1. Studying the Brain & Older Brain Structures
Module 11

2. 11-1 Describe several techniques for studying the brain’s connections to behavior and mind.
“I am a brain, Watson. The rest of me is a mere appendix.” – Sherlock Holmes
When we think ABOUT the brain, we are thinking WITH our brain….
Neuropsychology tells us that the mind is what the brain does…. BUT precisely where & how are brain, behavior, & cognition linked together???

3. Early Discoveries…

4. You should have your head examined….
Lesions - Destroying tiny clusters of brain cells
EEG – Electroencephalogram
CaT scan – Computed Tomography scan
PET scan – Positron emission tomography scan
MRI – Magnetic resonance imaging

5. Lesion Studies Rat hypothalamus study (starvation vs overeating
Today scientists can electrically, chemically or magnetically stimulate parts of the brain to see what happens

7. Detects radioactive form of glucose

9. What’s the difference??
Time & Detail basically…
fMRI – functional MRI
Technique for revealing bloodflow & brain activity by comparing MRIs taken seconds apart…

10. 11-2
Brainstem – oldest part & central core, automatic survival functions
Medulla – heartbeat & breathing
Pons – coordinates movement
Also where the cross-wiring occurs

11. The Thalamus
The brain’s sensory control center…

12. The Reticular Formation
Neuron network that extends from spinal cord to thalamus
Role in arousal
1949 cat study
Stimulate = awake
Destroyed = coma

13. Cerebellum (aka “little brain”)
Processing sensory input, coordinating movement output & balance, enabling nonverbal learning & memory
“Our brain processes most information outside of our awareness.”
You are in a movie and need to sneak by a guard without alerting the rest of the bad guys that you are there… but you’re the good guy, you can’t kill him, where do you hit him to knock him out in the quickest, quietest way???
Hollywood would have us believe the back of the head…

14. The Limbic System
Limbus means border… & this part of the brain lies between the oldest & newest parts…
Includes the hippocampus, amygdala, & hypothalamus

15. Hippocampus
Processes conscious memories
Damage = 50 First Dates…

16. The Amygdala Two lima-bean sized neural clusters linked to emotion
1939 study – removal from rhesus monkey = mellow monkey
Stimulate cat’s amygdala & get …

17. Hypothalamus
Neural structure below (hypo) the thalamus, it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp), helps the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, & is linked to emotion & reward
Some researchers believe that addictive disorders may stem from malfunctions in these reward centers… from reward deficiency syndrome