AP Psychology The Brain! EQ: How do different brain areas influence our physical behavior? 9/16/13

Pinky & the Brain One of those stupid videos teachers like to show from when they were growing up… OpM OpM

Sections of the brain Older sections Limbic system Cerebral cortex Language centers

Brainstem Brainstem is the oldest & lowest part of the brain (fits with evolution). Made up of the medulla & pons.

Medulla Oblongata Lower section of brainstem—controls autonomic functions (heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, etc.)

Pons Pons means “bridge”—connects brainstem (Medulla) & brain (Thalamus) Regulates sleep, dreaming cycle, etc.

Reticular formation Reticular = “netlike” Neural system primarily responsible for arousal from sleep & alertness Coma cat

Thalamus Little eggs on top of the brainstem Routes information to proper places in the brain—makes sense, as it is the first thing after the brainstem

Cerebellum “Little brain” Primarily motor control—does not initiate, but it influences coordination, precision, and timing of movements. Motor learning

Limbic System Emotions & memory

Amygdala Bean-sized neural clusters Aggression & fear Messing with animals…

Hypothalamus Influences temperature, hunger, thirst, sleep, etc. Extremely important for homeostasis Works with pituitary gland “Pleasure center”

Hippocampus Means “sea horse” Extremely important in converting short- to long-term memory (Patient HM) Spatial memory & navigation

Cerebral Cortex Frontal lobe ( GBA) GBA Parietal lobe Occipital lobe Temporal lobe

Frontal Lobe Planning, deciding, perceiving, personality/temperament (Phineas Gage) Motor cortex—inside frontal lobe

Parietal Lobe Specialize in sensation (touch, temperature, pain, pressure) Somatosensory (sensory) cortex—inside parietal lobe Which body parts take up the most space in the motor & sensory cortexes?

Occipital Lobe & Temporal Lobe Occipital: back of brain…visual Temporal: side of brain…sound Remember Avatar fMRI They (mostly) correspond with location of eyes/ears.

Cerebral Cortex Motor cortex Sensory cortex Association areas

Large difference between humans and animals Sensory inputs tied to memory

Language centers Visual cortex Angular gyrus Wernicke’s area Broca’s area Motor cortex

Language centers (functions) Visual cortex Processes written info Angular gyrus Turns written info into auditory info Wernicke’s area Interprets auditory info Broca’s area Controls speech muscles in motor cortex Motor cortex Words are pronounced

Aphasia How would damage to Wernicke’s area & Broca’s area lead to different forms of aphasia? Wernicke’s: no motor issues, but comprehension issues Broca’s: major motor issues, but comprehension issues may be intact

Corpus Callosum Connects the two hemispheres Can be cut…

Brain posters… Pick 1 part of the brain (everyone needs a different one). Your poster should have these parts: 1.Picture of the brain with location labeled 2.General overview of its function 3.What happens if the section is lesioned 4.At least 1 extra fact (preferably interesting) 5.Some tips for classmates on how to remember the information

Present posters Yay!

A legion of lesions… Jot down a list of each part of the brain and what would happen if it was lesioned.

Brain plasticity CLM CLM What is plasticity? What happens to it over time? What is the relationship between brain plasticity and behavior?

Brain hemispheres B8uI B8uI Cerebral dominance (certain tasks, but hemispheres cooperate) Wernicke’s area & Broca’s area: 95% only have them in left hemisphere Plasticity shows the brain can compensate in the case of a hemispherectomy

Right/left handedness ng-left-handed-may-be-dangerous-to-life- study-says.html ng-left-handed-may-be-dangerous-to-life- study-says.html

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