CHS AP Psychology Unit 3 Biological Psychology Essential
CHS AP Psychology Unit 3: Biological Psychology Essential Task 3 -5 a. Describe the subdivisions and functions of the Central Nervous System A. Brain i. Brain Stem Medulla, Pons, Reticular Formation, Cerebellum, and the Thalamus ii. Limbic System Hypothalamus, Amygdala, and the Hippocampus iii. Cerebral Cortex (Left and Right Hemispheres and the corpus callosum) Occipital Lobe, Parietal Lobe, Temporal Lobe, and the Frontal Lobe Primary Motor Cortex and Primary Sensory Cortex Wernicke's Area and Broca's Area B. Spinal Cord
The Brain Stem (Automatic Functions) https: //www. yo utube. com/wat ch? v=h 5 f 56 Yn b 01 E Brain Structure Primary Function Secondary Function Medulla Respiration, blood pressure, heart rate Pons Puts you to sleep Reticular Formation Attention, regulates awareness Cerebellum Balance and coordination Thalamus Directs sensory information to the rest of the brain Vomiting 7
Older Brain Structures The Brain Stem is the oldest part of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells and enters the skull. It is responsible for automatic survival functions. Brain Stem 3
Brain Stem The Medulla is the base of the brain stem. It controls autonomic functions and relays nerve signals between the brain and spinal cord: • respiration • blood pressure • heart rate • reflex arcs • vomiting 4
Pons and inside that the Reticular Formation is a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal. Brain Stem • It is involved in motor control and sensory analysis. It has parts that are important for the level of consciousness and for sleep. The Reticular Formation controls: • Attention • Cardiac Reflexes • Motor Functions • Regulates Awareness • Relays Nerve Signals to the Cerebral Cortex • Sleep 5
Brain Stem The Thalamus is the brain’s sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem. It directs messages to the sensory areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla. 6
Cerebellum The “little brain” attached to the rear of the brainstem. It helps coordinate voluntary movements and balance. 7
Limbic System (Emotion Center) Brain Structure Primary Function Secondary Function Hypothalamus Drives: Hunger, Temperature Thirst, Sex control Amygdala Fight or Flight Hippocampus STM (short term memory) to LTM (long term memory)
The Limbic System is a doughnutshaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebrum, associated with emotions such as fear, aggression and drives for food and sex. It includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus. The Limbic System 9
Amygdala The Amygdala consists of two almondshaped neural clusters linked to the emotions of fear and anger. 10
Hypothalamus The Hypothalamus lies below (hypo) the thalamus. It directs several maintenance activities like eating, drinking, body temperature, and control of emotions. It helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. 11
Limbic System contains a Reward Center Rats cross an electrified grid for self-stimulation when electrodes are placed in the reward (hypothalamus) center (top picture). Sanjiv Talwar, SUNY Downstate When the limbic system is manipulated, a rat will navigate fields or climb up a tree (bottom picture). 12
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Cerebral Cortex Brain Structure Primary Function Occipital Lobe Visual Processing Parietal Lobe Spatial Reasoning Frontal Lobe Decision Making Temporal Lobe Auditory sensory information Motor Cortex Movement Sensory Cortex Sensation Wernicke’s Area Understanding Speech Broca’s Area Producing Speech
The Cerebral Cortex The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres. It is the body’s ultimate control and information processing center. 15
Structure of the Cortex Each brain hemisphere is divided into four lobes that are separated by prominent fissures. These lobes are: • frontal lobe (forehead) • parietal lobe (top to rear head) • occipital lobe (back head) • temporal lobe (side of head).
Functions of the Cortex The Motor Cortex is the area at the rear of the frontal lobes that control voluntary movements. The Sensory Cortex (parietal cortex) receives information from skin surface and sense organs. 17
Visual Function The functional MRI scan shows the visual cortex is active as the subject looks at faces. Located in the occipital lobe
Auditory Function The functional MRI scan shows the auditory cortex is active in patients who hallucinate. Located in the temporal lobe
Association Areas More intelligent animals have increased “uncommitted” or association areas of the cortex. 20
Language Aphasia is an impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca’s area (impaired speaking) or to Wernicke’s area (impaired understanding). Think: “Boca”, Spanish for mouth, that lets you talk Think: Where? I can’t understand you!
Specialization & Integration Brain activity when hearing, seeing, and speaking words 22
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Fun with your Hemispheres • Rotate your dominant hand in one direction while at the same time rotating the opposite foot in the other direction. • Now, rotate your dominant hand in one direction while at the same time rotating the foot on the same side in the other direction.
Hemispheric Specialization • Corpus Callosum – Fibers that connect the two hemispheres – Allow close communication between left and right hemisphere • Each hemisphere appears to specialize in certain functions
Hemispheric Specialization People with intact brains also show leftright hemispheric differences in mental abilities. A number of brain scan studies show normal individuals engage their right brain when completing a perceptual task and their left brain when carrying out a linguistic task. So which of your hemispheres is the most dominant? Let’s find out!
Splitting the Brain A procedure in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them. Corpus Callosum https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=a. Cv 4 K 5 a. Std. U
Split Brain Patients With the corpus callosum severed, objects (apple) presented in the right visual field can be named. Objects (pencil) in the left visual field cannot. 28
Divided Consciousness 29
What happens if you remove half of the brain? • Let’s find out!
Dual Processing • Simultaneously processing on dual tracks of consciousness and unconsciousness – Driving on “auto-pilot” when you’re concentrating on something else as you drive is a good example • Selective Attention – https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=a. OLx. QGLJou. I – The Cocktail Party Effect
Inattentional Blindness • Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris (1999) • Participants told to count how many times the black jersey team passes the ball (unlike what we told you to do). • 50+% of the participants completely missed the gorilla
Change Blindness • We are blind to changes in our environment. • https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=Vkrr. Voz. ZR 2 c
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