9/14/17
1
Organiza.onofthebrain
Mentalprocessesandthebrain
• Mentalprocessesarerepresentedasac.va.onpa<ernsacrossneuronsinthebrain
• Neuronsarecellsthatsignaleachother– Aneuronmakesayes/nodecisionwhethertopropagateanelectrochemicalsignal
– Thereare100sofbillionsofneurons,sothebraincansignalinverycomplexways
Thecentralnervoussystem
Thalamus(sensoryswitchboard)Brainstem(breathing,heart,stressresponse)
Spinalcord(simplereflexes)
Cerebellum,li#lebrain(movement,.ming)
Limbicsystem(memoryforevents,loca.ons,emo.ons)
Cortex(higher-levelfunc.on)
Limbicsystem
(memory for events, locations) (memory for emotions)
Grayma<er(neurons)
Whitema<er(glia,axons)
Contralateralorganiza.on:Visionpathways
Primaryvisualcortex(Tootelletal.,1982)
S.muluspresentedtomonkey
Map-like(topographic)representa.oninrighthalfofprimaryvisualcortex
9/14/17
2
Cor.calregions Superior(dorsal)
Inferior(ventral)
Anterior(rostral)
Posterior(caudal)
Cor.calregions
7 = lateral fissure 9 = central fissure
Inferioraspect
Brainstem
Thalamusandlimbicsystemarehidden
Lateralfissure
Superioraspect
Corpuscallosum(hardbody)
Axons(neuronoutputs)
Cortex(bark):~3mm
Sulcus
Gyrus
Longitudinalfissure
Lateralvs.sagi<alviews
Sagittal = split along longitudinal fissure
Primarymotor,somatosensoryareas
9/14/17
3
• Keypoints:– Whichofthegreenandblueareasiswhich
– Moreneural.ssue=moresensa.on/control
– Anothermap:nearbyareasinthebodymaptonearbyareasinbrain
Primarymotor,somatosensoryareas Associa.onareas
Frontallobes:Thinking:planning,a<ending,workingmemory,inhibi.on,...
Temporallobes:Long-termstorageofmeanings(“what”system)
Parietallobes:Long-termstorageofimages(“where”system)
Thosecor.calareasotherthansensory/motorIntegrateandconnectinforma.on
Brainsacrossspecies Languageareas
In most people, these language areas are left-lateralized
(syntax,controlofspeech)
(complexwordmeanings)
Split-braineffects(Fig.3.31)
Thepersonislookingstraightahead
Personcanperceivetheforkpicture,andsay“fork”
Personcanperceivethephysicalspoonbyfeel,withtheirlebhand
Facerecogni.on
Fusiformfacearea
9/14/17
4
+ +Flowers
Face
+ +FaceFruit
+Toad Stool
