mental processes and behaviour u1 aos 2

brain vs heart debate

historical debate whether the heart or brain is responsible for mental processes

merely symbolic - brain controls mental processes

mind body debate

philosophical question whether mind and body are separated entities

dualism: separated

monism: one

phrenology

shape and size of the skull determines personality and brain functioning

lead to discovery or localisation

brain ablation

surgical removal/destruction of a region in the brain

irreversible

brain lesioning

damaging the normal structure/function of part of the brain

reversible

split brain experiments

cutting the corpus callosum connecting the 2 brain hemispheres

done for those suffering from epilepsy when resistant to other drugs

ct

continuous 2d x-ray images of the brain

black and white and not detailed

x-ray radiation can be dangerous

disease and disorder detection

structural

mri

uses magnetic fields to vibrate atoms and generate a 2d/3d image

coloured and detailed

no radiation harm

cannot be done to those with screws and pacemakers

disease and disorder protection

structural

pet

uses scanning devices to take photos of activity by tracing radioactive substances

must be injected with radioactive glucose

brain lights up when activated

less detailed

functional

fmri

records brain activity by measuring oxygen levels in the brain

more activity=more oxygen

no need for injecting

preferred neuroimaging method

structural and functional

the brain

complex organ contained in the skull that coordinates mental processes and behaviour

coordinates many of our activities with the nervous system

hindbrain

responsible for the most basic functions

breathing, heart rate, digestion

cerebellum

monitors and coordinates skeletal muscle movement

balance and posture

voluntary movement

medulla

connects brain to brainstem

regulated autonomic functioning

reflexitive actions

pons

regulates respiratory

sleep, dreams and waking

someone involuntary movement → blinking, sneezing

midbrain

relays neural information between other brain regions

process sensory information

regulate sleep and arousal

reticular formation

filters neural information of the brain

integrate and relay neural information related to survival and reflexitive actions

sleep wake cycle

physiological arousal and alertness

forebrain

largest area of the brain

involved in sophisticated mental processes - cognition, perception, memory

coordinates information to enable us to perform complex functions

cerbrum

divided into left and right hemispheres

includes cerebral cortex → hots

left hemisphere

language

right hemisphere

non-verbal

thalamus

arousal, attention and activity filtering

filters out most important information for further processing throughout brain

relays info from different areas of the brain to be exchanged and motor signals between higher and lower motor centres of brain

hypothalamus

maintains homeostasis

4 f’s → fleeing, fighting, feeding, fornication

limbic system - emotional behaviour and active when experiencing anger, fear and joy

cerebral cortex

outer layer of cerebrum that covers the brain

processes complex sensory information, language, symbolic thinking, etc

corpus callosum

bundle of nerve fibres that allows hemispheres to exchange info

frontal lobe

largest lobe of the brain

hots

prefrontal cortex

premotor cortex

brocas area

primary motor cortex

prefrontal cortex

hots

complex thought processes

premotor cortex

voluntary motor movement

receives planned motor movement from prefrontal cortex

processes sequence of motions

broca’s area

production of speech

coordinates muscle movements required to produce fluent speech

does not have a role in motor movement

primary motor cortex

voluntary movement

receives sequence of motions from premotor cortex

responsible for controlled skeletal muscle movement

amount of space for each body part is proportional to motor neurons required to move it

primary olfactory cortex

receives and processes smells

parietal lobe

processes sensory information

primary gustatory cortex

primary somatosensory cortex

primary gastatory cortex

receives and processes taste

primary somatosensory cortex

receives and processes sensory information

amount of space devoted to body part is proportional to number of sensory neurons

temporal lobe

hearing

primary auditory cortex

wernicke’s area

primary olfactory cortex

primary auditory cortex

processes auditory information

wernicke’s area

enabling the understanding of spoken language (word salad)

production of coherent and meaningful speech

occupital lobe

vision

primary visual cortex

primary visual cortex

receives and processes visual information

sensory receptors in retina receive visual which is sent to pvc to make meaningful perception

neuron

nerve cell that receives and transmits neural information, makes up the entire nervous system`

dendrites

thin extensions of neuron that receive information from other neurons and transmits it to soma

soma

cell body

combines neuron information received from many dendrites and sends to axon

axon

transmits neuron information from soma to other end of neuron

myelin sheatyh

provides insulation to axon to increase movement of signal

axon terminals

receives signal from axon

releases neurotransmitters from terminal/synaptic buttons

synaptic gap

neural messages are communicated at synapse

space between neurons where messages are sent

neurplasticity

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

• ageing and maturation

• brain trauma and injury

developmental palsticity

brain changes in response to ageing

infancy: increases through synaptogenesis

adolescence: connections refine/reduce due to synaptic pruning

synaptogenesis

formation of synapses as axon terminals and dendrites grow

synaptic pruning

elimination of underused synapses

myelination

formation and development of myelin around axon of neuron

allows for quicker messages

adaptive plasticity

brain changes in response to brain trauma

impacts neural connections which causes death of neurons and neuron connections

sprouting

ability of a neuron to develop new branches on dendrites or axons

new connections formed where neural activity is damaged

rerouting

neurons ability to form a new connection with another undamaged neuron

cognitive function redevelops

ways to maintain brain functioning

mental stimulation

diet

exercise

social support

acquired brain injury

all types of brain injuries which occur after birth

traumatic brain injury

damage to brain cause by an external force

non-traumatic brain injury

damage to brain caused by internal factors

lack of oxygen or tumour

impact of acquired brain injury on biological functioning

seizures due to scars from injury

movement impairment or paralysis - brain is unable to send adequate motor messages to skeletal system

loss of smell

impact of acquired brain injury on psychological functioning

memory due to hippocampus damage

personality changes - alters in individuals emotional and behaviour regulation

susceptible to mental health disorders - brain injury can induce or exacerbate

impact of acquired brain injury on social functioning

job productivity decreases - increased unemployment

antisocial behaviour

hard to maintain relationships

cte

neurodegenerative, progressive and fatal brain disease associated with repeated concussions and head injuries

concussion

mild traumatic brain injury that temporarily disrupts brain functioning

symptoms of cte

impairment of hots

memory loss

mood impairment

who has cte

older retired athletes 8-10 years after concussions