The Central Nervous System Cerebrum, Cerebellum Spinal Cord

The Cerebrum: Key Features Longitudinal Fissure: Blue (D1) Separating Left and Right sides Gyri (Gyrus): Red (C-C2) Surface folds Surface Area Sulci (Sulcus): Green (E-E3) Intervening Grooves – reflecting lobes

Question: “Take 5 in 2’s” Why do you think the brain is “grooved and folded”? Observation #1: The only mammal with more grooves and folds than the human, is the dolphin. Observation #2: The surface (cortex) is composed of a dense “sheets” of neurons important for the most complex brain activities.

Facts: Cerebral Cortex Adult Human Cortex: 1.5 ft 2 Site of uniquely human reasoning and thinking Thalamus is the “gateway to the cortex” integrating important information from the senses and the cortex

Lobes of the Cortex: Frontal: Purple (F) Voluntary motor functions, mood Parietal: Blue Hatches (G) Reception of sensory information Occipital: Red Hatches (H) Receives visual information Temporal: Green Hatches (I) Smell and hearing input – memory!

Connecting Motor/Thought and Senses What goes into pitching? Decision to act Draw on experiences Evaluate sensory information

Questions: Read page 207: “Functional Areas of the Cerebral Cortex”: What part of the cortex receives information from the senses/body? What area initiates movement? How are these two areas coordinated?

Demo Time! “Talk us through” a pitch: Note: 1. What precedes initiating movement? 2. What information is necessary before deciding on the pitch? 3. Where does the final “execution” command originate?

Answers: Primary sensory areas: Parietal Lobe after being “gated” through the Thalamus Premotor Area: Frontal Lobe, after being “planned” in the Prefrontal area. Association Areas: Make the connections – near sensory areas

Complete the Picture: Identify the following Functional areas on your Cerebrum: Prefrontal Premotor Primary motor Primary somatosensory cortex Somatic Sensory Association Area

Cerebellum: “ Little Brain” Locate: Cerebellar Nuclei: Red(B) Cerebellar Cortex: Blue (C) Functions: Balance, maintaining muscle tone, coordinating fine motor moves Comparator: Check it out!

Cerebellar Function: Try this: Touch your nose with your finger CLOSE YOUR EYES – REPEAT! How did you hit your nose with your eyes closed??? (Inquiring minds want to know)

Cerebellar Activity : Comparing Information Receives an “efferent motor copy” of intended move Receives an “afferent” report from proprioceptors

The Cerebellum is very sensitive to alcohol toxicity!

Assignment: Write a Paragraph: 1. Complete the description of other “Cortical” functions: (speech and memory) 2. What was the point of doing a “Frontal Lobotomy”?