01:830:101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Phineas Gage, Parietal Lobe, Frontal Lobe
8 Nov 2016
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Adam Ibrahim
Unit 3B Outline: Biological Bases of Behavior
II. Biological Bases of Behavior
A. Recording the Brain’s Electrical Activity
1. Electroencephalogram (EEG)- Amplified reading of elec. waves in the brain
2. CT (Compound tomography)- Looks & examines brain damage thru X-rays
3. PET scan- Shows brain activity by each brain area’s consumption of glucose
4. MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) - Uses magnetic field to create images of
soft tissue
5. fMRI- (Functional MRI)- Reveals brain functionality
B. Older Brain Structures
1. Brainstem- Oldest, innermost region
a. Begins where spinal cord enters skull
b. Responsible for automatic survival functions
2. Medulla- Base of brainstem, controls heartbeat & breathing
3. Pons- Helps coordinate movements
4. Reticular Formation- Controls arousal
5. Thalamus- At the top of brainstem
a. Acts as brain’s sensory switchboard
b. Sends info to where it needs to go
6. Cerebellum- “Little Brain”, back of brainstem, adjusts voluntary movements
C. The Limbic System
1. Limbic system lies between brain’s older parts & the cerebral hemispheres
2. Amygdala- Influences aggression & fear. 2 pea-sized neural clusters
3. Hypothalamus- “Below the thalamus”, controls bodily maintenance
4. Hippocampus- Linked to memory
D. The Cerebral Cortex
1. Cerebrum- 2 hemispheres
a. Cerebral cortex—Layer of neural cells covering the
b. Body’s ultimate control and information-processing center
2. Glial cells- Provide nutrients and protection for the neurons
3. Frontal lobes, parietal lobes, occipital lobes, temporal lobes
4. Motor cortex- Specific body parts move when opposite brain hemisphere
stimulated
E. Sensory Functions
1. Sensory Cortex- Processes senses, front of parietal lobe
2. Association Areas- Neurons that integrate info, very hard to map
3. Phineas Gage- Man got pole thru his frontal lobe, personality change, but fine
4. Complex mental functions don’t reside in one place
F. Language
1. Aphasia- Impaired use of language, can write but can’t read or vice versa
2. Broca’s Area- Speaking
3. Wernicke’s Area- Understanding
4. Angular gyrus- Unable to read aloud, but able to speak
5. These areas are connected by nerve fibers
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