Chapter 3: The Biological Basis of Behavior Module 8: The Brain

1
Chapter 3The Biological Basis of
BehaviorModule 8The Brain
2
(No Transcript)
3
Lower-Level Brain StructuresBrainstem Medulla

• Oldest part of the brain
• Responsible for automatic survival functions
• Located where the spinal cord swells and the
  brain just begins
• Rose or tail?

• The base of the brainstem
• Controls life-supporting functions like heartbeat
  and breathing
• Damage to this area can lead to death.

4
More lower-level brain structuresReticular
Formation

• A nerve network extending up and down the spinal
  cord into the brain
• Controls an organisms level of alertness
• Damage to this area can cause a coma.

5
L.L.B.S. (cont.)Thalamus

• Sits atop the brainstem
• Right in the middle!
• Like a switchboard
• Directs messages to the sensory receiving areas
  in the cortex
• Thalamus is Greek for inner chamber.

6
L.L.B.S. (cont.)Cerebellum

• Latin for the little brain
• Located in the rear of the brain
• Helps with balance coordination
• Also, memories to play instrument or walk.
• Allows us to run or write
• If damaged, the person could perform basic
  movements but would lose fine coordination skills.

7
L.L.B.S. The Limbic System

• Area around the thalamus
• At the border of the brainstem and cerebral
  cortex
• B/t older core regions and newly developed ones

• Helps regulate memory, aggression, fear, hunger,
  and thirst
• Includes the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and
  amygdala

8
Hypothalamus

• Located directly under the front of the thalamus
• Regulates eating, drinking, body temperature, and
  the fight or flight reactions to stress
• Plays a role in emotions, pleasure, and sexual
  function

9
Hippocampus

• Wraps around the back of the thalamus
• Plays a role in processing new memories for
  permanent storage
• Looks something like a seahorse
• Hippo is Greek for horse.

10
Amygdala

• Two almond shaped structures
• Controls emotional responses such as fear and
  anger

11
The Cerebral Cortex

• Module 8 The Brain

12
Cerebral Cortex

• The wrinkled outer surface
• The bodys ultimate control and information
  processing center
• Covers the brains lower level structures
• 30 billion nerve cells can exist in a tissue
  layer 1/8th of an inch thick.

13
Longitudinal Fissure

• Most dramatic feature of cortex.
• The crevice that divides the brain into two
  halves or hemispheres.
• The Corpus Callosum is the large band of neural
  fibers that connects the two halves and carries
  messages between them.
• This and other fissures in the brain create 4
  major divisions in the brain called lobes.

14
(No Transcript)
15
Frontal Lobes

• The portion of the cerebral cortex lying just
  behind the forehead
• Is involved in making plans and judgments

16
Parietal Lobes

• Regions available for general processing,
  including mathematical reasoning
• Designated as the association lobes
• Behind the frontal lobes

17
Occipital Lobe

• The primary visual processing area
• Located in the back of the head

18
Temporal Lobes

• Includes the auditory cortex where sound
  information is processed
• Located roughly above the ears

19
Motor Cortex

• Area at the rear of the frontal lobes
• Controls voluntary movement
• Different parts of the cortex control different
  parts of the body.
• The motor cortex in the left hemisphere controls
  the right side of the body and visa versa.

20
(No Transcript)
21
(No Transcript)
22
Somatosensory Cortex

• Located in the front of the parietal lobes
• Registers and processes body senses
• Soma is Greek for body.

23
(No Transcript)
24
(No Transcript)
25
Hemispheric Differences

• Module 8 The Brain

26
Hemispheric Differences

• Left-brained and right-brained debunked
• Brain is divided into two hemispheres but works
  as a single entity.
• Both sides continually communicate via the corpus
  callosum, except in those with split brains.

27
Hemispheric Differences Language and Spatial
Abilities

• Module 8 The Brain

28
The Brains Left Hemisphere

• For most people, language functions are in the
  left hemisphere.
• For a small percentage of people, language
  functions are in the right hemisphere.

29
Brocas Area

• Located in the frontal lobe and usually in the
  left hemisphere
• Responsible for the muscle movements of speech
• If damaged the person can form the ideas but
  cannot express them as speech

30
PET Scan of Brocas Area
31
(No Transcript)
32
Wernickes Area

• Located in the temporal lobe
• Involved in language comprehension and
  expression our ability to understand what is
  said to us
• Usually in the left temporal lobe

33
(No Transcript)
34
PET Scan of Wernickes Area
35
The Brains Right Hemisphere

• Houses the brains spatial abilities
• Our spatial ability allows us to perceive or
  organize things in a given space, judge distance,
  etc.
• Helps in making connections between words

36
Brain Plasticity

• The ability of the brain tissue to take on new
  functions
• Greatest in childhood
• Important if parts of the brain are damaged or
  destroyed
• http//www.today.com/video/today/4135008741350087
  
• ½ a brain
• https//www.youtube.com/watch?v2MKNsI5CWoU
• Cameron has ½ a brain

37
More Brain Videos!

• https//www.youtube.com/watch?v23N8Jm1Xs_0featur
  eyoutu.be
• On/off switch