Galen (A.D. 129-ca. 210)
Roman physician who determined the brain is critical for sense, language, and thought
Gall (1758-1828)
- Developed phrenology
- Study of relationship between one’s moral, emotional, and intellectual faculties and variations of the skull’s surface
Gall’s Theory of Phrenology
Bumps and depressions on the skull indicate the size of the underlying brain area
Damage to Prefrontal Cortex
- Impairs ability to connect thoughts with feelings
- Results in mood swings, loss of social inhibition, and changes in personality
- Phineous Gage
Paul Broca (1861)
- Had a patient with paralysis on the right side and could only say the word “tan”
- Discovered lesion on left frontal lobe and concluded damage to this area impairs ability to speak fluently, but language comprehension is preserved
Carl Wernicke (1874)
- Had aphasia (language disorders) patients who had brain damage
- Damage in left temporal lobe, no contralateral paralysis, fluent nonsensical speech, and could hear without understanding
Computerized Tomography (CT) Scans
- Scanner passes narrow x-ray beams through the brain at different angles, creating different images then combining them to create a 3D image of the brain
- Produces static pictures of brain structures
- Useful for pinpointing location of brain abnormalities
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scans
Scans use radioactive molecules to map brain regions for high and low activity
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)
- Use strong magnets to watch the brain as an individual carries out psychological tasks
- Tells us about brain function, not just structure
Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)
MRI method that images fiber by detecting directional movement of water molecules
Neuropsychology
- The study of brain-behavior relationships
- Originated with physiological psychologists working with animal models of brain functioning
Clinical Neuropsychology (CN)
- Combines human neuropsychology with clinical psychology
- An applied science concerned with the behavioral expression of brain dysfunction
Hindbrain
- Medulla
- Retiuclar formation
- Pons
- Cerebellum
Medulla
- Continuous with spinal cord
- Helps regulate and maintain respiration, circulation, heart rate, and blood pressure
Reticular Formation
- Extends from medulla into the midbrain
- Regulates consciousness and alertness
- Connected to centers in the pons that help regulate sleep/wake cycle
- Damage can cause coma
Pons
- Bulging middle portion of the hindbrain
- Involved in eye movements, facial expressions, chewing, and dreaming
Cerebellum
- Large structure at the back of the brain (Latin for little brain)
- Controls balance, posture, and smooth movements
- Contributes to some forms of learning
Subcortical Forebrain
- Below the cortex
- Hypothalamus
- Thalamus
- Limbic System
- Basal Ganglia
Hypothalamus
- Regulates number of vegetative functions including body temperature, thirst, and appetite
- Works closely with pituitary gland (master gland of the endocrine system)
Midbrain
Part of the brain that connects the hindbrain to the forebrain
Thalamus
Relays sensory information to the cortex and relays motor commands from the cortex to the motor system
Amygdala
- Limbic system
- Plays a role in emotions, particularly fear
Hippocampus
- Limbic system
- Formation of explicit memories
- Vulnerable to stress
Basal Ganglia
- Caudate nucleus
- Putamen
- Globus Pallidus
- Motor behavior, emotion, and cognition
