1. The Brain
Every time you move a muscle & every time you think a thought, your nerve cells are hard at work. They are processing information: receiving signals, deciding what to do with them, & dispatching new messages off to their neighbors. Some nerve cells communicate directly with muscle cells, sending them the signal to contract. Other nerve cells are involved solely in the bureaucracy of information, spending their lives communicating only with other nerve cells. But unlike our human bureaucracies, this processing of information must be fast in order to keep up with the ever-changing demands of life.

2. Brain coordinating centre of the NS enclosed within the skull
surrounded by meninges – form a blood-brain barrier

3. Cerebrospinal Fluid Meninges shock absorber
carries nutrients to brain cells
provides a connection between neural and endocrine systems
Meninges
protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord

4. Meningitis
caused by a bacterial or viral infection of the outer membranes of the brain
symptoms – fever, vomiting, intense headache, stiff neck
if left untreated bacterial meningitis can lead to death

5. Human brain

6. Brainstem The “lower brain” Functions medulla oblongata pons
cerebellum
Functions
homeostasis
coordination of movement
conduction of impulses to higher brain centers

7. Brainstem Controls autonomic homeostatic functions
breathing
heart & blood vessel activity
swallowing
vomiting
digestion
Relays information to & from higher brain centers

8. Midbrain Involved in the integration of sensory information
regulation of visual reflexes
regulation of auditory reflexes

9. Cerebrum Most highly evolved structure of mammalian brain
Cerebrum divided
hemispheres
left = right side of body
right = left side of body
Corpus callosum
major connection between 2 hemispheres

10. Lateralization of Brain Function
Left hemisphere
language, math, logic operations, processing of serial sequences of information, visual & auditory details
detailed activities required for motor control
Right hemisphere
pattern recognition, spatial relationships, non-verbal ideation, emotional processing, parallel processing of information

11. Lateralization of Brain Function
httpwww.ximnet.com.mythelabimagesuploadFF_70_brain1_f.jpg

12. Cerebrum specialization
Regions of the cerebrum are specialized for different functions
Lobes
frontal
temporal
occipital
parietal

13. Cerebrum specialization
Frontal Lobe
walking, talking - voluntary muscles (motor neuron)
personality & intellect (association neurons)

14. Cerebrum specialization
Temporal Lobe
vision & hearing (sensory neurons)
memory & Interpretation of sensory information(association neurons)

15. Cerebrum specialization
Parietal Lobe
touch & temperature (sensory neurons)
emotions & interpreting speech (association neurons)

16. Cerebrum specialization
Occipital Lobe
vision (sensory neurons)
interpreting visuals (association neurons)

18. Limbic system
Mediates basic emotions (fear, anger), involved in emotional bonding, establishes emotional memory
Amygdala involved in recognizing emotional content of facial expression

19. Any Questions??

21. Evolutionary older structures
Evolutionary older structures of the brain regulate essential autonomic & integrative functions
brainstem
pons
medulla oblongata
midbrain
cerebellum
thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus

22. Reticular Formation
Sleep & wakefulness produces patterns of electrical activity in the brain
recorded as an electroencephalogram (EEG)
most dreaming during REM (rapid eye movement) sleep