BRAIN

Neurotransmitters

  • Neurotransmitters are present in extremely small quantities in the brain

  • Too little dopamine in the brain is associated with symptoms of parkinSon's disease

Nervous system

The brain and spinal cord mak up the central nervous system

Viewing the brain

  • The electrical activity of the brain is recorded and measured using a electroencephalograph (EEG)

  • Images of the brain's Structure are produced by an MRI scan

~ egg (electroencephalograph) measured brain waves/electrical activity

~ CT/CAT scan (computed tomography) uses x -rays to make 3D image

~ PET scan (position emission tomography) radioactive glucose to see functioning in the brain

~ MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) magnets/radio waves to see structure of the soft tissue

~ fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) measures blood flow in the brain

The lobes

  • Each cerebral hemisphere can be roughly divided into four lobes

~ The temporal lobe- processes auditory information

~ The occipital lobe- processes vision

~ The parietal lobe- processes touch

~ The frontal lobe- processes voluntary muscle movement as well as being involved in thinking, planning, and emotional control

Split-brain

  • Operation was first performed as a possible method to help control recurring epileptic seizures

Cerebral cortex

  • Bases on animal researched, the cerebral cortex is the brain area which is the most likely is the brain area which is most likely to change in response to enrichment