ap psychology the brain! eq: how do different brain areas influence our physical behavior? 9/16/13
TRANSCRIPT
AP PsychologyThe Brain!
EQ: How do different brain areas influence our physical behavior?
9/16/13
Pinky & the Brain
• One of those stupid videos teachers like to show from when they were growing up…
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snO68aJTOpM
Sections of the brain
• Older sections• Limbic system• Cerebral cortex• Language centers
Brainstem
• Brainstem is the oldest & lowest part of the brain (fits with evolution).
• Made up of the medulla & pons.
Medulla Oblongata
• Lower section of brainstem—controls autonomic functions (heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, etc.)
Pons
• Pons means “bridge”—connects brainstem (Medulla) & brain (Thalamus)
• Regulates sleep, dreaming cycle, etc.
Reticular formation
• Reticular = “netlike”• Neural system primarily responsible for
arousal from sleep & alertness
• Coma cat
Thalamus
• Little eggs on top of the brainstem• Routes information to proper places in the
brain—makes sense, as it is the first thing after the brainstem
Cerebellum
• “Little brain”• Primarily motor control—does not initiate, but
it influences coordination, precision, and timing of movements.
• Motor learning
Limbic System
• Emotions & memory
Amygdala
• Bean-sized neural clusters• Aggression & fear• Messing with animals…
Hypothalamus
• Influences temperature, hunger, thirst, sleep, etc.
• Extremely important for homeostasis• Works with pituitary gland• “Pleasure center”
Hippocampus
• Means “sea horse”• Extremely important in converting short- to
long-term memory (Patient HM)• Spatial memory & navigation
Cerebral Cortex
• Frontal lobe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrULrWRlGBA)
• Parietal lobe• Occipital lobe• Temporal lobe
Frontal Lobe
• Planning, deciding, perceiving, personality/temperament (Phineas Gage)
• Motor cortex—inside frontal lobe
Parietal Lobe
• Specialize in sensation (touch, temperature, pain, pressure)
• Somatosensory (sensory) cortex—inside parietal lobe
• Which body parts take up the most space in the motor & sensory cortexes?
Occipital Lobe & Temporal Lobe
• Occipital: back of brain…visual
• Temporal: side of brain…sound
• Remember Avatar fMRI• They (mostly) correspond with location of
eyes/ears.
Cerebral Cortex
• Motor cortex• Sensory cortex• Association areas
Association areas
• Large difference between humans and animals
• Sensory inputs tied to memory
Language centers
• Visual cortex• Angular gyrus• Wernicke’s area• Broca’s area• Motor cortex
Language centers (functions)
• Visual cortexProcesses written info• Angular gyrusTurns written info into auditory info• Wernicke’s areaInterprets auditory info• Broca’s areaControls speech muscles in motor cortex• Motor cortexWords are pronounced
Aphasia
• How would damage to Wernicke’s area & Broca’s area lead to different forms of aphasia?
• Wernicke’s: no motor issues, but comprehension issues
• Broca’s: major motor issues, but comprehension issues may be intact
Corpus Callosum
• Connects the two hemispheres• Can be cut…
Brain posters…
• Pick 1 part of the brain (everyone needs a different one).
• Your poster should have these parts:1. Picture of the brain with location labeled2. General overview of its function3. What happens if the section is lesioned4. At least 1 extra fact (preferably interesting)5. Some tips for classmates on how to remember
the information
Present posters
Yay!
A legion of lesions…
• Jot down a list of each part of the brain and what would happen if it was lesioned.
Brain plasticity
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaDlLD97CLM
• What is plasticity? What happens to it over time?
• What is the relationship between brain plasticity and behavior?
Brain hemispheres
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFs9WO2B8uI
• Cerebral dominance (certain tasks, but hemispheres cooperate)
• Wernicke’s area & Broca’s area: 95% only have them in left hemisphere
• Plasticity shows the brain can compensate in the case of a hemispherectomy
Right/left handedness
• http://www.nytimes.com/1991/04/04/us/being-left-handed-may-be-dangerous-to-life-study-says.html
Homework
• Pages 95-106 in Myers