to make it stable discipline so that one can understand about the brain and its functions and how it affects our behaviors.
Neuropsychology
Neuropsychology is based on the study of structure and function of the brain. Also, it relates to psychological processes and behaviors in human and animals. It deals with understanding the patterns of cognition and works for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorder. In different settings, neuropsychologist work. It can be in a research setting, forensic setting, and clinical setting.
History of Neuropsychology
Back from 3500 B.C., Imhotep was a priest and first physician who focused on scientific things rather than a magical approach to medicine and disease. In his writings, he has focused on abnormalities, trauma and their remedies and detailed information of brain and rest of body. But Egyptians didn't support brain as the seat of locus of control but accepted heart as the seat of soul.
Hippocrates was the one who opened the door for the scientists to explore the brain which affects behavior. He said that "The brain exercises the greatest power in man" connecting both brain and behavior of the body. And then scientist also tried to focus on normal and abnormal behaviors. He was the one who introduced a man with the concept of mind.
Rene Descartes
Rene Descartes is a philosopher and he is well known in the field of medicine and psychology. He is well known for his work mind-body problem. But it was taken that his work lacks scientific reason. Besides that, he introduced pineal gland of the brain as seat of soul and he also provided concept regarding dualism. He was convinced that mind controls body but the body also can influence the mind. This concept helped other psychologists to look over the brain and it was cleared that the capability of man is not just to react but can think in rational and organized manner. Medical community though discarded concept but later on focused on the treatment of dysfunctional mind.
Thomas Wills
During the mid of 17th century, Thomas Wills (studied in Oxford University) used physiological approach to brain and behavior. He coined Hemisphere and lobe concept which referred to the brain. He concluded that higher structures with complex functions and lower structures with simple functions related to animals. as he was interested in people who were suffering from manic disorders and hysteria, his research connected both psychiatry and neurology to study individuals. He also concluded that automated responses like breathing, heartbeat, and motor activities were carried out by lower region of the brain. His research made pioneers to build up theories while looking for the dysfunctional mind.
Franz Joseph Gall
Franz Joseph Gall, a neuroanatomist, and physiologist theorized features and structure of the brain can relate one's personality. The shape of the skull can determine the intelligence and personality, this concept was an invention of phrenology which was his major contribution in the field of neuroscience. But there were so many debates as he was often found wrong in his predictions. He was also asked to study Rene Descartes skull where he determined subject has a limited capacity of reasoning and higher cognition.Though there were debated made by other pioneers, still, his work is considered a firm foundation in neuropsychology field.
Jean-Baptiste Bouillaud
A physician, Bouillad supported the idea that a skull can determine the level of intelligence. He focused on the cortical regions of the brain.As he was more interested in speech, he wrote on the basis of the anterior region of the brain. He put his ideas through many publications and concluded that the different part of the brain is responsible for completion of speech and how we understand. It took a long time to accept his discovery.
Paul Broca
Broca is the first to break away ideas from the study of phrenology. He was committed to the study of speech, where he wants to identify how speech is understood and produced.He discovered that left hemisphere of the brain helps in articulation and understanding of speech. Because of him, Neuropsychology is taken as a respectable discipline.
Karl Spencer Lashley
Lashley was often told as racist but he has also contributed in the field of Neuropsychology. His book Brain Mechanisms and Intelligence has focused on his theory of the Engram. Engram deals with the part of the brain where specific memory was stored. He researched using rats where he used to train a rat to learn a maze and later used to remove sections of cortical tissues using systemic lesions. The result was forgetting was dependent on a number of tissues removed but not from where it removed which was said as Mass Action. He also discovered Equipotential. Equipotential is the phenomena where a portion of the functional area could carry the role of the entire area though rest of area was removed.
Neuropsychology is not just initiation of one pioneer, many pioneers have dedicated hundred of years to make it stable discipline so that one can understand about the brain and its functions and how it affects our behaviors.
About Writer
Apsara Katuwal Dangol, is writer, educator, and psychosocial counselor. She writes articles which covers topics related to general and developmental psychology. She teaches to MA Clinical Psychology students as Developmental Psychology Mentor at Tri-Chandra College, and General Psychology at Shubhashree College of Management.
References:
Neuropsychology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neuropsychology
Paul Broca's Picture
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Broca
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