The Amazing Brain
Quiz
• What is the difference in brain mass b/t a
500 pound Gorilla and 150 human?
• Human 3lbs. Gorilla 1.5lbs.
• We only use 20% of our brains?
• False
• How many watts of electricity does our brain
use?
• 5 watts
• Why do some people get headaches if they
don’t eat?
• Your brain needs glucose.
Forebrain MidBrain HindBrain
Cross section of brain
Hindbrain
• Medulla Oblongata – Blood Circulation,
Breathing, Reflexes (Sneezing,
Coughing, Salivating, Vomit and
Bathroom)
• Cerebellum – Little Brain – Coordination
of Movement.
• Pons – Sleep and arousal
MidBrain
• Reticular Formation (RAS)
• Sleep, arousal and dreams
Forebrain
• Thalamus – All sensory info (except
smell) The relay station
• Hypothalamus – Autonomic Nervous
system, (4 F’s) Fighting, Fleeing,
Feeding, and Reproduction - Hunger
and Temperature.
• Corpus Callosum - Bridge between the
Hemispheres
• Limbic System (Edge) Border between
cerebral cortex and deeper areas.
Limbic System (Emotion and Memory)
• Hippocampus –
Helps form new
memories
– Ex. Case Study HM
• Amygdala 2:05 –
fear and anger
– Ex. Rhesus Monkey
– Ex. Sociopath
The Cerebral Cortex
Hemispheres
•Each Cerebral
hemisphere controls
the opposite side
•Examples: Writing
name.
•Plasticity of the
Brain?
•Phantom limbs?
Lobes of the Brain
• The Cerebrum is divided
into four lobes
•Parietal Lobe: Contain
the primary
somatosensory cortex
(responsible for
sensation)
•Ex. Phantom Limb
syndrome
• Also some visual
functions
•Visual neglect
Occipital Lobe
•Contains the primary
visual cortex,
responsible for vision.
–Active when
visualizing as well as
seeing
–“Seeing Stars
Phenomenon”
• Example:
Blindsight
Temporal Lobe
• Contains primary auditory
cortex, responsible for
hearing
–“Song stuck in my head
phenomenon”
•Also responsible for speech
and language (left
hemisphere only)
•Wernicke’s area: language
comprehension
•Broca’s area: language
production
•Aphasia: Damage to
language centers
Frontal Lobe
• Primary motor
cortex, responsible for
motion
•Prefrontal Cortex,
responsible for:
–Working memory
–Planning
–Relational reasoning
–Impulse control (Art)
•Case Study Phineas
Gage (1848)
Case
Study Phineas Gage (1848)