The Brain

1
The Brain

• The Developing Brain
• Parts of the Brain their Function
• Lobes of the Brain
• Split Brain Studies
• Environments affect on Brain
• Brain Plasticity

2
Early Brain Mapping Phrenology

• By studying the lumps on a persons skull, early
  scientists thought that they could map out the
  brain.
• Not accurate
• But did lead to the idea of localization of brain
  functions.

3
The Brainstem
4
Hindbrain Structures

• Cerebellum
• Brainstem
• medulla
• reticular formation
• pons

5
Medulla

• Breathing
• Heart rate
• Digestion
• Other vital reflexes
• swallowing
• coughing
• vomiting
• sneezing

6
Reticular Formation

• Network of neurons in the brainstem (and
  thalamus)
• Sleep and arousal
• Attention

7
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

8
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

9
Midbrain Structures
Middle Region involved in visual auditory
processing.
10
Forebrain Structures

• Thalamus
• Limbic System
• Cortex

11
Thalamus

• Relay station in brain
• Processes most information to and from higher
  brain centers
• Like the Post Office taking incoming messages and
  delivering them

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The Limbic System

• Hypothalamus
• Amygdala
• Hippocampus

13
Parts of the Limbic System

• Amygdala
• Emotional Center of the Brain.
• Deals primarily with fear aggression.

14
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)
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Parts Of The Limbic System

• Hippocampus
• Helps us form new memories.
• What happens when this is damaged? View the
  video of Clive Wearing.

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Parts of the Limbic System

• Hypothalamus
• Provides us with pleasurable feelings for doing
  the things that keep our species alive.

17
Hypothalamus

• Involved in the 4 Fs (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

18
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)

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Hypothalamus and Hormones

• Hypothalamus releases hormones or releasing
  factors which in turn cause pituitary gland to
  release its hormones

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DAILY

• DOUBLE

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What are the 4 Fs that the Hypothalamus
influences?

1. Food
2. Flight
3. Fight
4. Fornication