Download on Brain/ Behavior

Playdoh Brains/Brain Surgery
Name________________________
AP Psychology
Surgeon
Follow the procedures outlined below. Make sure to execute these procedures exactly as
stated to ensure the health of your patient (and your class participation) grade. Use the
diagrams provided and the model I will simultaneously be constructing to assist you. You
may feel the need to consult textbooks for additional information on the structures
(location and respective functions).
1. Gather your materials. You will need adequate supplies for the initial construction
of your brain (i.e., 4 containers of Playdoh – all different colors).
2. Prepare yourself and your area. Sanitize your hands, glove up and don your surgical
mask (gloves and masks optional). Clear one desk of all objects except for Playdoh and
this instruction/activity sheet.
3. Prepare your Cerebrum – make two large, flat pancake-like structures, at least as
big as your hand with extended fingers. Then, wrinkle it down to resemble the furrows of
the cerebrum. You must make an indentation where the lateral fissure runs (the “thumb”
of the “boxing glove” or “mitten” – think state of Michigan). Set aside the two
hemispheres of the cerebrum. Note: The outer ¼” of the cerebrum is the cerebral cortex,
the center of intellectual (higher) thought.
What is the primary function of the Cerebrum?__________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
4. Prepare the Brainstem with Thalamus “bulb” – Make a slightly lopsided “chicken
leg” or “brontosaurus head and neck.” Then make a Medulla Oblongata in the shape of a
small football (about 1.5” long). The Medulla should be a different color from your
brainstem/thalamus bulb. After that, make the RAS (Reticular Activating System) – aka
Reticular Formation - from yet another different color – about ½ diameter of medulla and
about 1” long. Make a furrow (or “canoe”) in the medulla and insert the RAS. Close it up
by folding over the Playdoh and re-shaping. Then make another furrow (or “canoe”) in
the brain stem and enclose the medulla/RAS. Again, fold over Playdoh and re-shape.
Then make a thalamus (ball about 1” diameter) and hypothalamus (pea-sized) from two
different colors and enclose them in the thalamus bulb, with the thalamus on top and
slightly behind (i.e., hypothalamus should be in front of thalamus and below = “hypo”).
What are the respective functions of each of these structures (RAS, Medulla, Thalamus
and Hypothalamus)?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
5. Prepare the Pons – Make a 5-6” thin snake from a different color than the brainstem
and flatten it out. Wrap it around the back of the brainstem (like a scarf), just below the
thalamus bulb and pinch it together in the front (creating a waddle or turkey “gobbler”).
What is the function of the Pons?_____________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
6. Prepare the Cerebellum – Make 2 small balls (each slightly smaller than thalamus)
from a color different than the brainstem or pons. Flatten into a yo-yo shape and make
gyri and sulci (ridges and valleys). Attach on the back of the pons.
What is the function of the Cerebellum? ______________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
7. Prepare the Optic Chiasm – Take 2 small pieces and roll into 1” long snakes/worms.
Make an “X” with these snakes/worms. Connect to the brainstem/thalamus bulb right
above the pons on the front (rostral) side.
What is the primary function of the optic chiasm? _______________________________
________________________________________________________________________
8. Prepare the Hippocampus and Amygdala – Make a 6” snake, ¼ - ½” in diameter.
Looking from the back of your brain, place the middle of the snake in the back middle of
the thalamus (creating a “U” just above the cerebellum) and curl the ends of the snake
around the sides of the thalamus bulb, creating 2 structures in the shape of ram’s horns.
Place a small (pea-sized) lump at the tip of each horn for the amygdalae (almond-shaped
structures on the tips of hippocampus).
What are the respective functions of the Hippocampus and Amygdala?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
9. Prepare the Pituitary and Pineal Glands – Make 2 small balls, 1 twice the size of
the other. Pituitary is the larger of these structures (pinto bean shape). Pineal gland is
smaller, about the size of a pea. These structures will be attached later (step 11).
What are the respective functions of the Pituitary and the Pineal
glands?_________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
10. Prepare the Corpus Callosum – Make a crescent moon shape, about twice as long
as the thalamus bulb from front to back. The corpus callosum will be attached in the next
step.
What is the function of the Corpus Callosum? __________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
11. Final assembly – Lay out one hemisphere of the cerebrum (set aside in step 3) with
the ridges down. Carefully place the completed brainstem and midbrain structures on it,
with the cerebellum sticking out the back and the pons out the front. Position the corpus
callosum above the hippocampus and thalamus bulb, leaving space between for the
ventricles. Place the pituitary in front of the optic chiasm. Place the pineal in back, above
the cerebellum. Finally place the other hemisphere of the cerebrum over the top (smooth
side down) and seal around the edges, molding into the shape of a brain. The second
hemisphere needs to “mirror” the first.
What are the respective functions of the Left and Right hemispheres?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
12. Visually identify the four Lobes of each hemisphere. Use a pencil to gently
deepen the sulci (valleys) between them (lateral, central and parietal-occipital).
What is the respective specialized function of each of the four lobes?
Frontal__________________________________________________________________
Parietal_________________________________________________________________
Temporal________________________________________________________________
Occipital________________________________________________________________
13. Once you have completed your brain, you will need to consult a specialist for a final
consultation. Please notify me and I will offer my expertise and an overall evaluation.
Upon receiving your evaluation, you should clean your surgical area and wrap your
brains in plastic “cling” wrap to preserve them for further analysis and eventual
deconstruction.
When a brain goes bad…
AP Psychology
Directions: Read, highlight, and annotate the following summaries of brain
diseases/abnormalities.
Multiple Sclerosis: Multiple (attacks many sites simultaneously) and sclerosis (hardening);
MS attacks the myelin sheaths of axon bundles in the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves;
lesions develop around the axon bundles, leading to muscular weakness, lack of coordination,
and impairments of vision and speech; disease typically begins in early adult life, and is often
characterized by remissions and relapses that occur over a period of years; environmental
(cool climate) and genetic (rare among gypsies and Asians) factors have been isolated.
Guillain-Barre Syndrome: a more common demyelinating disease that attacks the myelin of
peripheral nerves that innervate (stimulate or supply with nerves) muscle and skin; often
develops from minor infectious illnesses or even inoculations – seems to result from a faulty
immune reaction in which the body attacks its own myelin as if it were a foreign substance;
symptoms include fever, malaise, and nausea (early on) and ultimately muscular weakness
and eventually paralysis – all of which stem from the slowing of action potential conduction
in the axons that innervate the muscles.
Parkinson’s Disease (PD): A neurological disorder named after James Parkinson, the
English physician who first described its “involuntary tremulous motion” in 1817. The
primary symptoms are a rapid, coarse tremor, a mask-like facial expression, loss of sensorymotor (pertaining to or characterizing that which involves muscles, muscular movements
and, by extension, glandular secretions – anything that gives rise to or results in stimulation
of effector organs) coordination, loss of the ability to initiate action and a general tendency
towards exhaustion. May also notice some cognitive impairments (general slowing of
learning and memory) and speech difficulties (imprecise articulation or oddly accelerated
speech rate in which words run together). Damage to structures in the basal ganglia can
affect posture and muscle tone or cause abnormal movements. In 1960’s, scientists
discovered that tremors resulted from death of nerve cells that produce dopamine – first
illness attributed to a neurotransmitter deficiency. The dopamine-rich neurons of the
substantia nigra (layer of cells in the pons) normally project to the basal ganglia and die off
in PD patients. L-dopa can be used to treat PD because it crosses blood-brain barrier and
then converted into dopamine by brain.
Encephalitis: refers to an inflammation of the membranes covering the brain or the brain
itself, typically resulting from infection.
Encephalitis Lethargica: severe Parkinsonian-like condition caused by encephalitis;
outbreak between 1916 and 1927 affected 5 million people, killing around 1 million of them;
symptoms included rigidity of posture, sleepiness, manic behavior, compulsiveness, and
occasionally aggressiveness.
Rasmussen’s Encephalitis: seizures due to inflammation of brain and central nervous
system; hemispherectomy is common treatment to control seizures.
Stroke: the rupture or blockage of a blood vessel in the brain; this can lead to
speaking/writing difficulties, loss of coordination, paralysis, or absence of sensation.
Lesion: tissue damage/destruction, a circumscribed area of impairment to organic tissue
caused by injury, disease, or surgical intervention.
Aneurysm: a blood-filled dilation of a blood vessel.
Aphasia: a general term covering any partial or complete loss of language abilities. The
origins are always organic, namely a lesion in the brain. There are literally dozens of
varieties of aphasia (Broca’s, Wernicke’s, auditory, global, traumatic, etc.).
Aphagia: lack of eating resulting from damage to the lateral hypothalamus.
Visual Agnosia: inability to recognize or interpret objects in the visual field.; person can
sense objects and forms, but is unable to recognize or interpret their meaning.
Hydrocephalus: an abnormal accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid within the ventricles.
Epilepsy: an umbrella term for a number of disorders characterized by various combinations
of the following: periodic motor or sensory seizures accompanied by an abnormal EEG, with
or without actual convulsions, clouding or loss of consciousness, and motor, sensory, or
cognitive malfunctions.
Hemispherectomy: surgical removal of one hemisphere.
Alzheimer’s Disease: a progressive form of dementia characterized by the gradual
deterioration of intellectual abilities such as memory, judgment, the capacity of abstract
thought, and other higher-level cortical functions as well as by changes in personality and
behavior. Brain matter begins to deteriorate, especially neurons that produce Acetylcholine
(muscle action, learning and memory). The causes are unclear, yet cumulative (no single
cause, but a combination of causes). Age and genetics are factors.
Tumor: any uncontrolled, abnormal proliferation of cells, often leading to formation a lump
(benign or malignant).
Brain and Behavior
AP Psychology
Directions: Come up with a mnemonic to remember each of the following parts of the
brain.
Key Brain Structures:
Brain Structure
Amygdala
Angular Gyrus
Basal Ganglia
Brainstem
Respective Function
An almond-shaped neural structure on tips of hippocampus; play a
significant role in emotional behavior and motivation, particularly
aggressive and fear-based behaviors
Area in the parietal lobe close to the temporal lobe; visual processing,
mathematics, cognition, high-language functions like understanding
metaphors, and vestibular (balance) sensations; transforms visual
representation into auditory code; Subjects of researchers in
Switzerland recently reported “out of body” experiences when their
a.g. was stimulated
A cluster of neurons (nuclei) at the base of the forebrain which
connect to the cerebral cortex and that thalamus. Involved in “action
selection” (which action to do first). Acts as an inhibitor in motor
movement; when inhibition released, certain motor systems are freed.
The part of the brain that is left when both the cerebrum and
cerebellum are removed; the “primitive” brain; helps brain
communicate with rest of the body (connecting spinal cord to brain);
responsible for automatic survival functions
Broca’s Area
Cerebellum
Cerebral Cortex
Cerebrum
Corpus Callosum
Frontal Lobes
Hippocampus
Hypothalamus
Limbic System
Medulla
Oblongata
Motor
Strip/Cortex
Occipital Lobes
A cortical area involved in the processing of language functions;
located in frontal lobe of left hemisphere; damage to area can result
in Broca’s aphasia (little or poor speech production); named after
scientist who discovered area, Paul Broca (1861); BS in WC
A large structure at the back of the brain involved in movement
(muscle coordination, balance, posture) as well as other involuntary
functions (implicit memories, conditioning)
The surface covering of grey matter (unmyelinated) that forms the
outermost layer of the cerebrum (1/4”); allows flexible construction
of sequences of voluntary movements, permits subtle discriminations
among complex sensory patterns, and makes possible symbolic
thinking, enabling people to have conversations about things that do
not exist or are not presently in view – foundation of human thought
and language
Largest and most prominent structure of brain; inner core made of
white matter (myelinated axons) and basal ganglia, outer core is
cerebral cortex (grey matter); involved in processing and
interpretation of sensory inputs, consciousness, planning, and
execution of action, thinking, ideating, language, reasoning, judging,
and control over voluntary motor activity
A band of 80 million axons that connect left and right hemispheres;
located at the floor of the longitudinal fissure; transfers information
from one hemisphere to the other; if severed (e.g., to control
seizures), will result in “split brain”
Region (lobe) of cerebral cortex in front of brain, near forehead; our
executive decision-maker, responsible for rational thought,
prioritizing information, speaking, working (STM) memories,
solving problems, and thoughts/plans of the future
Mid-brain structure, part of limbic system; responsible for
consolidating new explicit memories (STM – LTM)
A neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; “master” of
endocrine system (via pituitary gland), triggering fight-or-flight
response; directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking,
body temperature), linked to emotion and motivation; maintains
homeostasis
Evolutionarily primitive system under the cortex which includes
structures like the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus.
Supports a variety of functions including emotion, long term
memory, and olfaction.
At the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
At the rear of the frontal lobes (adjacent to sensory strip); controls
voluntary movements
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head (just
above the cerebellum); includes the visual areas, integrates visual
information (from opposite visual field)
Parietal Lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and
toward the rear (in between occipital and frontal lobes); includes the
sensory strip (touch), taste, and visuospatial organization
Pineal Gland
Gland at rear of brain that secretes melatonin, which regulates sleep
Pituitary Gland
“Master” gland of endocrine system; secretes growth hormone and
regulates other endocrine glands
Pons
A part of the hindbrain that, with other structures, controls respiration
and regulates heart rhythms. The pons is a major route by which the
forebrain sends information to and receives information from the
spinal cord and PNS; connects medulla and cerebellum; involved in
sleep
Reticular
A nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in
Formation/R.A.S. controlling arousal; our “alarm clock,” alerting us to incoming
messages
Sensory
The area at the front of the parietal lobes (adjacent to motor strip)
Strip/Cortex
that registers and processes body sensations – touch
Temporal Lobes Primary auditory lobe, includes Wernicke’s Area; the portion of the
cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; hearing and smell
Thalamus
The brain’s sensory switchboard (“operator”); located on top of
brainstem; directs and prioritizes messages to the appropriate areas of
cortex; also transmits information from cortex to cerebellum and
medulla; a relay station for sensory information coming from nervous
system
Ventricles
Fluid-filled (cerebrospinal fluid) areas deep in brain; implicated in
schizophrenia (larger than normal); excessive fluid in hydrocephalic
patients, could lead to larger than normal ventricles; could provide
hydration and cushioning for brain
Wernicke’s Area A cortical area involved in language comprehension and expression;
located in left temporal lobe (BS in WC)
Association Areas
AP Psychology
Neurotransmitter Chart
AP Psychology
Directions: Complete the following chart using your textbook and the Internet.
Neurotransmitter
Effects of Chemical (on Brain/
Behavior)
Serotonin
Norepinephrine
Epinephrine
(not to be confused with
its hormone cousin,
adrenaline) pg. 56 Myers
GABA
Acetylcholine
Dopamine
Endorphins
This whole packet is due on Test Day!
Diseases, abnormalities, other
phenomena associated with
neurotransmitter (if any)