Early research on the brain

1. Early research on the brain • “Mind/body” question in philosophy • Dualism (Descartes) vs. monism • Phrenology • Franz Gall • Johann Casper Spurzheim • First global theory of how the brain works

2. Assumptions of Phrenology • The brain is the organ of the mind • “Faculties” (skills) are localized to specific brain areas • The more one has of a particular skill, the larger the brain area that corresponds to it • The size of the brain region will be indicated by bumps or depressions on the skull

3. New Ways of Studying the Brain • Pierre Flourens • Lesioned brains of animals to see effect on behavior (method of ablation) • Discovered devastating effects of cerebral cortex damage, regardless of location • Clinical Methods: Phineas Gage • Paul Broca • Studied patient “Tan” who lost ability to speak following brain damage • Discovered “Broca’s area” in frontal lobe

4. More research on the brain • Electrical stimulation studies • Hitzig & Fritsch, 1870 • Development of neuron theory • Staining thin sections of brain and examining under microscope (Golgi) • Charles Sherrington (1857-1952) • Discovered excitatory & inhibitory processes at the synapse • Karl Lashley (1890-1958) - equipotentiality