The brain - scientific investigation and treatment

Why is it so difficult to investigate and treat brain damage?

• inside the skull - hard to penetrate through

• very complex and delicate - even a small misstep can cause major damage

• it is not fully understood what parts of the brain do what

What are MRI scans and how do they aid scientists to find out more about the brain?

• magnetic resonance imaging

• shows scientists exactly what parts of the brain are affected by different tumors, damages etc

What is electric stimulation and how does it help scientists learn about the brain?

• scientists remove the top of the skull to expose the brain, and electrically stimulate different areas of the brain to observe reactions

• since the brain has no sensory neurones which could detect pain, the patient is kept awake

• the patient can respond and this tells scientists which parts of the brain do what

who was phineas gage and what happened to him?

• a railroad worker in the mid-19th century

• a metal pole shot through his head but he didnt die

what was the result of what happened to him and what did this show scientists about the brain?

• he had a massive change in personality - he was once kind and dutiful, but now rude and disrespectful

• as the metal pole penetrated his now severely damaged frontal lobe, scientists could conclude that the frontal lobe decided character and personality