Biological Approach

Localization:

  • Corkin: Study on HM using MRI to scan his hippocampus.

  • Milner: Longitudinal Study on HM, showed his anterograde amnesia. Showed his inability to create declarative memory, and defined the role of the hippocampus on memory.

Neuroplasticity:

  • Maguire: Correlated London Taxi drivers and the size of their posteriror hippocampus size using MRI.

  • Draganski: Correlated juggling and size of mid-temporal lobe. Demonstrated neural pruning.

Neurotransmission:

  • Roger and Kesner: An animal study on the effect of scopolamine on acetylcholine and formation of new spatial memory.

  • Antonova: Using MRI showed that acetylcholine is concentrated in the hippocampus and is responsible for the creation of new spatial memory.

  • Sperling: Using FMRI and name face association task to demonstrate the effect of scopolamine and lorazepam on the activation of the hippocampus and performance on the task.

Hormones:

  • Kosfeld: Confusing study investigating oxytocin and trusting behavior between investors and trustees.

  • De Dreu: Showed that oxytocin will result in a reduced sacrifice of ingroup members in trolly problem.

  • Romero: DOGGO study, showed oxytocin leads to more interactions with humans.

Pheromones:

  • Zhou: Showed AND signals masculinity to heterosexual females and homosexual males while EST signals femininity to heterosexual males. Point Light Walker Task.

  • Lundstrom and Olsson: Showed AND improves sexual attractiveness and mood of the opposite sex.

  • Hare: Showed AND and EST do not affect attractiveness or unfaithfulness.

Evolution:

  • Wedekind: Smelly T-shirt study, showed humans are more attracted to those who are genetically more dissimilar.

  • Clark and Hatfield: Showed men are more eager for sex and women are more eager for love and commitment.

Genetics:

  • Caspi: Showed that the 5HTT gene needs major life events to activate and have an effect.

  • Weissman: Showed that depression can be genetically inherited for 3 generations.

  • Klein: Showed immediate family is more likely to develop mental illnesses if a family member has such illness.

HL Animal Studies:

  • Meaney: Groomed mice are better at handling stress. Epigenetics.

  • Carroll: 5HTT KO mice displayed depression-related behavior in tests.