understanding brain structure and function

Brain-heart debate

A historical debate as to whether the heart or the brain is responsible for mental processes, such as thought, emotion, and behaviour.

Mind-body problem

The complex philosophical question as to whether our mind is separate and distinguishable from our body or whether they are one integrated entity.

Brain-heart debate

A historical debate as to whether the heart or the brain is responsible for mental processes, such as thought, emotion, and behaviour.

Mind-body problem

The complex philosophical question as to whether our mind is separate and distinguishable from our body or whether they are one integrated entity.

Phrenology

The study of the shape and size of the human skull to determine personality and mental functioning.

Hemispheric Specialisation

the differential role of the left or right brain side in processing a specific neuronal task or behaviour

Split-brain research

Severing of the Left & Right hemispheres through cutting of the corpus callosum.

MRI

A neuroimaging technique that uses magnetic and radio fields to take detailed two-dimensional and three-dimensional images of the brain.

PET

A neuroimaging technique that uses a scanning device to take coloured images of the brain, showing its functional activity by tracing the levels of a radioactive substance in the brain.

Machine learning

An element of artificial intelligence that allows software to become more accurate at predicting outcomes by mimicking the way that humans learn.

Gut-brain axis (GBA)

The bidirectional connection between the gut and the brain through multiple parts of the nervous system.

Hindbrain

Movement, breathing rate, heart rate and digestion. Base of brain.

Cerebellum

Base of brain, posture, balance, voluntary movement, learning and memory.

Medulla

Continuation of spinal cord, vital survival functions (breathing, heart rate, swallowing, blood pressure, salivating and coughing) automatic process. (damage is fatal)

Pons

Located just above the medulla, sleep, dreaming, waking, breathing, relay info between different areas of brain. (bridge)

Midbrain

Centre of brain, relay info between other regions, relay station, sensory or motor messages between brain and spinal cord pass through here.

Reticular formation

Center of midbrain and hindbrain, screens info, filter out irrelevant, regulate sleep-wake cycle.

Forebrain

Top and front of brain, sophisticated mental processes including cognition, perception, learning, language, memory.

Hypothalamus

Deep in forebrain, next to thalamus, maintaining homeostasis. Regulates release of hormones, thirst and hunger, emotions, blood pressure and heart rate.

Thalamus

Near center of brain, two halves. Sensory info, sends relevant info to appropriate cortex, attention and regulates arousal.

Cerebrum

Uppermost region of brain, left and right hemisphere, think feel and do.

Cerebral Cortex

Lobes of the brain responsible for various functions.

Frontal Lobe: Prefrontal:

logic, judgement, decisions, personality, problem solving, expression of emotions.

Premotor Cortex

Voluntary motor movement, receives messages from prefrontal cortex, processes info into sequence of motion and sends this to primary motor cortex.

Primary Motor Cortex

Initiates and controls voluntary movements through its control of the skeletal muscles.

Broca's Area

Production and articulation of speech (clear and fluent), located in the left frontal lobe.

Parietal Lobe

Touch and smell, spatial awareness.

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

Receives and processes sensory information from the skin and body parts.

Occipital Lobe

Visual information processing.

Primary Visual Cortex

Visual processing, interprets what we see.

Temporal Lobe

Sound, language, memory, facial recognition.

Primary Auditory Cortex

Receives and processes sounds from both ears, with left for spoken words and right for nonverbal sounds and music.

Wernicke's Area

Interpreting sound of human speech, enabling understanding and meaning, located in the left temporal lobe.

Neuroplasticity

The ability of the brain to change in response to experience or environmental stimulation.

Adaptive Plasticity

The brain's ability to restore adequate neural functioning over time after sustaining injury.

Rerouting

Healthy neurons create alternative neural pathways when existing connections are lost.

Sprouting

Existing neurons form new axon terminals and dendrites to allow new connections to be made.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Damage to the brain caused by external force, such as falls or vehicle accidents.

Non-Traumatic Brain Injury

Caused by internal factors such as lack of oxygen, stroke, substance abuse, or tumor.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Brain disease associated with repeated head injuries and concussions.

Causes of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Blows to the head/concussions move the brain back and forth inside the skull, triggering the abnormal buildup of a protein called tau within the neurons.

Impacts of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

BIO: cognitive decline, brain damage; PSYCH: mood disorders, personality changes; SOCIAL: loss of job, strained relationships.

neurodegenerative

chronic, progressive conditions that damage and destroy parts of the nervous system, especially the brain.