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TRANSLATING BRAIN RESEARCH TOCLASSROOM PRACTICE

PRESENTED BY:

DR. PATRICIA BUCCI

WELCOME!!! pat.bucci@ycdsb.ca

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Ode to the Brain! by Symphony of Science

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB7jSFeVz1U

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“The Cathedral of Complexity”

Introducing…

(Coveney & Highfields, 1995)

About 3 pounds 78% water, 10%

fat, 8% protein Less than 2.5%

of body’s weight Uses 20-25% of

body’s energy

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The Revolution Has Begun!The Revolution Has Begun!

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TEACHING IS SHIFTING FROM BEING AN ART TO

A COMBINATION OF

ART

&

SCIENCE

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A doll house

A solar system

A symphony of music

Lego

A movie

A hockey game

My brain is like ...

An ecosystem

Our Brains Are like a “jungle” All parts of the brain participate with each other, while each has its own function There is natural pruning or neural pruning that occurs when parts are not used

“LEARNING IS A DELICATE, BUT IS A POWERFUL DIALOGUE BETWEEN GENETICS AND THE ENVIRONMENT…”

Robert Sylwester, A Celebration of Neurons

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Functional Magnetic Resonance Imagery

(fMRI)

90’s: The Decade of the Brain

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William, Calvin, & Ojemann. (1994). Conversations with Neil's Brain.

SEEING WORDS

HEARING WORDS

SPEAKING WORDS

GENERATING WORDS

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• 99% of our brain growth / maintenance happens during sleep

• protein markers formed during the day are wired during sleep • life span of 18-20 hours

Smarter in the Morning

than the Night Before!

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• Neurotrophins: group of proteins which are responsible for the growth and development of dendrites

• Calpain: enzyme which causes the protein marker to self – destruct.

Or Not…..

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From whence it all started….

• From conception to approx. 5 months, production of brain cells 200 thousand per minute.

• Brain cells (neurons) vs. other cells • migration Cellular level - tens of billions of neurons, ten times

more numerous glial cells that support, insulate and nourish the neurons

30 thousand neurons (300,000 glial cells) fit into the space of a pinhead.

Shore, R. 1997

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Waves of intense branching and Waves of intense branching and connecting (Synaptogenesis)connecting (Synaptogenesis) Before birth through 3-years-oldBefore birth through 3-years-old Again at 11- or 12-years-oldAgain at 11- or 12-years-old

followed by Selective reduction of followed by Selective reduction of neurons and connections among neurons and connections among neurons (Pruning)neurons (Pruning)

Solidifying circuitrySolidifying circuitry Used synaptic connections Used synaptic connections

strengthenedstrengthened

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Your brain will absorb only what

your will endure.

Find your 1st appointment and share 3 interesting facts that you will remember.

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Prefrontal cortex

The CEO of the brain is the last part of the brain to mature. Thousands of new connections are formed during the preteen years (F 11 M12.5)and then shrinks as neural connections are pruned and strengthened during adolescence.

Amygdala

The emotional center of the brain, home to such primal feelings as fear and rage. When processing emotional information, teens rely more heavily on the amygdala. Adults depend more on the rational prefrontal cortex, a part of the brain that is underdeveloped in teens.

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Mammalian Brain

emotions

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Needs of the Primitive Brain…

its own territory physical comfort- warmth, absence of

hunger to belong and enjoys rituals which confirm

identity-routines, clear procedures, etc. to feel safe: physically and emotionally-

Fight or Flight and flocking behaviours Monitoring motor functions Rote behaviours

Responsible for…

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Hypothalamus controls most primitive

emotions: Fear, Anger, Aggression

Fully functioning at birth

1st voice you hear in your head

Amygdala Controls the more

sophisticated emotions: love, jealousy, attraction, kindness

2nd voice you hear Healthy development

through modeling, parenting & other environmental cues

Key Components of the Limbic

System

The two stay in communication with each other via pathways along the hippocampus (responsible also for forming new memories*)

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Divided into left and right hemispheres. Connected via corpus callosum. Discerns relationships and patterns of

meaning. Creates personal metaphors or models for

learning. Searches for novelty. Looks for relevance in learning. Needs plenty of stimulation. Requires feedback. Operates on conscious and unconscious level. Works in short bursts of concentration.

THE THINKING BRAIN (Neocortex)

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The psychological sentinel of the brain

“Chamber, inner room” – The Gateway to the Cortex

•located in the centre of the brain

•strategic position to act as a relay station: to direct the flow of information

•Once received, information is sent

either to:

danger or threat

activate

hormonal system

creating physical changes

to the body

Amygdala:

The psychological sentinel of the

brain

cortex hypothalamus

THALAMUS

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• Planning• Attention• Judgment• Reflection• Prioritizing• Self control• Strategizing• Sequencing• Anticipation• Organization• Impulse control• Second thought• Working memory• Modulating mood• Response flexibility• Goal-directed behavior• Foresee consequences

Brain CEO: Forebrain or Prefrontal Area