historical approaches to studying the brain
brain-heart debate
Considers the issue of whether the brain or the heart was the source of human thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
Function of the hindbrain, including cerebellum, medulla and pons
Hind brain - motor functions and vital, autonomic responses (heart rate)
medulla - controls vital bodily functions (swallowing breathing)
cerebellum - coordinates fine muscle movements and regulates posture and balance.
pons - sleep, dreaming and arousal from sleep
define neuroplasticity
the ability of the brain and other parts of the nervous system to change in response to experience
Define ABI
Any type of brain damage or injury that occurs after birth.
Define neurological disorders
Neurological disorders are nervous system disorders
mind - body problem
Involves the question of whether our mind and body are distinct, separate entities or whether they are one and the same thing.
Function of the midbrain, including substantia nigra and reticular formation
mid brain - involved with movement, processing of visual, auditory and tactile sensory information,
substantia nigra - production of dopamine , movement control, cognitive executive functions, and emotional limbic activity.
reticular formation - helps screen incoming information , alerts higher brain centres to important information, helps maintain consciousness, and regulates arousal
Long-term potentiation and long-term depression
LTP - long-lasting strengthening of synaptic connections, resulting in enhanced/more effective transmission.
LTD - The long lasting decrease in the strength of synaptic connections due to lack of stimulation of pre- and post- synaptic neurons.
Effects of an ABI
may impair biological, psychological and social functioning.
Epilepsy - causes, types of seizures, diagnosis, and treatment
Epilepsy is a neurological disorder involving recurrent, spontaneous seizures brought on by interference in normal brain activity.
cause - Anything that disrupts the normal pattern of neuronal activity in the brain
types - focal , generalised , unknown onset
diagnosis - requires recurring seizures, or at least two unprovoked seizures.
treatment - neurological examination , brain scans using CT and MRI.
early brain experiments
Brain ablation involves the destruction or removal of part of the brain.
Brain lesioning involves disrupting or damaging the normal structure or function of part of the brain.
Function of the forebrain, including hypothalamus and thalamus
forebrain - regulates complex cognitive processes such as thinking, learning, memory and perception,
hypothalamus - regulating the release of hormones from various glands in the body
thalamus - filters information from almost all the receptor sites that detect sensory information
Three types of plasticity
experience independent plasticity (development of genetics)
experience expectant plasticity (environmental experience)
experience dependent plasticity
Define TBI
when an external force causes damage to the brain.
CTE - causes, physiological changes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention
causes - a progressive brain degeneration and fatal condition thought to be caused by repeated blows to the head and repeated episodes of concussion.
physiological changes -
symptoms - memory loss , difficulty thinking , aggression
diagnosis - based on a history of participating in contact sports and the symptoms the individual presents.
treatment - Medication ,change in lifestyle
prevention - avoid getting multiple blows to the head
define phrenology
feeling around a person skull for bumps to identify an individuals personality traits , intelligence levels and behaviour
Rerouting and sprouting
Retrouting - forming new connections (neuronal)
sprouting - grow new connections to replace lost ones (from brain injury)
Aphasia - types, effects, and why/how it occurs
why it occurs - language disorder that results from an acquired brain injury
types - Broca's aphasia / Wernicke's aphasia
Broca - difficulty with speach , reading and writing
Wernicke - cannot make sense of the words
Neuroimaging - name the four types and the differences between them
Computerised tomography (CT) - structure of bones (injuries/bleeding)
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - structure of soft (brain /spine/muscles)
Positron emission tomography (PET) - function activity (brain/heart function)
functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) - brain activity (mental processes)
Methods to maintain and maximise brain functioning (mental stimulation, diet, physical activity)
Mental stimulation - good mindset
Diet - eating healthy
Physical activity - sport , gym , run
Concussion - effects, and why/how it occurs
Stroke - effects, and why/how it occurs
Concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head or by a hit to the body that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth.
A stroke occurs when blood supply to part of the brain is interrupted.