Brain

Question 1

What is the brain organised into?

Answer 1

Cortex: four lobes; frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal

Subcortex: thalamus, basal ganglia, limbic system, cerebellum

Question 2

What important development occurred in humans compared to primates?

Answer 2

Expansion of the frontal lobe

Question 3

What are the functions of the frontal lobe?

Answer 3

Plan: select goals and motor actions

Respond: execute motor actions and inhibit responses to distractions

Social appropriateness

Question 4

Discuss the case of Phineas Gage

Answer 4

Tamping iron destroyed frontal lobe.
Before incident: capable, efficient worker.
After: fitful, irreverent, grossly profane.
Importance: know functions of the frontal lobe and how damage affects the frontal lobe

Question 5

What are the functions of the pre-frontal cortex based on the findings in the case of Phineas Gage?

Answer 5

Know that the frontal lobe is involved in:
Planning and selecting goals.
Maintaining goals; inhibition.
Social appropriateness.
Personality.

Question 6

What techniques exist for understanding brain function?

Answer 6

1. Electrical stimulation (1800’s)
2. Neuropsychology patients
3. Functional neuroimaging (fMRI)

Question 7

What are the functions of the Parietal lobe? And state one injury which is associated with damage to this lobe

Answer 7

Sense of touch (somatosensory)
Spacial attention

Injuries: Right stroke patients (unilateral visual neglect); patients can process only things on right side (e.g. Drawing a clock; only draw one side) because the other side cannot be processed by the brain

Question 8

What are the functions of the Temporal lobe?

Answer 8

Complex memories (Dr Wilder Penfied)

Auditory hearing

Question 9

What are the functions of the Occipital lobe?

Answer 9

Visual processing; discovered through electrical recording (electric signal from the brain which stimulated visual area)

Can be done by EEG

Question 10

What are the subcortical areas of the brain?

Answer 10

1. Thalamus; sensory relay
2. Basal ganglia; motor processes, attention and Parkinson’s disease
3. Limbic system; emotion and memory
4. Cerebellum; fine tune motor output

Question 11

Why do we study the brain?

Answer 11

Brain is organised according to function. Knowing which areas of the brain are stimulated during tasks helps understand how and why a person is good or not at that task

Question 12

What have scientist found a correlation between?

Answer 12

Number or cortical neurons and speed of axon conduction.

This indicates the importance of the cortex - which demonstrates differences in intelligence

Question 13

What is meant by the term intelligence?

Answer 13

Application of knowledge and skill, assessing the situation based on past experiences.

Question 14

What are the components of intelligence?

Answer 14

Absorb information
Retain information
Use information
Speed (more neurons and myelin)