Physiological Psychology Study Guide

Quiz Information

  • Quiz scheduled for Monday.

  • Covers physiological psychology, including material from today's class.

  • Quiz is worth 20 points.

  • Format is the same as previous quizzes.

  • New Quizlet sets available for preparation.

  • PowerPoint presentation and Kahoot will be posted online.

Brain Surgery Video

  • Reference to a video focused on brain surgery. Details may be found in subsequent discussions/deep dives.

Brain Anatomy Overview

Neuroanatomy

  • The anatomy of the central nervous system comprising the brain and spinal cord.

  • Average human brain weighs about 3 lbs.

  • The brain is described as being very soft, comparable to Tofu.

  • The brain consumes approximately 20% of the body's blood supply.

Stroke Types

Types of Stroke

  1. Hemorrhagic Stroke

    • Occurs when there is a hemorrhage, meaning blood leaks into brain tissue.

  2. Ischemic Stroke

    • Results from a clot stopping blood supply to a specific area in the brain.

Identifying a Stroke

  • Employ the F.A.S.T. method when recognizing a stroke:

    • FACE: Ask the person to smile. Check if one side of the face droops.

    • ARMS: Ask the person to raise both arms. Determine if one arm drifts downward.

    • SPEECH: Instruct the person to repeat a sentence. Assess clarity and ability to repeat.

    • TIME: Time is critical in stroke situations. Call 911 immediately as every minute counts in preventing brain damage.

Protection of the Brain

Meninges

  • The protective covering over the brain and spinal cord.

  • Meningitis is an infection of the meninges.

  • Meninges consist of:

    • Dura mater: Outermost layer.

    • Arachnoid mater: Middle layer.

    • Pia mater: Innermost layer, directly covering the brain.

  • Subdural Hematoma: A condition affecting the brain where blood collects in the layer between dura and arachnoid.

Ventricular System of the Brain

  • Consists of spaces called ventricles that hold cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

  • Functions of Ventricles:

    • They cushion and support the brain.

  • Major components include:

    • Lateral ventricles

    • Third ventricle

    • Fourth ventricle

    • Cerebral aqueduct

  • The Choroid plexus within the ventricles produces CSF and may be found in various ventricles.

  • Enlargement of ventricles is associated with neural degeneration.

The Forebrain

Cortex

  • The outer surface of the brain, divided into two hemispheres, each comprising four lobes.

Major Lobes of the Brain

  1. Frontal Lobe

    • Responsible for thought processes, problem-solving, decision-making, attention, short-term memory, movement, and speech production.

  2. Parietal Lobe

    • Associated with the sense of touch and spatial awareness.

  3. Temporal Lobe

    • Responsible for hearing and speech comprehension, especially on the left side.

  4. Occipital Lobe

    • Dedicated to vision processing.

Primary Regions and Functions

  • Broca's Area: Located in the left hemisphere; critical for speech production.

Brain Mapping

  • Primary Somatosensory Cortex: Located along the central sulcus, it is responsible for processing sensory information.

  • Primary Motor Cortex: Governs voluntary movements; located in front of the somatosensory area.

The Corpus Callosum

  • A large bundle of neural fibers connecting the two hemispheres of the brain.

  • Function: Facilitates communication between both sides of the brain.

Split-Brain Operation

  • A surgical procedure used to treat severe epilepsy by cutting the corpus callosum. It aims to reduce seizures by preventing cross-communication between hemispheres.

The Limbic System

Components

  • Includes:

    • Fornix

    • Corpus callosum

    • Mammillary body

    • Amygdala

    • Hippocampus

Functions

  • Amygdala: Regulates emotions, particularly fear responses.

Case Studies

  • Phineas Gage: Suffered damage to the connections between the frontal lobe and amygdala, leading to impaired emotional regulation.

  • H.M. Case Study:

    • Hippocampus: Critical for memory formation.

    • After surgical removal of H.M.'s hippocampus:

    • He could NOT:

      • Learn new facts.

      • Remember new locations.

      • Recall new personal details.

    • He could:

      • Recall old memories from before the surgery.

      • Experience classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and motor learning.

Neurological Diseases

  • Alzheimer's Disease: Characterized by damage to the hippocampus and other brain regions leading to memory loss and confusion. It shows drastic changes in brain structure observed through scans comparing healthy brains with those affected by Alzheimer’s Disease.

Reward Pathways in the Brain

Nucleus Accumbens

  • Associated with reward and pleasure regulation. It plays a crucial role in the brain's reward circuitry and is linked to drug abuse issues.

Basal Ganglia

  • Key function includes regulation of movement.

  • Changes in basal ganglia can lead to diseases such as Huntington's Disease which affects nerve cells and leads to distinctive structural changes in the brain observed through imaging.

Review Questions

  1. Which brain area connects the two hemispheres? (Answer: Corpus Callosum)

  2. Which brain area would you expect to be damaged in a patient who can’t form new memories? (Answer: Hippocampus)

  3. Which brain area would you expect to be damaged in a patient with numbness on the left side? (Answer: Right somatosensory cortex)

Additional Learning Activities

  • Discuss the Olds and Milner study related to the brain; examine their contributions to the understanding of the brain's reward pathways and functions.