Lecture 3: Brain and Behaviour

Einstein’s Brain

  not Einstein’s brain

 

  Assumes: everything is controlled by the cells/chemicals/structures of the brain

  To study human behaviour, need to study the brain

  Information Transmission:   endocrine system (hormones…)   nervous system *

  Functions   1)   2)   3)

  Nervous System  Parts (CNS and PNS) –

 subdivisions of each –  Parts in constant communication

 PNS-CNS-PNS….

Text: Page 91

  Central Nervous System

“Brain” + Spinal Cord

Responsible for high level, integrative functions

  Our focus - Brain: how it works from macro – e.g. to micro – e.g.

  Einstein’s Brain – Canadian connection   Thomas Harvey –   Parts –   Sylvian fissure – usually runs from from to

back dividing “inferior parietal region” (math, spatial, visual)

Early Studies: Localization of Function 1)  Page 107 2)  Franz Gall – Phrenology 3)  Language disorders and the brain

-associate deficits and damage Broca – left frontal lobe

Wernicke – temporal lobe (over ear)

Localization:

  Video – the brain – language - 7 min   Contemporary work

  Brain Structure and Localization of function   A)   B)   C)

  Layers -as go “up” the layers higher cognitive processes

a) Hindbrain -lowest part, begins at top of spinal cord/brainstem -  cerebellum – -  medulla –

-  b) Midbrain -  - -  -

  C) forebrain – more sophisticated

Cerebral Cortex -highest level processing -within cortex –

-convolutions/lobes -bilateral symmetry

  Issues of specialization – lobes and left/right brain

  Lobes – see diagram

  Lobe Functions

Penfield sensory motor

association

  -left brain/right brain wired to opposite side

  Sensory and motor “projection” areas   e.g., touch –   vision –   Hearing –

  Motor –   Top –   Bottom –

  Association: complex functions   Prefrontal lobe –

  Other Notable Structures   Hippocampus –   Amygdala –)

Left Brain/Right Brain

  major research issue   specialization – see diagram (keep in mind all brain is

involved, here, major localization implied)   LEFT –   RIGHT –

  Evidence –

  See illustration (note: remember cross-wiring, left hemi information from right visual field and right hemi infor from left visual field)

Method:

  Present spoon to:   right visual field left hemisphere

  “”

  left visual field right hemisphere   “”

  (see diagram)

Doreen Kimura: Brain/body connection

(remember, men/spatial/right women/verbal/left) -Kimura – favored body side indicator of brain??

(video: Split Brain Patient/ Scientific American – 7 min)

Neurons   building blocks   information transmission

  intraneuronal   Interneuronal

  Parts:   dendrites –   soma –   axon –

  synapse –

Types: 3 classes of neurons

Neuronal activity

  At rest: “resting potential” (negative charge)

  Energy – result of balance between “charged” ions inside and outside   inside –   outside –

  Action

Interneuronal Information Transmission: Each Neuron may communicate with thousands of other neurons using something called a Synapse (gap)

  gap bridged by neurotransmitters   Effects

  Different neurotransmitters – different roles   E.g.,   Psychopathology

  Alzheimer’s –

Our experiment   Testing the brain in class?   With a paper and pencil task?   Are you mad?

Our Experiment

  A) Kinsbourne (1972)

From Physiological research - -

(THUS<

Research Results - inconsistent

  B) Wholistic approach

  C) Hisock & Bergstrom (1981).   Predict –

  Logic: from previous physiological research -

Our Study

Indep: Dep: a) b)

RESULTS a)

b)

WHY?

Current/Provocative issues

  Where is the “I” in the brain   Paralyzed body but active brain   Depression and the brain   Nutrients and the brain   Born with “no brain”   Brain transplants   Neuromarketing