Ch.2(B)
Neuroscience
Today’s coming attractions
How can we see an image of the
brain’s functioning?
 What do different parts of the brain
do?

Your patient was in an auto
accident.
To check for damage to the skull.
 What method would you use?
 CT Scan = Computed Tomography
 What does it do?
 Records X-rays

You want to see if there was
a brain hemorrhage.
What do you use?
 MRI = Magnetic Resonance Imaging
 Why?
 What does it do?
 Reads radio waves leaving the body
within a magnetic field.

You want to record which
specific brain areas are most
active during a mental task.
What would you use?
fMRI = Functional MRI

You are concerned your patient
may have Alzheimer’s or
Parkinson’s disease.
You want to see what parts of the
brain are most active and which are
not.
 What brain imaging system would you
use?
 PET Scan = Positron Emission
Tomography
 What would it do?
 Records radioactive glucose uptake in
the body

The Brain
Bill was shot in the back of his head,
and immediately stopped breathing,
and his heart immediately stopped.
 Where was he shot?
 Medulla

After an auto accident, Bill had
damage in the Broca’s area of his
cerebral cortex.
 He will likely have difficulty doing
what?
 Speaking fluently.

After a skiing accident, Janice had
difficulty understanding what others
were saying, even when her hearing
tested out fine.
 What part of her brain was possibly
damaged?
 Wernicke’s area

After an accident, Twee has difficulty
writing with her right hand.
 What side of her brain was possibly
damaged?
 Left side
 How did the information get from the
right hand to the left side of her brain?
 Corpus Callosum

What happens when the
corpus callosum is cut?
Split brain movie
When Mrs. Simpson was younger,
she prided herself of her good
memory. At 92 years she has difficulty
with memory.
 What portion of her brain may be less
active?
 The Hipoocampus

Janet sees someone coming toward
her with a knife. She realizes he is
trying to hurt her. She becomes
fearful and starts to run.
 What part of her brain received and
evaluated the emotional significance
of information from her environment
and organized a fitting response?
 Amygdala
