C1

How many operations can the brain handle per second?

10²28

experimental design

gold standard in science

process of experimental design

question

research

hypothesis

experiment

analyze

conclude

causality

change in independent variable causes change in dependent variable

which experimental design is done when conducting an experimental study is impractical?

quasiexperimental design

quasiexperimental design

• do not benefit from random grouping

• several uncontrolled variables

• correlation, no causation

adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

large scale quasi-experimental CDC study examining 17k ppl linking childhood trauma w premature death

case study

highly detailed description of single patient and their condition

• correlation but no causation

Phineas Gage

left w damage to frontal lobe —> personality change

• example fo a case study

which two areas have frequent birth and death of new neurons?

hippocampus

olfactory epithelium

contralateral organization

signaling pathways from left brain cross to communicate with right body and vice versa

• likely due to twisting of vertebrate nervous system in development

How did egyptions remove brain?

blended brain to mush by sticks up nose then flushed out using palm white

Aristotle statement of brain’s use

brain is to cool blood as blood passes thru to calm temper

• heart = seat of soul

• blood = lifeforce dictating behavior

• “not blooded” = impulsive

localization theory

theory that specific areas of brain are responsible for carrying out specific function

who was first to suggest the localization theory in the mid 1800s

Paul Broca

• evidence: language comprehension starts in small patch of cells in left hemisphere, perception relied on cells at base of brain, motor coordination and balance depend on cerebellum

opposite theory to locatlization theory

distributive processing theory

distributive processing theory

behavioral functions require activation of cells across several areas of brain

• Complex behaviors such as emotion, consciousness, cognition require coordinated actions across brain areas

cognition

act of generating knowledge the combo of senses, memories, thoughts

Debate between Camillo Golgi and Santiago Ramon y Cajal effect

prompted research that concluded neurons have diff shapes w diff functions

when was the electron microscopy made

1954

length of synapse

20 nm across

when did fMRI make debut

1991

CLARITY

method to render brain transparent

toxoplasma

parasite that changes an animal’s response to fearful stimuli, allowing organism to reproduce as it moves thru diff species of food web

“Mind-body problem”:

discussion centered around the question if a function as complex of  consciousness could result from activity of a clump of cells

emergence

idea that whole is greater than sum of its parts

Top-down view:

aim question at understanding whole organism before smaller parts, how psychologists examine neuroscience

endogenous

from inside body

exogenous

from outside body

L-dopa

Dr. Oliver Sacks used knowledge of dopamine system to trat patients w paralysis like condition leading to this