Transcript MyersExpPsych7e_IM_Module 04 Garber edits

The Brain
z Module 4
z Slides from Myers, Runyan, McCubbin, and Jones
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Brain Trivia
The average
number of
neurons in
the brain =
100 billion.
A newborn
baby’s brain is as
soft and gooey as
tapioca pudding!
The adult
brain
weighs
about 3
pounds.
The average number of glial cells in the
brain = 10-50 times the number of neurons.
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Techniques to Study the Brain
A brain lesion
experimentally
destroys brain
tissue to study
animal behaviors
after such
destruction.
Hubel (1990)
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I’d rather
have a bottle
in front of me
than a frontal
lobotomy.
Link 5:11
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Electroencephalogram (EEG)
An amplified recording of the electrical waves
sweeping across the brain’s surface, measured
by electrodes placed on the scalp.
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CT (computed tomography) Scan
a series of x-ray
photographs taken from
different angles and
combined by computer
into a composite
representation of a slice
through the body; also
called CAT
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Imaging
Technologies
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PET Scan
Courtesy of National Brookhaven National Laboratories
PET (positron emission
tomography) Scan is a
visual display of brain
activity that detects a
radioactive form of
glucose while the brain
performs a given task.
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PET Scan
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PET Scan
Link PET scan and language 6:26
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MRI (magnetic resonance
imaging)
A technique that uses magnetic
fields and radio waves to produce
computer-generated images that
distinguish among different types of
soft tissue; allows us to see
structures within the brain
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MRI Scan
Link 7:25 twins share brain parts
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fMRI - Functional MRI
Compares MRI scans taken less than
a second apart
Detects blood moving to active parts
of the brain
Shows brain function
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Image shows brain regions
when a participants lies.
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The Brain
 Brainstem
 the oldest part and central core of the brain,
beginning where the spinal cord swells as it
enters the skull
 responsible for automatic survival functions
 Pinky and the Brainstem 1:23
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Brain Stem
The Medulla is the base
of the brainstem that
controls heartbeat and
breathing.
Reticular Formation is a
nerve network in the
brainstem that plays an
important role in
controlling arousal &
attention.
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Brain Stem
The Thalamus is the
brain’s sensory
switchboard, located on
top of the brainstem. It
directs messages to the
sensory areas in the
cortex and transmits
replies to the
cerebellum and
medulla.
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Cerebellum
The “little brain”
attached to the rear of
the brainstem. It helps
coordinate voluntary
movements and
balance.
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The Limbic System
The Limbic System is a
doughnut-shaped system
of neural structures at
the border of the
brainstem and cerebrum,
associated with emotions
such as fear, aggression
and drives for food and
sex. It includes the
hippocampus, amygdala,
and hypothalamus.
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Amygdala
The Amygdala [ah-MIGdah-la] consists of two
almond-shaped neural
clusters linked to the
emotions of fear and
anger.
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Amygdala and Emotion
z Identify emotion from
facial expressions
Amygdala damage
makes this task
difficult
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Figure 2.19 The amygdala
Myers: Psychology, Eighth28
Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Worth Publishers
Hypothalamus
The Hypothalamus lies
below (hypo) the
thalamus.
It directs several
maintenance activities
like eating, drinking,
body temperature, and
control of emotions.
It helps govern the
endocrine system via
the pituitary gland.
"TALE of the
hypothalamus":
Temperature
Appetite
Libido
Emotion
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Reward Center
Sanjiv Talwar, SUNY Downstate
Rats cross an
electrified grid for
self-stimulation when
electrodes are placed
in the reward
(hypothalamus)
center (top picture).
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Mnemonic
z Limbo is your
reward!
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Hippocampus
z Important for
memory
z Damage may cause
anterograde
amnesia
z Link 9:58
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The Cerebral Cortex
z Cerebral Cortex
y the intricate fabric of interconnected neural
cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres
y the body’s ultimate control and information
processing center
z Glial Cells
y cells in the nervous system that are not
neurons but that support, nourish, and
protect neurons
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Figure 2.24 The cerebral cortex
Myers: Psychology, Eighth34
Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Worth Publishers
Structure of the Cortex
Each brain hemisphere is divided into four lobes
that are separated by prominent fissures.
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Mnemonic video
z http://www.thepsychfiles.com/2008/09/ep
isode-72-video-memorize-the-parts-ofthe-brain/
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The Cerebral Cortex
z Frontal Lobes
y involved in speaking and muscle movements and in
making plans and judgments
z Parietal Lobes
y include the sensory cortex
z Occipital Lobes
y include the visual areas, which receive visual
information from the opposite visual field
z Temporal Lobes
y include the auditory areas
Link Frontal lobe
development at PBS
13:33
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The Cerebral Cortex
z Motor Cortex
y area at the rear of the frontal lobes that
controls voluntary movements
z Sensory Cortex
y area at the front of the parietal lobes
that registers and processes body
sensations
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The Cerebral Cortex
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Visual and Auditory
Cortex
Visual
cortex
Auditory
cortex
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The Visual Cortex
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Visual Function
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Association Areas
z areas of the
cerebral cortex
that are not
involved in
primary motor or
sensory
functions
z involved in
higher mental
functions.
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Link Phineas Gage at
Learner.org 13:14
Link Phineas Gage at
PBS 8:50
Phineas Gage
Figure 4.16 Phineas Gage reconsidered
Myers: Exploring Psychology, Seventh Edition In Modules
Copyright © 2008 by Worth Publishers
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The Cerebral Cortex
Aphasia
impairment of language, usually caused by left
hemisphere damage either to Broca’s area
(impairing speaking) or to Wernicke’s area
(impairing understanding)
Broca’s Area
Link
an area of the left frontal lobe that directs the
muscle movements involved in speech
Wernicke’s Area
Link
an area of the left temporal lobe involved in
language comprehension Link 7:44
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Mnemonics
I don’t understand Wernicke.
"Broca": your speech machinery is Broken.
· Broca is wanting to speak, but articulation doesn't work,
and very slow.
"Wer-nick": "were" and "nick" are both words of English
language, but together they are nonsensical.
· Wernick is having good articulation, but saying words
that don't make sense together.
---Robert O'Connor University College Dublin
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Specialization and
Integration
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Specialization & Integration
Brain activity when hearing, seeing, and
speaking words
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The Brain’s Plasticity
The brain is sculpted by our genes but also by our
experiences.
Plasticity refers to the brain’s
ability to modify itself after some
type of injury or illness.
Link
Half a brain at PBS
Hydrocephaly at Learner.org
Link 44:11
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Split Brain
 a condition in which
the two hemispheres
of the brain are
isolated by cutting
the corpus Callosum.
 Sperry and
Gazzaniga are key
researchers in this
area.
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Our Divided Brain
Our brain is divided into two hemispheres.
The left hemisphere processes reading, writing,
speaking, mathematics, and comprehension
skills.
In the 1960s, it was termed as the dominant
brain.
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Split Brain Patients
With the corpus callosum severed, objects
(apple) presented in the right visual field
can be named. Objects (pencil) in the left
visual field cannot.
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Fun with your Hemispheres
z Rotate your dominant hand in one direction while at
the same time rotating the opposite foot in the other
direction.
y No problem since controlled by two hemispheres
z Now, rotate your dominant hand in one direction
while at the same time rotating the foot on the same
side in the other direction.
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Split Brain
“What word
did you see?”
or
“Look at the dot.”
Two words separated
by a dot are
momentarily projected.
“Point with
your left
hand to the
word you
saw.”
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Figure 2.38 Try this!
Myers: Psychology, Eighth62
Edition
Copyright © 2007 by Worth Publishers
Split brain links
z http://www.learner.org/vod/vod_
window.html?pid=1573
z http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ZMLzP1VCANo
z http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=k09bvGv0roo&feature=related
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Non-Split Brains
Our brains are lateralized.
A number of brain scan studies show
normal individuals engage their right
brain when completing a spatial,
artistic or musical task and their left
brain when carrying out a linguistic
or logical task. The Divided Brain on TED 11:48
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Link Gender
Diff at Nat. Geo
4:46
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Unnumbered 2.1 Which one is happier?
Myers: Psychology, Eighth Edition68
Copyright © 2007 by Worth Publishers
Brain Organization &
Handedness
Is handedness inherited? Yes. Archival and
historic studies, as well as modern medical
studies, show that the right hand is preferred.
This suggests genes and/or prenatal factors
influence handedness.
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Is it ok to be Left Handed?
The percentage of left-handed individuals
decreases sharply in samples of older people.
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Scientist suffers a stroke
z http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor
_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html 18:41
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VS Ramchandran on the
connection between brain
tissue and the mind
z http://www.ted.com/talks/vilayanur_rama
chandran_on_your_mind.html
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Plasticity at google talks
1:05.21
z http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tRdD
qXgsJ0&feature=related&safety_mode=tr
ue&persist_safety_mode=1&safe=active
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