1. Understanding the Brain
The Brain Song

2. Electroencephalograph (EEG)
Monitors the electrical activity of the brain- brain waves
Used in clinical diagnosis of various neurological disorders

3. Brain Imaging- CAT Scan
X-ray beam moves all around the patient, scanning from hundreds of different angles.
Portrays only brain structure.
Used to diagnose and treat a wide variety of ailments (head trauma, cancer, tumors).

4. Brain Imaging- PET Scan
examine brain function
monitor chemical processes such as neurotransmitters
Person receives an injection of radioactive substance
Brain structures that are active absorb the substance and this is color coded onto a computer screen.

5. Brain Imaging- MRI
Similar to CAT scan but better picture due to higher resolution
Person’s head is surrounded by a magnetic field and the brain is exposed to radio waves, which cause hydrogen atoms in the brain to release energy.

6. Brain Imaging- MRI

7. Brain Imaging- fMRI
Similar to PET but less invasive and collects precise images rapidly.
It measures the movement of blood molecules (an index of neural activity).
Provides both functional and structural information in the same image.

8. Lesioning & ESB Lesioning- destroying a piece of the brain
Insert an electrode into a brain structure and pass a high electric current which burns tissue
ESB (electrical stimulation of the brain)- sending an electric current into a brain structure to activate it

9. Three Main Regions of the Brain
1. Hindbrain- lower part of brain stem (pons & medulla), & cerebellum

10. Three Main Regions of the Brain
2. Midbrain- upper brainstem (reticular formation)

11. Three Main Regions of the Brain
3. Forebrain- largest & most complex
limbic system (hippocampus, hypothalamus, thalamus, amygdala) at the center
cerebral cortex & lobes can be seen externally

13. Cerebrum is divided into 4 Lobes

14. Frontal Lobe Prefrontal cortex Motor cortex- movement of muscles
Reasoning, planning, paying attention, getting organized, decision making, impulse control
Motor cortex- movement of muscles
Broca’s Area (only left side) – production of speech

15. Phineas Gage example of prefrontal cortex damage

16. Parietal Lobe Somatosensory Cortex- controls sensory information
Process info from body parts
Sense of touch, feeling temperature & pain
Phantom Limb syndrome

18. Temporal Lobe Primary auditory cortex
Involves hearing, speaking, understanding written & verbal words
Wernicke’s Area- comprehension of language (only left side)

19. Occipital Lobe
Primary visual cortex
Visual processing begins

20. Brain Plasticity
Experience can change/sculpt certain brain structures (ex: musicians)
The brain can go through neural reorganization after damage- healthy neurons attempt to compensate for the loss of nearby neurons
Neurogenesis- The adult brain can generate new neurons
Brain’s plasticity declines with age