Download The Structure of the Brain

How are we we?
The influence of the Body on Behavior
The Phinneus P. Gage Story
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Back in the 1800’s, there was a man named Phinneus P.
Gage who was working on a railroad. His job was to
use explosives to blow away ground so that they could
lay track. He was generally considered a kind and
gentle man. One day an accident happened and the
tamping rod was blown clean through his head.
Surprisingly he did not die, but he did show a complete
personality change. He became a drunk, was violent,
and completely irresponsible. This led to an interest in
how the brain controls behavior and personality.
What is the difference
between the mind and the
brain?
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How can we scientifically answer that question?
 So,
because Gage’s “mind” had
changed AND his brain had
changed…people started to
investigate the connection
between the 2.
Physiological Psychology
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This field of study has been
called physiological
psychology but is now
more frequently called
Psychobiology,
biopsychology, or
neuroscience. The focus
of study is generally how
the brain controls all
aspects of our behavior.
The Nervous System is what processes
information about “reality”
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The Nervous System is never at rest…It is always
regulating your body functions.
There are 2 primary parts to the structure of the
Nervous System:
1.) Central Nervous System (CNS): The Brain and
Spinal Cord. Note: The spinal cord is comprised of
nerves that run up and down the length of the back and
transmit most messages between the body and the
brain.
2.) Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Nerves
branching out from the spinal cord.
Peripheral Nervous System has 2
parts
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Somatic NS- control’s skeletal muscles
Autonomic NS- controls glands and muscles of
internal organs (breathing, blood pressure and
digestive)
Sympathetic- “fight of flight”
 Parasympathetic – calms you down.
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The Nervous System
How the Nervous System Works
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Messages to and from the brain travel along the
nerves, which are long, thin cells called neurons.
Neurons: The long, thin cells of nerve tissue
along which messages travel to and from the
brain.
The Neurons consist of 3 basic parts:
- 1.) The Cell Body: is the main, or center part
of the neuron. It contains the nucleus and
produces the energy needed to fuel neuron
activity.
How the Nervous System Works
- 2.) The Axon: a tail like structure that carries
information away from the cell body.
- 3.) The Dendrites: are usually small, short
thin fibers that stick out from the cell body.
They receive impulses, or messages, from other
neurons and send them to the cell body.
Parts of the Neuron
Parts of the Neuron - Dendrites
Dendrite – The branching extensions of a neuron that receive
information and conduct impulses toward the cell body
Parts of the Neuron - Axon
Axon – The extension of a neuron through which neural impulses are
sent
Parts of the Neuron - Terminals
Axon terminals – The endpoint of a neuron where neurotransmitters
are stored
Are all Neurons connected?
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In order for the nervous system to properly function, there
must be a space between each neuron. This space is called a
synapse.
Synapse: The fluid-filled gap that exists between individual
nerve cells.
How do the Neurons Transmit
Information?
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Action Potential:
Neurons transmit
messages in the
form of
electrochemical
impulses called an
action potential.
Let’s form a line
Who is the quickest in the room?
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Can you catch my pen?
Information is transmitted in the form of electrical impulses.
Continued…
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These messages are transmitted by the releasing
of chemicals called “neurotransmitters.”
Neurotransmitters: The chemicals released by
neurons, which determine the rate at which
other neurons fire.
Watch this and this
Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters
How do the Neurotransmitters
make us feel a certain way?
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The communication between neurons occurs in
special PATHWAYS in different areas of the
brain.
These different PATHWAYS create different
sensations/feelings/thoughts due to the regions
in the brain they occur in
How do the Neurotransmitters
make us feel a certain way?
Dopamine Pathway
Serotonin Pathway
What do drugs do?
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Some act as Agonists
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Some act as Antagonists
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Agonists mimic neurotransmitters
Antagonists block neurotransmitters
Here are some examples of how it works
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Here is an activity sheet to go with it
The Structure of the Brain
The Structure of the Brain
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The Human Brain is VERY Complex. It is still
widely considered to be the most complex
structure ever discovered or created by man.
There are approximately 10 billion nerve cells in
the brain and each one has the potential to contact
every other one.
There is however, NO relationship between brain
size and intelligence.
What does relate to intelligence are the fissures,
wrinkles, and folds of the brain. No animal has as
many of these folds (convolutions) as a human
except the porpoise.
The Structure of the Brain
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Oxygen Consumption: The brain needs oxygen
to survive. The brain contributes about 1/50th
of your body weight yet consumes 25% of your
oxygen.
Deprivation of oxygen to the brain will lead to
you passing out in 15 seconds and brain damage
within 4 minutes.
The Structure of the Brain
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Important: There are NO pain receptors in the
brain. If you have a headache it is usually due to
dilation of the blood vessels that surround the
brain.
In other words, your brain cannot feel pain, but
the blood vessels and nerve system that
surround it can.
Think of the brain as a house
Then they
finished the
top
After a while, this was
built
Then this was built
This was built 1st
The Structure of the Brain
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The Brain Stem: Our
basic body processes
are mediated in the
brain stem, the
portion of the brain
just above the spinal
cord.
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This is the bottom floor
The Lobes of the Brain
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The brain is divided into 2 hemispheres (right
and left). The 2 hemispheres are divided by a
band of fibers called the “corpus callosum.”
The brain also has 4 areas, or lobes. Lobes are
the different regions that the brain is divided
into.
1.) The Occipital Lobe: This is where the visual
signals are processed. It is located in the back of
your brain.
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2.) The Parietal Lobe: This is where
information from sensors all over the body is
processed.
3.) The Temporal Lobe: This is where your
hearing, memory, emotion, and speaking
functions are processed.
4.) The Frontal Lobe: Is concerned with
organization, planning, and creative thinking. (I
wonder where it is located.)
Left and Right Hemispheres
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There are many myths about the differences
between the left and right hemispheres of the
brain. You may have heard of people being
“right or left brained” before…This is
exaggerated.
In reality, the left and right side merely
compliment one another.
Right = Left….Left = Right…whaaaaaaaa?
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.
 There are some specializations and
functions but the 2 work hand-in-hand
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The Brain’s Left Hemisphere
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For most people, language functions are
in the left hemisphere.
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-uses logic
-detail oriented
-facts rule
-words and language
-present and past
-math and science
-can comprehend
knowing
-Acknowledges
order/pattern perception
-knows object name
-reality based
-forms strategies
-practical
-safe
The Brain’s Right Hemisphere
Houses the brain’s spatial abilities
 Our spatial ability allows us to perceive
or organize things in a given space,
judge distance, etc.
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-uses feeling
-"big picture" oriented
-imagination rules
-symbols and images
Split Brain Research
Split Brain Research
Split Brain Research
Split Brain Research
Split Brain Research
Split Brain Research
Split Brain Research
Let’s watch a few little videos
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Split Brain Video
What is the effect of a placebo on the brain?
What does that mean regarding the mind/ brain
connection?
Various Instruments are used to
examine the brain
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CAT scans and MRI scans examine structure of
the brain.
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To examine the function of the brain, we use
other devices.
The Electroencephalograph…
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Wow that’s a long word…How about EEG
machine.
What is it?
It is a machine used to record the electrical
activity of large portions of the brain.
Wires are connected to various areas of your
scalp, allowing the rhythms, or brain waves
caused by the neurons to be read.