Today’s Goal Today’s Goal You will be You will be able to…able to…

Describe the functions of the brain structures.

HindbrainHindbrain Medulla:Medulla: unconscious vital unconscious vital

functions like breathing, functions like breathing, circulation, etc.circulation, etc.

Pons:Pons:Bridge between Bridge between cerebellum & cerebellum & cerebrum, cerebrum, facial movements, facial movements,

possible role in possible role in sleep/dreamssleep/dreams

Reticular Formation:Reticular Formation: wakefulness & sleep, wakefulness & sleep, alertness, filters stimulialertness, filters stimuli

Cerebellum: Cerebellum: balance, balance, motor coordinationmotor coordination

HindbrainHindbrain

Limbic System Thalamus:Thalamus:

Relays sensory info Relays sensory info from the body to from the body to parts of the brainparts of the brain

Amygdala:Amygdala:

Emotional Emotional responses, responses, particularly particularly aggression; aggression; attention to novel attention to novel stimulistimuli

Limbic SystemLimbic System Hypothalamus:Hypothalamus:

Maintains homeostasis: Maintains homeostasis: regulates body regulates body temperature, hunger, temperature, hunger, thirst, blood pressure, thirst, blood pressure, hormones, etc.hormones, etc.

Hippocampus:Hippocampus:

Formation of memoriesFormation of memories

REM sleep & dreaming, assists in movementREM sleep & dreaming, assists in movement Relay station for sensory infoRelay station for sensory info ““On switch” for the brain, alertness & wakefulness, On switch” for the brain, alertness & wakefulness,

attentionattention Body temperature, hunger, thirst, glandsBody temperature, hunger, thirst, glands Balance and motor coordinationBalance and motor coordination Emotions (aggression), novel stimuliEmotions (aggression), novel stimuli ““Master gland”Master gland” Unconscious essential functions such as respiration and Unconscious essential functions such as respiration and

heart rateheart rate Formation of new memoriesFormation of new memories

Which part of the brain?Which part of the brain? Pons

Thalamus

R.A.S.Hypothal.Hypothal.

Amygdala Pituitary gland

Medulla HippocampusHippocampus

CerebellumCerebellum

CerebrumCerebrum

Cerebellum

http://williamcalvin.com/BrainForAllSeasons/img/bonoboLH-humanLH-viaTWD.gif

Cerebrum

Cerebral CortexCerebral Cortex Cerebral Cortex – outer layer of Cerebral Cortex – outer layer of

wrinkled tissue that covers the wrinkled tissue that covers the cerebrum (divided into four lobes)cerebrum (divided into four lobes)

Gyri (ridge)

Fissure

(deep groove)

Sulci (groove)

http://williamcalvin.com/BrainForAllSeasons/img/bonoboLH-humanLH-viaTWD.gif

Frontal Lobe Critical thinking, personality, decision-making, Critical thinking, personality, decision-making,

forward planning, emotional regulation, rationality forward planning, emotional regulation, rationality

Parietal Lobe Interprets touch/pain/pressure sensations Interprets touch/pain/pressure sensations

from the bodyfrom the body

Occipital LobeOccipital Lobe Interprets visual informationInterprets visual information

Temporal LobeTemporal Lobe Interprets auditory informationInterprets auditory information Role in memoryRole in memory

Somatosensory Cortex – interprets where on Somatosensory Cortex – interprets where on the body you are having a sensationthe 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:Broca’s Area:

Physical production of speech, Physical production of speech, coherent language (outputs)coherent language (outputs)

Broca’s Aphasia:Broca’s Aphasia:

Inability to speak words, utter Inability to speak words, utter coherent speechcoherent speech

Broca’s AreaBroca’s Area

Modified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.tif.jpg

Language & the Brain Wernicke’s Area:Wernicke’s Area:

Comprehension of language Comprehension of language (inputs)(inputs)

Wernicke’s Aphasia:Wernicke’s Aphasia:

Inability to understand Inability to understand language/wordslanguage/words

Wernike’s Area

RegionsModified from: http://www.bioon.com/book/biology/whole/image/1/1-8.tif.jpg

This activity was called the Stroop Test

Today’s Goal Today’s Goal Explain brain Explain brain lateralization (specialization of lateralization (specialization of left & right hemispheres) and the left & right hemispheres) and the effects of the split-brain studieseffects of the split-brain studies

How do our hemispheres work together? How do our hemispheres work together? What happens when they can’t?What happens when they can’t?

Hemispheres of the Hemispheres of the BrainBrain

Does Hand Preference relate to Hemispheric Dominance? NO

Right-handed? Left-handed?

Corpus Callosum – nerve Corpus Callosum – nerve fibers that connect left and fibers that connect left and right hemispheresright hemispheres

The Split-Brain ExperimentsThe Split-Brain Experiments 1960’s, Roger Sperry1960’s, Roger Sperry

Treatment for epilepsyTreatment for epilepsy In his operations, the entire corpus callosum In his operations, the entire corpus callosum

was severed was severed

What effects on behavior/cognition What effects on behavior/cognition do you think this might do you think this might have????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 Only sever portion of corpus

callosum callosum (splenium remains intact)(splenium remains intact)

Split brain patients learn very Split brain patients learn very quickly how to keep both sides in quickly how to keep both sides in communicationcommunication

The Two-Brain MythThe Two-Brain Myth There is no activity to which only one There is no activity to which only one

hemisphere makes a contribution.hemisphere makes a contribution.While they “specialize” in areas, the areas are not While they “specialize” in areas, the areas are not

completely exclusive to one hemicompletely exclusive to one hemi Logic not completely confined to left Logic not completely confined to left

hemispherehemispherePeople with damage to right hemi. show more People with damage to right hemi. show more

deficits in logic than damage to left hemi.deficits in logic than damage to left hemi. It is impossible to educate one hemisphere at It is impossible to educate one hemisphere at

a time.a time. There is no evidence that people are purely There is no evidence that people are purely

“left-brained” or “right-brained”“left-brained” or “right-brained”