Introduction to Psychology

Class 9: Neuroscience 2Myers: 52-62June 26, ’06

Evolution of the Brain

Reptilian Paleomammalian Neomammalian

The Cerebral Cortex

Frontal (Forehead to top) Motor Cortex Parietal (Top to rear) Sensory Cortex Occipital (Back) Visual Cortex Temporal (Above ears) Auditory Cortex

Motor/Sensory Cortex

Contra-lateral Inverted

“homunculus” Unequal

representation

Language Areas

Broca’s Area- Expression- Motor aphasia Wernicke’s Area- Comprehension- Sensory aphasia

LEFT HEMISPHERE

FILM: THE MIND: MODULE 8

Aphasias

Motor (telegraphic speech): "Yes... ah... Monday... er... Dad and Peter H... (his own name), and Dad.... er... hospital... and ah... Wednesday... Wednesday, nine o'clock... and oh... Thursday... ten o'clock, ah doctors... two... an' doctors... and er... teeth... yah.“

Sensory (word salad): “I called my mother on the television and did not understand the door. It was too breakfast, but they came from far to near. My mother is not too old for me to be young. Word salad”

Brain Plasticity

The brain’s capacity for modification of functioning

Shown by re-organization of pre-wiring

Examples: Removal of hemisphere, blindfolding study

FILM: THE BRAIN - DVD 1 - MODULE 10

Split-Brains

Epilepsy and the corpus callosum Hemispheric specialization- Left hemisphere Logical, sequential,

words/numbers, verbal/controls speech

- Right hemisphere Intuitive, expressive, shapes/music/faces, non-verbal

FILM: SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN - DVD 1 - SEGMENT 7