1. Brain and Behavior

2. The Brain – The Central Core
Medulla
Controls breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure
Pons
Maintains the sleep-wake cycle
Cerebellum
Coordinates body’s movements
Balance

3. The Brain – The Central Core
Thalamus
Relays information from sensory receptors to the brain
Except smell
Hypothalamus
Influences motivated behavior
Regulates hunger, thirst, body temperature, and sexual drive.
Directly involved in emotional behavior
4 F’s

4. The brain and behavior (Con’t)
Right Brain –
Left hand touch
Music
Art
Dance
Sculpture
Perception
Fantasy
The brain and behavior (Con’t)

5. The brain and behavior (Con’t)
Left Brain –
Right hand touch
Math
Language
Science
Writing
Logic
Broca’s Area – “Boca” – Word production
Wernicke’s Area – Word comprehension
The brain and behavior (Con’t)

6. The brain and behavior (Con’t)
The Limbic System: includes parts of the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala
regulation of emotion, memory, and motivation
Hippocampus - role in memory processes
Amygdala – learning of fear response (parts of the brain are needed for learning); semantic memories
The brain and behavior (Con’t)

7. The Brain – The Limbic System
Ring of structures located between the central core and the cerebral hemispheres
Important to learning and emotional behavior
Hippocampus essential in formation of new memories
Amygdala, together with the hippocampus, is important for regulating emotions

8. The brain and behavior (Con’t)
Cerebral Hemispheres – right and left halves of the cerebrum
Occipital – back of head – visual signals are sent and visual processing begins – Primary Visual Cortex
Parietal – forward of the occipital – registers sense of touch – Primary Somatosensory Cortex.
Temporal – below the parietal – auditory processing – Primary Auditory Cortex
Frontal – continuing forward – principle areas that control the movement of muscles – Primary Motor Cortex
Corpus Callosum – structure that connects the two cerebral hemispheres
The brain and behavior (Con’t)

9. The Cerebral Cortex Occipital lobe Temporal lobe
Receives and processes visual information
Temporal lobe
Complex visual tasks such as face recognition
Receives and processed auditory information
Involved in balance, some emotions and motivations
Some language processing

10. The Cerebral Cortex Parietal lobe Frontal lobe
Receives sensory information from body
Involved in spatial abilities
Frontal lobe
Coordinated information from other lobes
Controls voluntary movement, attention, setting goals, and expression of appropriate emotions

11. Where Are Memories Stored?

12. Hemispheric Specialization
Corpus Callosum
Fibers that connect the two hemispheres
Allow close communication between left and right hemishphere
Each hemisphere appears to specialize in certain functions

13. Neural Plasticity
The brain can be changed, both structurally and chemically, by experience
Rat studies show that an “enriched” environment leads to larger neurons with more connections
Has also been shown in humans
Recent research has uncovered evidence of neurogenesis, or the production of new brain cells, in human brains

14. Tools for Studying the Nervous System

15. Microelectrode Techniques
Very small electrodes inserted into individual neurons
Used to study activity of a single neuron

16. Macroelectrode Techniques
Used to get a picture of overall activity in the brain
An example is an EEG, which uses electrodes placed on a person’s scalp to measure brain activity

17. Structural Imaging Computerized Axial Tomography (CT-scan)
Uses X-rays to create a 3-dimensional image of the brain
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
Uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce images

18. Functional Imaging EEG imaging
electrical activity on the scalp from millions of neurons is used to produce a continuous picture of activity in the brain
Magentoencephalography (MEG) and Magnetic source imaging (MSI)
Can localize activity more precisely than EEG

19. Functional Imaging
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT)
Use radioactive glucose to determine location of greatest brain activity
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
Shows function and structure by measuring movement of blood molecules within the brain

20. The Endocrine System

21. Endocrine System – glands that secrete chemicals into the bloodstream/help control bodily functioning
Hormones
Controlled by the nervous system through the hypothalamus
Connection with the Pituitary gland – “Master Gland”
Hypothalamus > ANS > Pituitary Gland > Adrenal Gland
Endocrine System

22. The Endocrine System
Helps coordinate and integrate complex psychological reactions
Endocrine glands secrete hormones into the bloodstream
Hormones serve to organize the nervous system and body
Hormones also activate behavior, such as sexual behavior

23. Secretes hormones (primarily thyroxin) that control metabolism
The Endocrine System
Thyroid gland
Secretes hormones (primarily thyroxin) that control metabolism
Parathyroid glands
Control levels of calcium and phosphate which in turn controls levels of excitability

24. The Endocrine System Pineal gland Pancreas
Secretes melatonin which regulates the sleep-wake cycle
Pons
Pancreas
Regulates blood-sugar levels
Secretes insulin and glucagon

25. The Endocrine System Pituitary gland Gonads Adrenal glands
Referred to as the “master gland” because it regulates many other glands
Gonads
Ovaries and testes secrete estrogens and androgens
Adrenal glands
Secretes hormones in reaction to stress