The Brain
Phineas Gage Play The Frontal Lobes and Behavior: The Story of Phineas Gage (12:03) Module #25 from The Brain: Teaching Modules (2 nd edition). http://www.learner.org/resources/series1 42.html F11 ctrl +
Brain Structures Some scientists divide the brain up into three parts. Hindbrain Midbrain Forebrain
Lower-Level Brain Structures: Hindbrain The Brainstem The Cerebellum
The Brain Pons
Brainstem Is responsible for automatic survival functions Located where the spinal cord swells and the brain just begins Includes the medulla and reticular formation
Medulla The base of the brainstem Breathing Heart rate Blood Pressure
Pons Helps coordinates movements on right and left side of body Sleep and wakefulness Maintain balance while standing or moving Connects hindbrain, midbrain and forebrain together. Involved in facial expressions.
Cerebellum [sehr-uh-bell-um] the little brain attached to the rear of the brainstem it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance If damaged, the person could perform basic movements but would lose fine coordination skills
Lower-Level Brain Structures: Midbrain The Thalamus The Limbic System
Reticular Formation A nerve network extending up and down the spinal cord into the brain (through the spinal cord and thalamus) Controls an organism s level of alertness, sleep, arousal, and ability to focus attention.
Thalamus Sits atop the brainstem The brain s sensory switchboard -- directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex Everything but smell
Limbic System A ring of structures around the thalamus; at the border of the brainstem and cerebral cortex Emotional Control Center Helps regulate memory, aggression, fear, hunger, and thirst Includes: hypothalamus hippocampus amygdala
The Limbic System
Hypothalamus (hypo = below) Regulates eating drinking body temperature fight or flight reactions to stress Plays a role in Emotions Pleasure Controls the Endocrine System and Pituitary Gland.
Hypothalamus and Aggression Play Aggression, Violence, and the Brain (7:17) Module #24 from The Brain: Teaching Modules (2 nd edition). http://www.learner.org/resources/series1 42.html F11 ctrl +
Hippocampus Wraps around the back of the thalamus Plays a role in processing new memories for permanent storage
Amygdala Two almond shaped structures Vital for basic emotions Linked to fear and anger
The Cerebral Cortex: The Forebrain
Contralateral controlled- left controls right side of body and vice versa. Hemispheric Differences Brain is divided into two hemispheres but works as a single entity. Both sides continually communicate via the corpus callosum, except in those with split brains. Some functions are lateralized Language on left Math, music on right Lateralization is never 100%
Cerebral Cortex The body s ultimate control and information processing center Contains wrinkles called fissure The fissures increase surface area of the brain
Cerebral Cortex Frontal Lobe Decision Making and judgments Parietal Lobe Regions available for general processing, including mathematical reasoning Receives sensory info Occipital Lobe Primary visual processing area Right half of each retina goes to left occipital lobe and vice versa. Temporal Lobe Sound information is processed Balance Not lateralized
The Frontal Lobe Play The Frontal Lobes: Cognition and Awareness (9:05) Segment #7 from The Mind: Psychology Teaching Modules (2 nd edition). http://www.learner.org/resources/series150.html F11 ctrl +
Corpus Callosum Connects the two brain hemispheres and carries messages between them Is sometimes cut to prevent seizures When cut, hemisphere s can t exchange data When removed you have a split-brain patient.
Try This! Try drawing one shape with your left hand and one with your right hand, simultaneously. BBC 28
Split Brain Patient Play The Divided Brain (6:46) Module #5 from The Brain: Teaching Modules (2 nd edition). http://www.learner.org/resources/series1 42.html F11 ctrl +
The Split Brain studies Picture to right brain o can t name the object o left hand can identify by touch Picture to left brain can name the object left hand cannot identify by touch Using What your What left did did hand, Pick up you you what see? see? you saw.?? I saw an apple. Verbal Nonverbal left left right hemisphere hemisphere
Motor Cortex/Somatosensory Cortex Motor Cortex Area at the rear of the frontal lobes Controls voluntary movement The motor cortex in the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body and visa versa. Somatosensory Cortex (Sensory Cortex) Located in the front of the parietal lobes Registers and processes body senses The sensory cortex in the left hemisphere receives information from the right side of the body and visa versa. True w/ most other senses
Cerebral Cortex
Cerebral Cortex
Cerebral Cortex
Cerebral Cortex
Specialization and Integration Brain activity when hearing, seeing, and speaking words
Broca s Area This is the brain of Tal from whom Broca discovered the area for speech. Note the damage to Broca s Area.
Located in the frontal lobe and usually in the left hemisphere Responsible for the muscle movements of speech (speech production) If damaged the person can form the ideas but cannot express them as speech Broca s Area