Transcript The Brain - Grand Haven Area Public Schools

The Brain
•The Developing Brain
•Parts of the Brain & their Function
•Lobes of the Brain
•Split Brain Studies
•Environment’s affect on Brain
•Brain Plasticity
Early Brain Mapping:
Phrenology
• By studying the
lumps on a person’s
skull, early scientists
thought that they
could map out the
brain.
• Not accurate
• But did lead to the
idea of localization of
brain functions.
The Brainstem
Hindbrain Structures
• Cerebellum
• Brainstem
– medulla
– reticular formation
– pons
Medulla
•Breathing
•Heart rate
•Digestion
•Other vital reflexes
–swallowing
–coughing
–vomiting
–sneezing
Reticular Formation
• Network of
neurons in the
brainstem (and
thalamus)
• Sleep and arousal
• Attention
Pons
• Helps coordinate
movements on
left and right
sides of the body
– e.g., postural
reflexes which
help you maintain
balance while
standing or
moving
Cerebellum
• Word actually means
“little brain”
• Coordinated, rapid
voluntary movements
– e.g., playing the piano,
kicking, throwing, etc.
• Place where procedural
memories are kept.
– e.g. how to ride a bike,
swim
• Lesions to cerebellum
– jerky, exaggerated
movements
– difficulty walking
– loss of balance
– shaking hands
Midbrain Structures
Middle Region involved
in visual & auditory
processing.
Forebrain Structures
• Thalamus
• Limbic
System
• Cortex
Thalamus
• Relay station in
brain
• Processes most
information to
and from higher
brain centers
• Like the Post
Office taking
incoming
messages and
delivering them
The Limbic System
• Hypothalamus
• Amygdala
• Hippocampus
Parts of the Limbic System
Amygdala
• Emotional
Center of the
Brain.
• Deals primarily
with fear &
aggression.
Amygdala and Emotion
• Identify emotion from
facial expressions
• Plays a role in fear &
aggression
Amygdala damage
makes this task
difficult
(click on picture to advance photos)
Parts Of The Limbic System
Hippocampus
• Helps us form
new memories.
• What happens
when this is
damaged? View
the video of Clive
Wearing.
Parts of the Limbic System
Hypothalamus
• Provides us
with
pleasurable
feelings for
doing the
things that
keep our
species alive.
Hypothalamus
• Involved in the 4 F’s (1. Food, 2. Flight, 3.
Fight, 4. Fornication)
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
sexual behavior
hunger, thirst
sleep
water and salt balance
body temperature regulation
circadian rhythms
role in hormone secretion
Hypothalamus – Pleasure Center of the Brain
• Rat with an electrode implanted in a reward center of
its hypothalamus, See some actual footage of this.
• Rat readily crosses an electrified grid, accepting the
painful shocks, to press a lever that sends electrical
impulses to its "pleasure centers."
• How often did the rat press the lever in an hour?
• 7,000 times!!! It finally collapsed from exhaustion
(Olds 1958)
Hypothalamus and Hormones
Hypothalamus
releases hormones
or releasing factors
which in turn
cause pituitary
gland to release
its hormones
DAILY
DOUBLE
What are the 4 F’s that the
Hypothalamus influences?
1.
2.
3.
4.
Food
Flight
Fight
Fornication