2. Unit 3-B (B): Older Brain Structures
A.P. Psychology

3. Do-Now (Discussion)
What type of information can be gained through the following neurological measurement tools?
E.E.G. (Electroencephalogram)
C.T. (Computed Tomography) Scan
P.E.T. (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan
M.R.I. (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
f.M.R.I. (Functional M.R.I.)

4. The Brain Brain-to-Body Weight Ratios of Living Organisms: Dinosaurs:
Elephants:
1/600th
Mice:
1/40th
Marmosets:
1/25th

5. Other than size, what else determines a species’ intelligence?
The Brain
Other than size, what else determines a species’ intelligence?

6. Older Brain Structures: The Brainstem
The complexities of brain structures serve as indicators of a species’ intellectual capacities
Brainstem:
Oldest part and central core of the brain
Beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull
Function:
Automatic survival functions

7. Older Brain Structures: The Brainstem
Medulla:
Base of the brainstem
Functions:
Controls heartbeat
Controls breathing
Pons:
Located above the medulla
Function:
Coordinates movement
Reticular Formation:
A nerve network in the brainstem
Controlling arousal

8. Older Brain Structures: The Brainstem
What types of automatic survival functions are controlled by the brainstem?
How do the medulla and reticular formation interact with the autonomic nervous system?
How do the pons interact with the somatic nervous system?

9. Older Brain Structures: The Brainstem and Thalamus

10. Older Brain Structures: The Thalamus & Cerebellum
Brain’s sensory switchboard
Located on top of the brainstem
Functions:
Directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex
Transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
Cerebellum:
“Little Brain”
Located at rear of brainstem
Processing sensory input
Coordinating movement output and balance

11. Older Brain Structures: The Thalamus & Cerebellum
With which types of neurons does the thalamus interact?
With which types of neurons does the cerebellum interact?

12. Older Brain Structures: The Cerebellum

13. Older Brain Structures: The Limbic System
Doughnut-shaped neural system
Located below the cerebral hemispheres
Includes:
Hippocampus
Amygdala
Hypothalamus
Functions:
Linked to Emotions/Drives

15. Older Brain Structures: The Limbic System

16. Older Brain Structures: The Limbic System
Hippocampus:
Function:
Processes Memory
Amygdala:
Two lima bean-sized neural clusters
Linked to Emotion
Hypothalamus:
Located below the thalamus
Functions:
Maintenance activities: eating, drinking, body temperature
Helps govern endocrine system (via pituitary gland)
Linked to emotion and reward

17. Older Brain Structures: The Limbic System
Imagine that you encounter an angry cat. Its back is arched, fur is fluffed, and pupils are dilated.
Which division of the autonomic nervous system is activated by this stimulation of its amygdala (neural center of emotion)?

18. Brain Structures and their Functions

19. Review Describe the functions of the following parts of the brain:
Brainstem
Medulla
Pons
Reticular Formation
Thalamus
Cerebellum
Limbic System:
Hippocampus
Amygdala
Hypothalamus

20. Unit 3-B (C): The Cerebral Cortex
A.P. Psychology

21. Do-Now (In Journal)
Identify the parts of the older brain structures that are responsible for the following functions:
Heartbeat:
All senses except for smell:
Feeling angry:
Memories of freshman year:
Sexual arousal:
Body movement:
Balance:
Reaching for food (survival):
Body temperature:

22. Structure of the Cerebral Cortex
Intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres
The body’s ultimate control and information-processing center
Glial Cells (Glia):
Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

23. Structure of the Cerebral Cortex
Frontal Lobes:
Located behind the forehead
Functions:
Speaking
Muscle Movements
Judgments
Parietal Lobes:
Located at the top/rear of the head
Sensory Input (Touch/Body position)

24. Structure of the Cerebral Cortex
Occipital Lobes
Located at the back of the head
Includes Visual Cortex
Functions:
Receives information from visual fields
Temporal Lobes
Located roughly above the ears
Includes Auditory Cortex
Receiving information primarily from the opposite ear

25. Structure of the Cerebral Cortex

26. The Visual and Auditory Cortex

27. The Visual and Auditory Cortex
Which lobe is responsible for interpreting visual information?
Which lobe is responsible for interpreting auditory information?

28. f.M.R.I.: Stimulation of Visual Cortex

29. Functions of the Cerebral Cortex
Motor Cortex:
Located at rear of frontal lobes
Controls voluntary movements (Output)
Sensory Cortex:
Located at front of parietal lobes
Registers and processes body touch and movement sensations (Input)
Association Areas:
Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved with primary motor/sensory functions
Involved in higher mental functions:
Learning
Remembering
Thinking
Speaking

30. Functions of the Motor and Sensory Cortex

31. Areas of the Cortex in Four Mammals

32. What can be inferred about organisms with larger association areas?

33. Review
Describe the functions of the following parts of the Cerebral Cortex:
Frontal Lobes
Parietal Lobes
Occipital Lobes
Temporal Lobes
Motor Cortex
Sensory Cortex
Association Areas

34. Unit 3-B (D): The Brain and Language
A.P. Psychology

35. Do-Now (Discussion)
Why are psychologists interested in studying language?
What enables humans to speak/understand language, while other animals are unable to do so?
What cognitive processes must occur in order to speak and understand language?

36. The Brain and Language
Several cognitive processes occur when speaking and understanding language:
Reading words
Interpreting written words as sounds
Interpreting sounds as meanings
Speaking words
Pronouncing words

37. The Brain and Language: Expression and Reception
Broca’s Area:
Controls language expression
Directs muscle movements involved in speech
Left frontal lobe
Wernicke’s Area:
Controls language reception/comprehension
Left temporal lobe

38. Brain Areas Involved in Language Processing

39. Brain Areas Involved in Language Processing
By reading the words on this screen, what areas of the brain are you using?

40. Brain Activity When Hearing/Speaking/Seeing Words

41. The Brain and Language: Language Impairment
Aphasia:
Impairment of language
Damage to left hemisphere:
Broca’s Area (Impairing speaking)
Wernicke’s Area (Impairing understanding)

42. The Brain and Language: Language Impairment
How does this psychological cartoon illustrate Aphasia?

43. Review
What functions of language are associated with the following parts of the brain:
Broca’s Area
Wernicke’s Area
What is Aphasia?
What are its causes?
What are its symptoms?

44. Unit 3-B (E): Right-Left Differences in the Brain
A.P. Psychology

45. Do-Now (Discussion)
What is it mean to be a “right-brain” vs. “left-brain” dominant person?
What does this suggest about the workings of the brain?

46. The Brain’s Plasticity
The brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
Neurogenesis:
The formation of new neurons

47. The Brain’s Plasticity
When is the brain “most plastic?”
What are some ways that the brain’s plasticity can benefit people with limited senses (e.g. blind or deaf people)?

48. The Divided Brain Lateralization:
The brain’s left and right hemispheres serve different physiological and cognitive functions
Most apparent after brain damage
Left hemisphere: dominant/major
Right hemisphere: subordinate/minor

49. Why do you think a higher percentage (90%) of people are right-handed?
The Divided Brain
Why do you think a higher percentage (90%) of people are right-handed?

50. The Divided Brain Corpus Callosum:
The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

51. The Divided Brain Split Brain:
A condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum)

52. Visual Perception of the Split Brain

53. Testing the Divided Brain

54. Testing the Divided Brain

55. What is Split Brain? The Divided Brain
What are the causes of this condition?
What are the effects of this condition?

56. Which One is Happier?

57. Right-Left Differences in the Intact Brain
Left Brain:
Logical
Sequential
Rational
Analytical
Objective
Looks at parts
Right portion of body
Academic Strengths:
Language (Written/Spoken)
Science & Math
Right Brain:
Random
Intuitive
Holistic
Synthesizing
Subjective (Emotion)
Looks at wholes
Left portion of body
Academic Strengths:
Art & Music
Creativity

58. Right-Left Differences in the Intact Brain
Identify the brain hemisphere that is most associated with each of the following abilities, tasks, and characteristics:
Problem-solving
Artistic Design
Imagination
Construction
Emotion
Practicality
“Masculinity”
“Femininity”

59. Review What is plasticity of the brain? What is a split brain patient?
When is the brain typically “most plastic?”
What is a split brain patient?
What are the causes of this condition?
What are the effects of this condition?
Differentiate between the abilities and characteristics of the brain’s left and right hemispheres.