Neuroscience: Brain Plasticity, Functions, and Disorders

Plasticity

Refers to the brain's ability to reorganize and adapt throughout life in response to experiences, learning, and environmental changes.

Corpus callosotomy

A surgical procedure that disconnects the two hemispheres of the brain, primarily done as a treatment for severe epilepsy.

Split Brain Research

Studies individuals who have undergone corpus callosotomy, examining how each hemisphere functions independently.

Contralateral Hemispheric Organization

The phenomenon where each hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite side of the body.

Hemispheric Specialization

The concept that each hemisphere of the brain has specialized functions and abilities.

Epilepsy

A neurological disorder characterized by recurrent seizures, which can sometimes originate from abnormal electrical activity spreading between the two hemispheres of the brain.

Left hemisphere

The hemisphere of the brain that typically controls language and verbal processing in right-handed individuals.

Right hemisphere

The hemisphere of the brain that is often associated with non-verbal and spatial processing.

Broca's Area

Located in the left hemisphere of the brain, specifically in the frontal lobe, that is responsible for speech production and language processing.

Wernicke's Area

Region located in the left hemisphere of the brain, specifically in the temporal lobe, that is involved in language comprehension and understanding spoken and written language.

Broca's Aphasia

Language disorder caused by damage to Broca's area in the left hemisphere of the brain, often resulting from stroke or brain injury.

Wernicke's Aphasia

Language disorder caused by damage to Wernicke's area in the left hemisphere of the brain, typically resulting from stroke or brain injury.

Exhibit fluent speech but have difficulty understanding spoken and written language, as well as producing meaningful and coherent speech.

Telegraphic Speech

Patients speak in short, fragmented phrases lacking grammatical structure. Example: 'Want water' instead of 'I want a glass of water.'

Agrammatism

Difficulty forming grammatically correct sentences. Example: 'Go store' instead of 'I am going to the store.'

Difficulty with Articulation

Patients struggle to produce speech sounds accurately. Example: 'I w-w-walk' instead of 'I walk.'

Impaired Naming

Difficulty recalling or finding words. Example: Unable to name common objects like 'pen' or 'table.'

Frustration

Patients may become frustrated or agitated due to communication difficulties.

Word Salad

Grammatically correct but nonsensical speech. Example: 'The purple elephant danced on the piano.'

Neologisms

Creating new or inappropriate words. Example: Referring to a dog as a 'flibbertigibbet.'

Paraphasia

Substituting words, leading to jumbled sentences. Example: Saying 'I hike dice beam' instead of 'I like ice cream.'

Impaired Comprehension

Difficulty understanding spoken or written language.

Lack of Awareness

Unawareness of language deficits or nonsensical speech.

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

Non-invasive neuroimaging technique used to record the electrical activity of the brain.

EEG Procedure

Involves placing electrodes on the scalp to detect and measure the electrical signals produced by neurons in the brain.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Neuroimaging technique used to measure brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow and oxygen levels.

fMRI Functionality

Provides detailed images of the brain's structure and function, allowing observation of active brain areas during specific tasks.

Lesioning

Research technique used to study brain function by intentionally damaging or destroying specific areas of the brain in experimental animals.

Brain Power: Exploring Neuroscience Applications

Students will identify various brain structures, chemical messengers, and components of the nervous system to strengthen their understanding of neuroscience principles.

Cerebral Cortex

The outer layer of the brain, responsible for higher-level cognitive functions, including thinking, perceiving, and decision-making.

Grey Matter

Where the brain's 'thinking' happens, containing the cell bodies of neurons.

White Matter

Acts as the brain's 'wiring,' consisting of myelinated axons that help transmit signals between different brain regions.

Lobes of the Brain

The four main regions or sections into which the cerebral cortex is divided.

Association Areas

Parts of the brain that take information from all over the place and put it together to help us understand the world around us.

Frontal Lobes

Located at the front of the brain and are involved in higher-level cognitive functions, including decision-making, problem-solving, planning, and personality expression.

Parietal Lobes

Located at the top of the brain and are primarily responsible for processing sensory information from the body, such as touch, temperature, and spatial awareness.

Occipital Lobes

Located at the back of the brain and is primarily responsible for processing visual information received from the eyes.

Temporal Lobes

Located on the sides of the brain and are involved in processing auditory information, language comprehension, and memory formation.

Prefrontal Cortex

A region of the brain located in the frontal lobe, responsible for higher-level cognitive functions and executive functioning.

Executive Functioning

A set of cognitive processes that enable individuals to plan, organize, strategize, focus attention, regulate emotions, and manage time effectively.

Motor Cortex

Region of the brain located in the frontal lobe, responsible for planning, executing, and controlling voluntary movements of the body.

Motor Cortex Function

Sends signals to the muscles, enabling actions such as walking, talking, and grasping objects.

Somatosensory Cortex

Region of the brain located in the parietal lobe, responsible for processing sensations from the skin, muscles, and joints.

Somatosensory Cortex Function

Interprets touch, pressure, temperature, and pain signals from different parts of the body.

Occipital Lobes Function

Contains the primary visual cortex, which interprets visual stimuli and helps us perceive shapes, colors, and motion.

Temporal Lobes Function

Contain the auditory cortex, which interprets sound signals from the ears.

Corpus Callosum

Thick band of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, facilitating communication and information sharing between the two hemispheres.

Brainstem

The oldest and most primitive part of the brain, responsible for basic life-sustaining functions such as breathing, heart rate, and sleep-wake cycles.

It serves as a pathway for neural signals

traveling between the brain and the

rest of the body, connecting the

cerebral cortex to the spinal cord

Medulla

Vital structure located at the base of the brainstem, regulating essential autonomic functions such as heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure.

Reticular Activating System

A network of neurons located in the brainstem that plays a critical role in regulating arousal, attention, and consciousness.

Cerebellum

Located at the back of the brain, below the cerebral hemispheres, responsible for coordinating movement, balance, and posture.

Limbic System

A set of brain structures located beneath the cerebral cortex, involved in emotions, memory, and motivation.

Reward Center

Network of brain structures, primarily located in the limbic system, that processes pleasurable experiences and reinforces behaviors associated with them.

Thalamus

A relay station in the brain that processes and relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex.

Pituitary Gland

A small pea-sized gland located at the base of the brain, often referred to as the 'master gland' due to its central role in regulating hormone production and secretion throughout the body.

Hippocampus

A curved structure within the brain's temporal lobes, primarily responsible for forming and consolidating new memories.

Amygdala

A small, almond-shaped structure involved in processing emotions, particularly fear and aggression.

Hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

Pons

A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain

helps coordinate movements and control sleep.

reticular formation

1. filters incoming stimuli and relays important information to other brain areas.

2. controls arousal

midbrain

connects the hindbrain with the forebrain, controls some motor movement, and transmits auditory and visual information.

brainstem

the controls for your heartbeat and breathing

The brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions.

auditory cortex

the area of the temporal lobe responsible for processing sound information

visual cortex

The visual processing areas of cortex in the occipital and temporal lobes.

left hemisphere

controls the right side of the body; analytical, language, math

right hemisphere

controls the left side of the body; creative, intuitive, spacial

Neuroplasticity

the ability within the brain to constantly change both the structure and function of many cells in response to experience or trauma

neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons

biopsychosocial approach

an integrated approach that incorporates biological, psychological, and social-cultural levels of analysis

localization of function

specialization of particular brain areas for particular functions

Lateralization

cognitive function that relies more on one side of the brain than the other

Contralateral Control

each hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite side of the body

split brain

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them

hemispherectomy

surgical procedure where one cerebral hemisphere is removed

sensory rewriting

the brain's ability to change and reorganize its neural connections in response to new sensory input or experience