Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Chapter 2: Cognitive Neuroscience

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Basic Unit of Brain: Neuron

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Neurotransmitters

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Methods to Study the Brain Postmortem studies Animal Studies Electrical Recordings Static Imaging Techniques Metabolic Imaging

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Postmortem Studies Identify disorder and then examine after death –Young, Holcomb, Yazdani, Hicks & German (2004) Found depression is associated with a greater number of nerve cells in the Thalamus being devoted to emotional regulation Supported idea that structural abnormality may lead to depression

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Animal Studies: In Vivo Monitor activity of a single neuron

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Animal Study: Single Neuron Monitoring Disterhoft & Matthew (2003) –Young versus old rabbits compared in learning of eyeblink conditioning –Hippocampal pyramidal neurons were monitored –Typically aging animals cannot learn the task –Metrifonate, galanthamine, and CI-1017 injected into the aging rabbits –This led aged rabbits to learn as quickly as young controls

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 EEG-Human Studies Dehaene-Lambertz, Pena, M., Christophe, & Landrieu (2004) Examined the language abilities of infants using EEG Electroencephalograph Research Example

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Radioactive material is injected or inhaled Participant is then scanned to produce an image of the brain’s activity

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Strong magnetic field passed through the skull Uses the detection of radio frequency signals produced by displaced radio waves in a magnetic field Creates a detailed anatomical image of the brain

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) fMRI imaging takes a series of images of the brain in quick succession and then statistically analyzes the images for differences among them Brain areas with more blood flow have been shown to have better visibility on MRI images Better visibility is thought to be correlated with brain activation

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Anatomy of the Brain

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Anatomy of the Brain Forebrain –Cerebral cortex –Basal ganglia Motor movement –Limbic system –Thalamus –Hypothalamus

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Anatomy of Limbic System Amygdala –Involved in anger, & fear Hippocampus –Is important in the formation of memories –Korsakoff’s syndrome

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Anatomy of Limbic System Thalamus –Relay sensory information to the cerebral cortex Hypothalamus –Important to metabolic behaviors, eating, drinking, sexual behaviors, and regulating emotions

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Function of Limbic System Controls Mood and attitude Stores highly charged emotional memories Controls appetite and sleep cycles

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Midbrain Location –The midbrain extends from the pons to the lower portion of thalamus Reticular activating system –Controls respiration, cardiovascular function, digestion, alertness, and sleep Brain Stem –Vital in basic attention, arousal, and consciousness

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Hindbrain Medulla Oblongata –Breathing, swallowing and digestion Pons –Relay station Cerebellum –Motor co-ordination, posture, and maintaining balance.

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Cerebral Cortex Principles Contralaterality –Right side of brain controls left side of body –Left side of brain controls right side of body Corpus Callosum –Neural fibers connecting left and right lobes –Allows communication between right and left sides of the brain

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Cerebral Cortex Principles Localization of function –Specific mental processes are correlated with discrete regions of the brain Hemispheric Specialization –Each lobe of the brain has specialized functions

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Evidence for Specialization of Left lobe Wernicke’s area –Speaks fluently but nonsensically –Not coherent, contains lexical and grammatical errors Broca’s area –Can understand everything said –Patient can only respond in monosyllabic words

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Split Brain Studies Sperry ( ) –First to study patients with a split corpus callosum –Two lobes function independently Gazzaniga (1980’s- current) –Two lobes function complimentarily

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Split Brain Methodology Corpus callosum severed Techniques used test each half-brain

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Hemispheric Specialization Left Lobe –Language functions (speech, song) –Logical thought (writing, logic) Right Lobe –Spatial-relation functions –Perception of rhythm, abstract or intuitive thought

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Split Brain Demonstration What would a split brain patient say they saw? What would a split brain patient point to with their left hand?

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Lobes of the Cerebral Cortex Frontal –Reasoning & Planning Parietal –Touch, Temperature, Pain, & Pressure Temporal –Auditory & Perceptual processing Occipital –Visual processing

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Brain Disorders Stroke –Flow of blood to brain is disrupted –Damage depends on severity and location

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Brain Disorders Brain Tumors –Benign versus Malignant –Detected by CAT scan or MRIs

Cognitive Psychology, Fifth Edition, Robert J. Sternberg Chapter 2 Brain Disorder Head Injuries –Closed head versus Open head injuries –Loss of consciousness is a primary symptom