Transcript Frontal Lobe - cloudfront.net

Middle School Communications
THE HUMAN BRAIN
Lobes of the Cerebrum
The frontal lobe is located at the front of the brain and is associated with reasoning, motor skills, higher
level cognition, and expressive language Damage to the frontal lobe can lead to changes in socialization
and attention as well as increased risk-taking.
The parietal lobe is located in the middle section of the brain and is associated with processing tactile
sensory information such as pressure, touch, and pain. Damage to the parietal lobe can result in
problems with verbal memory, an impaired ability to control eye gaze and problems with language
The occipital lobe is located at the back portion of the brain and is associated with interpreting visual
stimuli and information. Damage to this lobe can cause visual problems such as difficulty recognizing
objects, an inability to identify colors, and trouble recognizing words.
The temporal lobe is located on the bottom section of the brain. This lobe is also the location of the
primary auditory cortex, which is important for interpreting sounds and the language we hear. The
hippocampus is also located in the temporal lobe, which is why this portion of the brain is also heavily
associated with the formation of memories. Damage to the temporal lobe can lead to problems with
memory speech perception and language skills.
The cerebellum is located at the bottom base of the brain. This structure is associated with regulation
and coordination of movement, posture, and balance. Damages to your cerebellum might lead to the
disturbances in your muscle coordinate and balance.
Medulla Oblongata is located at the lowest section of the brain. This structure controls a number of
autonomic functions, including heartbeat and breathing, making it a very critical part of the brain.
Damage to the medulla oblongata can be fatal, as the patient will be unable to breathe, swallow, or
perform other basic motor functions without assistance.
BIG BRAIN IDEAS
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Learning requires work.
Work is described as the chemicals and electrical energy necessary to make changes in
the brain.
To learn we must cause neurons to fire
“Firing “ refers to the electrical energy that must move across a neural network for
learning to occur.
Brain plasticity is a term which is used to refer the brain's unique ability to constantly
change, grow, and remap itself over the course of a lifetime
Working memory is characterized by a small capacity. It is thought to hold up to
four elements of new information at one time.
Thalamus functions are sensory processing and movement. The thalamus
functions as a relay station between the brain and the spinal cord. If you
experience sensations such as pain, pressure, or temperature, you have your
thalamus to thank! Senses such as taste, sight, sound, and touch also must pass
through the thalamus as they make their first stops in the brain.
Brain Waves
Beta 12-150 cycle/sec.
Divides focus to agitated state
•
The Beta state is associated with peak concentration, heightened alertness, hand eye coordination and visual acuity.
•
The ability to do two things at once.
(example: fold laundry and talk on the phone/read aloud)
Alpha 8-12 cycle/sec.
Relaxed state
Optimal for learning
Best ways to prepare yourself for the “alpha state.”
•
Soothing music
•
Sit comfortably or lie down
•
Closing eyes
•
Perform a number of deep breaths
Theta
4-8 cycles/sec.
Just before bed
Processing state
•
Processes information from the day and stores what it thinks is important to certain memory banks.
Encodes long term learning
•
Teachers 5 minutes
Delta
0-4 cycle/sec.
Deep sleep
Cells are replenished and nourished
Cells repair
What Is a Neuron?
A neuron is a nerve cell that is the basic building
block of the nervous system. Neurons are similar
to other cells in the human body in a number of
ways, but there is one key difference between
neurons and other cells. Neurons are specialized
to transmit information throughout the body.
Neurons
Neurons are specialized cells which
send messages with the use of
chemical impulses sent across a space
called the synapse. There are a
number of different types of neurons,
but all share the traits of having
dendrites and axons, and the signals
they send pass one way only, entering
at the dendrites through receptors
which respond to specific
neurotransmitters and exiting at the
axon. These cells also reset very
rapidly after a signal has been passed
along, so that they are ready for the
next chemical impulse when it arrives.
Dendrites
• The term “dendrite” comes from the Greek word for
“tree,” reflecting the distinctively tree-like structure of
the dendrites.
• Dendrites are an important part of nerve cells. The
dendrites are responsible for picking up information
from neighboring neurons and transmitting this
information to the cell body, also known as the soma.
• The soma, the cell body, passes information along
the axon, another structure in the nerve cell.
• The axon in turn transmits signals to the dendrites of
neighboring neurons. Myelin sheath protects the
nerves and helps ensure signal transmission.
• This entire process occurs in a fraction of a second,
allowing neurons to respond extremely rapidly to a
wide variety of signals.
The axon terminal contains synapses
where neurotransmitters are releases
for communication with other
neurons.
Synapse is the tiny space between the
axon terminal of one neuron and the
dendrites of another neuron.