Myers’ PSYCHOLOGY (7th Ed) Chapter 2 Neuroscience, Genetics and Behavior James A. McCubbin, PhD Clemson University Worth Publishers

Anatomy and Physiology of the Brain

Vocabulary zLesion

The Brain  Lesion  tissue destruction  a brain lesion can be naturally or experimentally caused

Vocabulary zEEG: Electroencephalogram z CT (computed tomography) Scan  PET (positron emission tomography) Scan  MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)

Electroencephalogram (EEG)  an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface  measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

The Brain  CT (computed tomography) Scan  a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body; also called CAT scan  PET (positron emission tomography) Scan  a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task  MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)  a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allows us to see structures within the brain

PET Scan

MRI Scan

Vocabulary zBrainstem zMedulla zReticular formation zThalamus zCerebellum

The Brain  Brainstem  the oldest part and central core of the brain, responsible for automatic survival functions  Connects the 2 sides of the brain  Medulla [muh-DUL-uh]  controls heartbeat and breathing

The Brain

 Reticular Formation  a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal and relaying information  Thalamus [THAL-uh-muss]  the brain’s sensory switchboard (for all except smell)  it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla  Provides the electrical charge that slows for us to sleep and speeds up to wake us

The Brain  Cerebellum [sehr- uh-BELL-um]  the “little brain” it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance  Helps with nonverbal learning and memory

vocabulary zLimbic system zAmygdala zHypothalamus zHippocampus

The Brain  Limbic System  a doughnut-shaped system of neural structures  associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex  includes the hippocampus (seat for memory), amygdala, hypothalamus and pituitary gland.  Amygdala [ah-MIG-dah-la]  two neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion (mainly fear and aggression)

The Brain  Hypothalamus  neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities  eating  drinking  body temperature  Links the nervous system with the endocrine system  is linked to emotion (4 F’s)

The Limbic System

 Electrode implanted in reward center

Vocabulary  Cerebral Cortex  Glial Cells  Frontal Lobes  Parietal Lobes  Occipital Lobes  Temporal Lobes

The Cerebral Cortex  Cerebral Cortex  covers the cerebral hemispheres  the body’s ultimate control and information processing center  Folded to increase surface area  Glial Cells  Guide connections  Provide nutrient and insulation myelin  Mop up ions and neural transmitters  Participate in info transmission

The Cerebral Cortex  Frontal Lobes  involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments  Parietal Lobes  include the sensory cortex  Occipital Lobes  include the visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field  Temporal Lobes  include the auditory areas

The Cerebral Cortex

 Motor Cortex  area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements  Sensory Cortex  area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations

The Cerebral Cortex

 Functional MRI scan shows the visual cortex activated as the subject looks at faces

Visual and Auditory Cortex

Association Areas  More intelligent animals have increased “uncommitted” or association areas of the cortex  Lead to the 10 % myth  Interpret, integrate and act on info

vocabulary  Aphasia  Broca’s Area  Wernicke’s Area  Angular Gyrus

The Cerebral Cortex  Aphasia  impairment of language  Broca’s Area  directs the muscle movements involved in speech  Wernicke’s Area  involved in language comprehension and expression Angular Gyrus: connects visual and auditory (reading aloud)

Specialization and Integration

 Brain activity when hearing, seeing, and speaking words

Brain Reorganization  Plasticity  the brain’s capacity for modification, as evident in reorganization following damage (especially in children)

Stop zBrain use while driving activity

Our Divided Brain  Corpus Callosum  large band of neural fibers  connects the two brain hemispheres  carries messages between the hemispheres Corpus callosum

Our Divided Brain  The information highway from the eye to the brain

Split Brain  a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them

Split Brain “Look at the dot.” Two words separated by a dot are momentarily projected. “What word did you see?” or “Point with your left hand to the word you saw.”

Brain Structures and their Functions

Pros and Cons to being left handed zconpro zreading disabilitiesmusicians zknee/joint problemsmath zallergiespro baseball zmigrainespro cricket zbirth stressarchitects ztobacco and alcoholartist zimmune system problems zaccidents (right handed equip)

Disappearing Southpaws  The percentage of left-handers decreases sharply in samples of older people (adapted from Coren, 1993). The percentage of lefties sharply declines with age Age in years 14% Percentage of left-handedness

The Endocrine System  Endocrine System  the body’s “slow” chemical communication system  a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream

Vocabulary  Hormones  Adrenal [ah-DREEN-el] Glands  Pituitary Gland  Thyroid  Parathyroid  Adrenal  Pancreas  Testis and ovaries

Neural and Hormonal Systems  Hormones  chemical messengers, mostly made by the endocrine glands  Adrenal [ah-DREEN-el] Glands  secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress  Pituitary Gland  under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands

Neural and Hormonal Systems zThyroid: metabolism zParathyroid: calcium levels in the blood zPancreas: sugar levels in the blood zTestis and ovaries: sex hormones