Module 11 Studying the Brain, Older Brain Structures, and the Limbic System

What are the three key structures of the limbic system, and what functions do they serve?

(1) The amygdala is involved in aggression and fear responses. (2) The hypothalamus is involved in bodily maintenance, pleasurable rewards, and control of the hormonal systems. (3) The hippocampus processes memory of facts and events.

2. Identify the role of each of the following in playing a song on the piano. Hippocampus Cerebellum Reticular formation Temporal lobe

-The hippocampus is necessary for memorizing instructions from a piano coach and for remembering explicit musical concepts like scales, keys, time signatures, etc. -The cerebellum is necessary for memorizing the nonverbal aspects of playing the piano, like the muscle memory of the fingers, and it coordinates the movement of the fingers and hands while actively playing the piano. It would also help with processing important sensory inputs, like judging tempo, feeling the textures of the piano keys, and discriminating if the piano is in tune. -The reticular formation would help relay sensory inputs to higher brain regions and assist in the multitasking required for playing the piano (e.g. using the pedals, playing the keys, and reading sheet music at the same time). -The temporal lobe carries out higher-order processing of auditory stimuli, recognizing when you are playing beautifully and when you are making mistakes [See Module 12 for more]

In what brain region would damage be most likely to (1) disrupt your ability to jump rope? (2) disrupt your ability to hear? (3) leave you in a coma? (4) cut off the very breath and heartbeat of life?

1.Cerebellum 2.thalamus 3.reticular formation 4.medulla

1. Thomas fell and hit his head, so his parents brought him to the emergency room. Explain how the following scans would give doctors different information about the type of injury Thomas may have. CT scan MRI fMRI

The CT scan would reveal brain damage to structures that would be visible on an X-ray The MRI would provide a much more detailed picture of the brain than a CT scan. The fMRI would enable the doctors to determine if the functioning of parts of the brain had been damaged, by looking at blood flow to certain regions.

Electrical stimulation of a cat's amygdala provokes angry reactions. Which autonomic nervous system division is activated by such stimulation?

The sympathetic nervous system

The Limbic System 边缘系统 "pleasure centers"

Two young McGill University neuropsychologists, James Olds and Peter Milner With an electrode implanted in a reward center of its hypothalamus, the rat readily crosses an electrified grid, accepting the painful shocks, to press a pedal that sends electrical impulses to that center.

The Tools of Discovery: Having Our Head Examined MEG (magnetoencephalography)

a brain imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from the brain's natural electrical activity.

Older Brain Structures reticular formation

a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus and plays an important role in controlling arousal. multitasking

The Limbic System 边缘系统 The Hippocampus

a neural center located in the limbic system; help process for storage explicit (conscious) memories of facts and events.

The Limbic System 边缘系统 The Hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward. Some neural clusters in the hypothalamus influence hunger; others regulate thirst, body temperature, and sexual behavior. Together, they help maintain a steady (homeostatic)internal state. you are thinking about sex, your hypothalamus will secrete hormones. These hormones will in turn trigger the adjacent "master gland" of the endocrine system, your pituitary (see Figure 11.7), to influence your sex glands to release their hormones.

The Tools of Discovery: Having Our Head Examined CT (computed tomography) scan

a series of X-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice of the brain's structure. (Also called CAT scan.)

The Tools of Discovery: Having Our Head Examined fMRI (functional MRI)

a technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function as well as structure. tracks successive images of brain tissue to show brain function.

The Tools of Discovery: Having Our Head Examined MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer- generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy.

The Tools of Discovery: Having Our Head Examined PET (positron emission tomography) scan

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task. Rather like weather radar showing rain activity, PET-scan "hot spots" show the most active brain areas as the person does mathematical calculations, looks at images of faces, or daydreams.

The Tools of Discovery: Having Our Head Examined EEG (electroencephalogram)

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.

Stimulation of the amygdala is most likely to have which of the following effects? a. Happiness b. Aggression c. Hunger d. Loss of balance e. Dreaming

b.

The------------- is a crossover point where nerves from the left side of the brain are mostly linked to the right side of the body, and vice versa.

brainstem

Damage to which of the following puts a person's life in the most danger because it may cause breathing to stop? a. Amygdala b. Thalamus c. Medulla d. Hippocampus e. Hypothalamus

c.

Which of the following brain areas is responsible for regulating hunger and thirst? a. Reticular activating system b. Amygdala c. Hypothalamus d. Hippocampus e. Brainstem

c. The hypothalamus is responsible for driving homeostasis (i.e. the maintenance of normal biological functioning). It releases hormones, for example, that make us hungry and thirsty, driving us to find food and water

Damage to which of following brain structures would affect the processing of new explicit memories? a. Cerebral cortex b. Medulla c. Corpus callosum d. Hippocampus e. Hypothalamus

d.

Which of the following scanning techniques measures glucose consumption as an indicator of brain activity? a. CT b. MRI c. fMRI d. PET e. EEG

d.

A gymnast falls and hits her head on the floor. She attempts to continue practicing but has trouble maintaining balance. What part of her brain has probably been affected? a. Reticular formation b. Cerebellum c. Amygdala d. Thalamus e. Medulla

e.

Which of the following is sometimes referred to as the brain's sensory switchboard, because it directs incoming sensory messages (with the exception of smell) to their proper places in the brain? a. Hypothalamus b. Pituitary c. Cerebellum d. Limbic system e. Thalamus

e.

Older Brain Structures thalamus [THAL-uh-muss]

he brain's sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla. Brain's sensory control center The thalamus receives information from all the senses except smell,

The Limbic System 边缘系统

neural system (including the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives. Between the oldest and newest brain areas lies the limbic system

Older Brain Structures The Cerebellum

the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory. it also helps us judge time, modulate our emotions, and discriminate sounds and textures

Older Brain Structures medulla [muh-DUL-uh]

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.

Older Brain Structures Brainstem

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions. for basic functions like controlling heartbeat and breathing

The Tools of Discovery: Having Our Head Examined lesion

tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.

The Limbic System 边缘系统 The Amygdala

two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion. Research has linked the amygdala, two lima-bean-sized neural clusters, to aggression and fear. patient S. M., has been called "the woman with no fear," even if being threatened with a gun

The Tools of Discovery: Having Our Head Examined optogenetics

uses light to control the activity of individual neurons

Older Brain Structures pons

which helps coordinate movements and control sleep.