Neuroscience: Past, Present, and Future

Nervous System

Produces perception, thought, behavior, and emotion, forming the basis of human experience.

Free Will

The philosophical question regarding the extent to which individuals can control their actions, influenced by the nervous system.

Trepanation

Ancient surgical practice involving drilling holes in the skull to treat ailments or release evil spirits.

Heart vs Mind

Ancient Egyptians believed the heart held the soul and memories, contrary to the modern understanding of brain function.

Hippocrates

Ancient physician who argued for the brain's importance based on the proximity of sensory organs to the brain.

Galen

Discovered brain ventricles and theorized that they functioned as pumps for vital fluids affecting brain function.

Dualism

Descartes' concept of the mind as a spiritual entity interacting with the physical brain, particularly through the pineal gland.

Gray and White Matter

Distinction made during the Enlightenment, with gray matter being soma and white matter being axons.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Comprises the brain and spinal cord, distinct from the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), which includes body nerves.

Gyri and Sulci

Bumps and grooves on the brain's surface that suggest localized functions within different brain regions.

Nerves as Wires

Discovery by Galvani and du Bois-Reymond that nerves communicate with the brain through electrical signals.

One-Way Transmission

Bell and Mangendie's conclusion that nerve fibers carry information in one direction, either to the brain or muscles.

Localization of Function

The theory that specific brain areas are responsible for particular functions, supported by experimental ablation.

Phrenology

Gall's theory that skull bumps reflect brain surface bumps, linking head structure to personality traits.

Broca's Area

Region in the left frontal lobe identified by Paul Broca as crucial for speech, based on a patient with a speech lesion.

Evolution of Nervous Systems

Concept that nervous systems of different species share common ancestry and mechanisms, influencing research methods.

Neuron

The basic functional unit of the brain, discovered through microscopy, leading to debates about its role in brain function.

Nerve Net Controversy

Debate over whether neurons form a continuous network like blood vessels or function as discrete units.