The hippocampus is involved in the formation of memories. â The amygdala plays a major role in regulating our emotiona
NeuroScience Optional Lecture English Module, Semester 1, 2017/2018
Ana-Maria Zagrean M.D., Ph.D.
Why Neuroscience? Neurosciences = the scientific disciplines concerned with the development, structure, function, chemistry, pharmacology, clinical assesments, and pathology of the nervous system Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, 25th Edition.
What are the Frontiers? … neural science during the next several decades may develop the tools needed to probe the deepest of biological mysteries – the biological basis of mind and consciousnees. PRINCIPELS OF NEURAL SCIENCE Erik R. Kandel 2000
Neuro-hat… ☺ • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Neurosociety Neuromarketing Tanja Schneider and Steve Woolgar (InSIS, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford): On the performativity of neuro market Neuroeconomics research: market research techniques and the enactment of ignorant Neurofinancial consumers Neurotechnology Neuroinformatics Neuropharma Neurogenetics Neurosciences in law and policy / neurolaw Cognitive enhancement Contemporary neuro-self-help Neurofeedback Neuroethics Neurodiagnostics Neuroceuticals (Cogniceuticals, Emoticeuticals, and Sensoceuticals) Neurocompetitive Neuro-Linguistic Programming Neuroimmunology Neuro-oncology Neuro-ophthalmology Neuro revolution… http://brainwaves.corante.com/archives/2004/02/12/lynchs_15_laws_of_the_neurosociety.php
Excitability – brains’ exquisite feature… The capacity / condition for a live system to -recognize and respond to specific signals, as a form of updated information, necessary for its adaptive and continuous organization; -also to generate spontaneous activity.
What make neurons spike?
1. An external stimulus 2. Intrinsic - spontaneous electric activity (correlates with metabolic cellular activity), modulated by external stimuli…
…Due to its ability to give rise to spontaneous activity, the brain does not simply process information but also generates information. ...spontaneous neuron activity, far from being mere noise, is actually the source of cognitive abilities. ...the source of spontaneous neuron activity (noise), has never been identified and has been assumed to result from brain’s imperfections. György Buzsáki
Brain - the Central Core • The brain stem – The medulla links the spinal cord to the brain and is involved in regulating heartbeat, blood pressure and other visceral functions – The reticular formation is a network of neurons running up the center of the brain stem and into the thalamus that is involved in controlling our different levels of arousal and awareness
• The cerebellum is involved in the coordination of our movements, our sense of balance, and motor and procedural learning • The thalamus, located at the top of the brain stem, serves as a relay station for incoming sensory information (except smell) – The basal ganglia are on the outer sides of the thalamus and are concerned mainly with the initiation and execution of physical movements
The Limbic System
Plays a role in our survival, memory, and emotions – The hypothalamus control the pituitary gland, the autonomic nervous system, and plays a major role in regulating basic drives such as circadian rhythm, eating, thirst, and sex – The hippocampus is involved in the formation of memories – The amygdala plays a major role in regulating our emotional experiences, especially fear, anger, and aggression
Processing in the Cerebral Cortex
• The cerebral cortex - information processing center for the nervous system – Is where perception, language, memory, decision making, and all other higher-level cognitive processing occur – Consists of two hemispheres connected by a band of neurons called the corpus callosum, allowing the two hemispheres to communicate
Brain Lobes 1. The frontal lobe - the area in the front of each hemisphere and in front of the central fissure and above the lateral fissure 2. The parietal lobe - the area located behind the central fissure and above the lateral fissure 3. The temporal lobe - located beneath the lateral fissure 4. The occipital lobe - located in the lower back of each hemisphere
The Motor Cortex • The Motor Cortex = frontal lobe strip of cortex, directly in front of the central fissure in each hemisphere, that controls the voluntary movement of different parts of the body – Each hemisphere controls the movement of the opposite side of the body a contralateral relationship – Amount of motor cortex devoted to a specific body part is related to the complexity and precision of movement of which that part is capable - motor homunculus
The Somatosensory Cortex • The Somatosensory Cortex = parietal lobe strip of cortex, directly behind the central fissure in each hemisphere, is where body sensations of pressure, temperature, limb position, and pain are processed – Contralateral relationship – Amount of sensorimotor cortex devoted to a body part is directly proportionate to the sensitivity of that body part – sensory homunculus
Neural cartography
Wilder Penfield in 1963, at the age of 73, sketching a cross section of the human brain. (Osler Library of the History of Medicine. McGill University, Photography Collection).
Homunculi for the Motor Cortex and the Somatosensory Cortex
Visual Cortex and Auditory Cortex • The visual cortex is located in the occipital lobes at the back of the hemispheres • The auditory cortex is in the temporal lobes • These primary areas pass the results of their analyses on to areas in the other lobes to complete the brain’s interpretation of the incoming visual or auditory information
– These secondary cortical processing areas are part of what is termed the association cortex
Association Cortex • Consists of the other 70% of the cortex not in one of the motor and somatosensory areas • This is where the higher-level processing such as decision making, reasoning, perception, speech, and language occurs – All of which require integration of various types of information
Brain structures to function correspondences
The regions of the human cerebral cortex as delineated by Brodmann on the basis of cytoarchitecture
http://www.korbinian-brodmann.de/english-article
Language • Broca’s area, in the left hemisphere’s temporal lobe, is responsible for fluent speech production – When damaged, people cannot generate fluent speech, but can still understand speech easily – Singing and musical abilities seem to be housed in the right hemisphere because damage to Broca’s area does not impair these abilities !
• Wernicke’s area is in the left temporal lobe and is responsible for the comprehension of speech and reading
The Two Hemispheres • Left hemisphere – Language – Math and logic skills – More analytical, analyzing wholes into pieces
• Right hemisphere – – – –
Spatial perception Solving spatial problems Drawing Face recognition
• When normal people are performing a task, the two hemispheres are constantly interacting and sharing information • The differences in hemispheric performance are for people whose two hemispheres can no longer communicate it is not very accurate to say someone is “left-brained” or “rightbrained”, rather, nearly all of us are “whole brained”
Studying the Two Hemispheres
Studying the Two Hemispheres • Light waves from the left visual field go to the right half of each eye, and light waves from the right visual field go to the left half of each eye – The right half of each eye connects with the right hemisphere, and the left half of each eye connects with the left hemisphere
Corpus callosum connects the right and left hemispheres
• With split-brained people, the information cannot transfer between hemispheres because the corpus callosum has been cut • Split-brain people can only identify information orally when it is presented briefly in the right visual field (and thus processing in the left hemisphere) – If a spoon was flashed in the left visual field, split-brained people could not say it was a spoon
Case 1: A Landscape Artist Scenario Anne the landscape artist is standing at her easel, painting with her right hand as she looks out the window at her garden. She’s listening to classical music as she paints.
Neuroanatomy
Left motor cortex Left frontal lobe Visual cortex Both occipital lobes Auditory cortexes Both temporal lobes Right hemisphere Thalamus Frontal lobes Left sensory cortex Left parietal lobe Cerebellum
Related Function
Controls right hand Contains motor cortex Used for vision Contain visual cortex Used to hear music Contain auditory cortexes Spatial ability for painting Relays sensory information Deciding what to paint Feeling the paintbrush Contains sensory cortex Coordinates moving arm
Case 2: A Professional Wrestler Scenario Crazy Eddie, the professional wrestler, is in the ring wrestling. The crowd is yelling and his is taunting him. Eddie yells back at his opponent. The two of them are out of breath and sweating profusely. They continue their well-orchestrated series of wrestling moves.
Neuroanatomy
Both motor cortexes Frontal lobes Both sensory cortexes Parietal lobes Visual cortexes Both occipital lobes Right hemisphere Wernicke’s area Left temporal lobe Broca’s area Left frontal lobe Thalamus Frontal lobes Medulla Amygdala Reticular formation Cerebellum Hypothalamus Hippocampus
Related Function
Move muscles Contain motor cortexes Needed for sense of touch Contain sensory cortexes Used for vision Contain visual cortexes Spatial ability for wrestling Understanding taunts Contains Wernicke’s area Produces speech (yells) Contains Broca’s area Sensory relay Decision making & attention Regulates heart and breathing Aggression and fear Controls arousal Balance and coordination Regulates temperature Memory for moves
Case 3: A Student Scenario Jill is a law student studying for her exam. She is reading about violent rape and murder cases. She is snacking on popcorn and drinking coffee.
Neuroanatomy
Related Function
Hippocampus
Remembering and learning
Wernicke’s area
Language comprehension
Left temporal lobe
Contains Wernicke’s area
Amygdala
Anger and fear about cases
Frontal lobes
Decision making & attention
Hypothalamus
Regulates hunger and thirst
Angular gyrus
Needed for reading
Source: Sheldon, J. P. (2000). A neuroanatomy teaching activity using case studies and collaboration. Teaching of Psychology, 27, 126-128.
