Task 8 - Phrenology

Question 1

What is Phrenology and where did it come from?

Answer 1

• A technique whereby the shape of he skull is used to infer on an individual’s cognitive traits.
• Derived from Gall, who said that over-/underdevelopment of certain brain areas will be represented in bumps and grooves in the skull

Question 2

Who promoted a cerebrocentric view in ancient Greece using animal experiments?

Answer 2

Galen

Question 3

During which time period was the focus on the ventricles and their cerebrospinal fluid?

Answer 3

Ancient Greece - Middle Ages

Question 4

What was the “old” name for cerebrospinal fluid?

Answer 4

Animal Spirits

Question 5

Which view on where the human soul is situated did Plato and Aristotle promote respectively?

Answer 5

Plato: Cerebrocentric
Aristotle: Cardiocentric

Question 6

Which functions were the individual ventricles assigned to during the Renaissance?

Answer 6

1st Ventricle: Common sense, sensations
2nd Ventricle: Thought and judgement
3rd Ventricles: Memory

Question 7

What happened in the 17th century when it comes to the discussion as to how the soul is manifested?

Answer 7

Transitional Period:

Pineal gland was seen as contact point between soul and body. -> Interaction between fluid and body

Question 8

Who came up with the distinction between white and grey matter?

Answer 8

Gall & Spurzheim

Question 9

What discovery was ade in 1784?

Answer 9

That reflexes don’t need cognitive control and function using the spinal cord.

Question 10

What were core aspects of the breakthrough of the 19th century?

Answer 10

• Discovery of the spinal axis: Many bodily functions work without the influence of the brain (Prochaska, 1784)
• Growing focus on reflexes
• > Hall: Reflex Arc
• > Sherrington: Nobel Prize for describing the mechanisms of spinal reflexes. (1932)
• > Sechenow: All higher cognitions are reflexes by nature

Question 11

What was William James’ view on Sechenow’s theory that higher cognitions are based on reflexes?

Answer 11

He disagreed

Question 12

What lead to the discovery of the neuron?

Answer 12

• The developmend of new technologies for staining (Golgi) and microscopy in the 19th century
• The view of the neuron being independent was developed by Golgi and later promoted by Cajal

Question 13

Name some important people that contributed to the discovery of electrochemical connectivity

Answer 13

Luigi Galvani, Emille Dubois-Reymond

Question 14

Who was Arthur Wigan and what were his views?

Answer 14

Theory of two brains -> Hemispheric specialization

• He said that we have two complete and independent brains.
• Experiments with split brain patients sparked a short but insignificant period of interest in his book.

Question 15

What is the Capgra’s Delusion?

Answer 15

Thinking that people and objects seem normal, but are in fact “fakes”/imposters/remakes.

Question 16

How can the Capgra’s Delusion be explained?

Answer 16

• Was first treated as curiosity and explained using the Oedipus complex (BS)
• Disruption in the connection between visual perception (temporal lobes) and emotions (Amygdala)
• On the phone, the symptoms are gone, which supports this theory, because the link of audio cues and emotions is still intact.

Question 17

What is the difference between Capgra’s Delusion and Prosopagnosia?

Answer 17

People with Capgra’s Delusion can still recognize faces.