Psych 1XX3 - Neuroscience 2
Hindbrain
- Medulla, Pons, Reticular Formation and Cerebellum - evolutionarily the oldest parts of the brain
Functional Neuroimaging
- PET: radioactive tracer, goes where most metabolic processes are happening, relatively invasive - fMRI: measure blood-oxygen dependance, less invasive, however oxygen spikes a few seconds after the spikes of activity in brain (need more precise timing) - EEG: wear a electrode cap, rough image of the brain's overall activity, must average signals to balance out noise
Corpus Callosum
- a thick bundle of axons the two hemispheres of the brain communicate through
Brain Lateralization
- brain structure exist on both hemispheres
Sperry and Gazinga
- conducted ground-breaking research on corpus callosum
Amygdala
- decoding emotions, particularly stimuli that may be threatening - during intense emotions like fear, the amygdala becomes very active - memory - decision making
Hypothalamus
- directing stress responses - regulating energy metabolism by influencing feeding - digestion and metabolic rate - regulating reproduction through hormonal control or matin, pregnancy and lactation - sleeping patterns - Four F's (Fight, Flight, Feeding and F**king)
Paul Broca
- discovered "Broca's area", an area of the brain vital for the motor production of speech
Wernicke
- found that damage to the left temporal gyrus is important for language comprehension
Frontal Lobe
- makes you human - most complex decision making - language - strategy - formation, inhibition and manipulation of items in short-term memory - motor commands - located at the front of the brain
The Pituitary
- master gland of the endocrine system (thyroid, testes, ovaries and adrenals) - releases oxytocin (functions such as lactation and uterine contractions, role in love, bonding and trust) - releases vasopressin (vital blood hormone that regulates levels of thirst by interaction with the kidneys to regulate glucose levels)
Hippocampus
- memory - may be involved in transferring short term to long term - connected to amygdala (memories and emotions) - spatial map of the world around you
Parietal Lobe
- processing of touch - complex visual and spatial functions - location and movement of visual objects - spatial representation that may be involved in visual attention and guiding eye and body movements - between the front and back lobes.
Temporal Lobe
- processing the form and identity of visual stimuli - auditory processing - partially responsible for memory and language - wraps around both sides of the brain, near your temples
Tegmentum
- red nucleus: contributes to motor control - substantial nigra: plays an integral role in reward-related behaviours
Tectum
- superior and inferior colliculi - superior colliculus: eye movements and visual reflexes - inferior colliculus: auditory integration
Split Brain Syndrome
- to test for split brain syndrome have a patient stare straight ahead at a fixation point and then introduce a picture of a cup in left visual field, if you ask them to name what she saw she will be unable to do so, because language is preferentially processed by the left hemisphere and vision on the left - in right visual field, patient will be able to name the cup, but won't be able to pick it out using a spatial task
Occipital Lobe
- visual processing - at very back of your brain
Thalamus
- where axons synapse - processes and relays the information selectively to areas of the cerebral cortex -
Sulcus
An indent or gap between gyri
The Cortex
Four Lobes
Phones Gage
Had a rod go through the back of his skull and turned into a different person
Forebrain
Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Thalamus, Amygdala, Hippocampus
Brain Studies: 4 types
Lesion studies, Stimulation and single cell recording, structural imaging, functional imaging
Lesion studies main idea
Removing parts of the brain to see what no longer works
Significance of Penfield's work
Revealed specific functions to unmapped regions of the brain
Gyrus
Ridge on the cortex
Midbrain
Tectum and Tegmentum
Dr. Wilder Penfield
Used a thin wire carrying a small electric charge to stimulate the cortex
Reticular Formation
arousal and motivation, circadian rhythm, posture and balance
Cerebellum
coordinated movement
Pons
movement, auditory perception and emotional processing
Medulla
regulates breathing, digestion and heart rate
Dorsal
to the back
Caudal
to the bottom
Ventral
to the front
Rostral
to the top
Medial
toward the center
Lateral
toward the outside
Structural Neuroimaging
- CT: relatively low resolution - MRI: for more detailed structural images of the brain
