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THE BRAIn. Today’s Goal You will be able to…. Describe the functions of the brain structures. Hindbrain. Medulla: unconscious vital functions like breathing, circulation, etc. Pons: Bridge between cerebellum & cerebrum, facial movements, possible role in sleep/dreams
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Today’s Goal You will be able to… • Describe the functions of the brain structures.
Hindbrain • Medulla: unconscious vital functions like breathing, circulation, etc. • Pons: Bridge between cerebellum & cerebrum, facial movements, possible role in sleep/dreams • Reticular Formation: wakefulness & sleep, alertness, filters stimuli
Cerebellum: balance, motor coordination Hindbrain
Limbic System • Thalamus: Relays sensory info from the body to parts of the brain • Amygdala: Emotional responses, particularly aggression; attention to novel stimuli
Limbic System • Hypothalamus: Maintains homeostasis: regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, blood pressure, hormones, etc. Hippocampus: Formation of memories
Which part of the brain? Pons Thalamus • REM sleep & dreaming, assists in movement • Relay station for sensory info • “On switch” for the brain, alertness & wakefulness, attention • Body temperature, hunger, thirst, glands • Balance and motor coordination • Emotions (aggression), novel stimuli • “Master gland” • Unconscious essential functions such as respiration and heart rate • Formation of new memories R.A.S. Hypothal. Cerebellum Amygdala Pituitary gland Medulla Hippocampus
Cerebrum Cerebrum Cerebellum Cerebrum http://williamcalvin.com/BrainForAllSeasons/img/bonoboLH-humanLH-viaTWD.gif
Cerebral Cortex • Cerebral Cortex – outer layer of wrinkled tissue that covers the cerebrum (divided into four lobes)
Gyri (ridge) Sulci (groove) Fissure (deep groove) http://williamcalvin.com/BrainForAllSeasons/img/bonoboLH-humanLH-viaTWD.gif
Frontal Lobe • Critical thinking, personality, decision-making, forward planning, emotional regulation, rationality
Parietal Lobe • Interprets touch/pain/pressure sensations from the body
Occipital Lobe • Interprets visual information
Temporal Lobe • Interprets auditory information • Role in memory
Somatosensory Cortex – interprets where on the body you are having a sensation
Motor Cortex – initiates movement for particular parts of the body • http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/brain/probe-nojs.html
Language & the Brain • Broca’s Area: Physical production of speech, coherent language (outputs) • Broca’s Aphasia: Inability to speak words, utter coherent speech
Broca’s Area Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.tif.jpg
Language & the Brain • Wernicke’s Area: Comprehension of language (inputs) • Wernicke’s Aphasia: Inability to understand language/words
Wernike’s Area Regions Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.tif.jpg
This activity was called the Stroop Test • Today’s Goal Explain brain lateralization (specialization of left & right hemispheres) and the effects of the split-brain studies • How do our hemispheres work together? What happens when they can’t?
Does Hand Preference relate to Hemispheric Dominance? NO Right-handed? Left-handed?
Corpus Callosum – nerve fibers that connect left and right hemispheres
The Split-Brain Experiments • 1960’s, Roger Sperry • Treatment for epilepsy • In his operations, the entire corpus callosum was severed • What effects on behavior/cognition do you think this might have???? "The great pleasure and feeling in my right brain is more than my left brain can find the words to tell you.“ ~Roger Sperry
The Split-Brain Experiments • Michael Gazzaniga continued experiments Right vision field is connected to the left hemisphere. Left vision field is connected to the right hemisphere. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfGwsAdS9Dc
Split-Brain Operations Today • Only sever portion of corpus callosum (splenium remains intact) • Split brain patients learn very quickly how to keep both sides in communication
The Two-Brain Myth • There is no activity to which only one hemisphere makes a contribution. • While they “specialize” in areas, the areas are not completely exclusive to one hemi • Logic not completely confined to left hemisphere • People with damage to right hemi. show more deficits in logic than damage to left hemi. • It is impossible to educate one hemisphere at a time. • There is no evidence that people are purely “left-brained” or “right-brained”