Download The Brain - Central Connecticut State University

The Brain
Part II
1
The Brain

The Nervous System
 Made
up of neurons communicating with
other neurons
2
Drawing of the brain
3
Central Nervous System

Made up of the brain
and spinal cord.
4
Peripheral Nervous System

somatic nervous
system

ANS
 Flight
or fight
 controls
the
movements of our
skeletal muscles
 Controls glands
5
Types of Nerves

Nerves:
 Sensory
Neurons
 Interneurons
 Motor Neurons
6
Somatic Nervous System

Controls the movements of our skeletal
muscles.
7
Peripheral Nervous System

Consists of the somatic & ANS
8
ANS

Controls the glands and the muscles of
our internal organs.
9
Sympathetic & Parasympathetic
Nervous System

Sympathetic:
arouses us for
defense action

Parasympathetic: It
conserves energy as
it calms you by
decreasing your
heartbeat, lowering
your blood sugar, etc.
10
Endocrine System

Endocrine system influences many
aspects of our lives, e.g. growth,
reproduction, metabolism, mood, working
to keep everything in balance while we
respond to stress, exertion, and even our
own thoughts.
11
Hormones
Secreted by the endocrine system –
another form of chemical messenger.
 Influence our interest in sex, food, and
aggression.

12
Adrenal Glands
Located on top of the kidneys.
 Release epinephrine and norepinephrine
(also called adrenaline and noradrenaline).

13
The brain stem & medulla
The brain stem begins where the spinal
cord enters the skull swelling slightly,
forming the medulla.
 Here lies the controls for your heartbeat &
breathing.

14
Pituitary Glands

Pea-sized structure located in the base of
the brain – controlled by the
hypothalamus.
15
Reticular Formation
Experiment: Moruzzi & Magoun –
electrically stimulated the reticular
formation of a sleeping cat
 The role of the reticular formation

16
Thalamus
Thalamus = switching station
 Receives information from all the senses
except smell and routes it to the higher
brain regions that deal with seeing,
hearing, tasting, and touching.

17
Hippocampus

Within the Limbic System, the
hypothalamus influences hunger,
regulates thirst, body temperature, and
sexual behavior.
18
Amygdala
If we electrically stimulate the amygdala
(within the Limbic System).
 1939 kluver & Bucy

19
Hypothalamus

Olds & Milner (1954) – discovered that the
hypothalamus was the “reward center”.
20
The role of Dopamine & pleasure

Dopamine has been found in animal
studies to be released when certain
pleasures are taking place, e.g. sex,
drinking, etc.
21
Addictive Behaviors?

Some researchers believe that addictive
disorders, such as alcoholism, drug abuse,
and binge eating, may stem from a reward
deficiency syndrome.
22
The Phineas Gage Story
Frontal lobe damage was first connected
to personality changes after the classic
case of Phineas Gage.
 In 1848, a rod was shot up through his left
cheek out of the top of his skull leaving his
frontal lobe massively damaged.

23
Frontal Lobes

The association areas within the frontal
lobes helps us to judge, plan, and process
new memories.
24
Parts of the brain involved with
language



Aphasia: is the impaired
use of language.
Broca’s area – damage to
the specific area to the
left frontal lobe leads to
problems forming words
while still being able to
sing familiar songs and
comprehend speech.
Disrupts speaking
25
Wernicke’s Area


Wernicke’s area –
damage to a specific
area of the left
temporal lobe –
people could speak
only meaningless
words.
Disrupts
understanding
26
Angular Gyrus
Receives the visual information from the
visual area and recodes it into the auditory
form, which Wernicke’s area uses to
derive its meaning.
 Damage to the angular gyrus – leaves the
person able to speak and understand but
unable to read.

27
Visual cortex

Receives written words as visual
stimulation
28
Motor cortex

The area which controls the motor cortex
as it creates the pronounced word.
29
Right vs. Left Brain
 Left



Brain
Verbal
Speaking
writing

Right Brain
 Recognize
faces
 Nonverbal
 Spatial
tasks
 Music & Art
30