inside the human brain introduction to anthropology, sociology & psychology—hsp 3m

Inside the Human BrainInside the Human Brain

Introduction to Anthropology, Sociology Introduction to Anthropology, Sociology & Psychology—HSP 3M& Psychology—HSP 3M

Inside the Teenage BrainInside the Teenage Brain

Adolescence is characterized by Adolescence is characterized by extreme mood swings and extreme mood swings and participation in risk-taking behaviour.participation in risk-taking behaviour.

Many changes are occurring in the Many changes are occurring in the frontal cortexfrontal cortex which account for which account for these behaviours.these behaviours.

The The frontal cortexfrontal cortex, which is , which is responsible for responsible for reason and logicreason and logic, is , is not fully developed in adolescents.not fully developed in adolescents.


Due to this, many adolescents Due to this, many adolescents misinterpret emotions causing misinterpret emotions causing conflict with parents, peers and conflict with parents, peers and teachers. teachers.

Example: Misinterpreting one’s Example: Misinterpreting one’s behaviour as anger.behaviour as anger.

The adolescent brain does not The adolescent brain does not interpret environmental information interpret environmental information in the same manner as adult do.in the same manner as adult do.


The The cerebellumcerebellum, responsible for , responsible for organizing thoughts and cognition, organizing thoughts and cognition, changes the most during adolescence.changes the most during adolescence.

The The cerebellum cerebellum is not fully developed until is not fully developed until a person is 21 years old.a person is 21 years old.

This lack of development can account for This lack of development can account for adolescents not always hearing or adolescents not always hearing or understanding what their parents or understanding what their parents or teachers are trying to communicate and teachers are trying to communicate and their lack of organization. their lack of organization.

So why do we treat adolescents like adults So why do we treat adolescents like adults if they are not cognitively the same?if they are not cognitively the same?


Getting adequate sleep is one of the Getting adequate sleep is one of the best things adolescents can do to best things adolescents can do to enhance learning and brain enhance learning and brain development.development.

Adolescents need 9 ¼ hours sleep a Adolescents need 9 ¼ hours sleep a night to function properly.night to function properly.

Despite this, on average adolescents Despite this, on average adolescents get only 7 ½ hours sleep per night.get only 7 ½ hours sleep per night.

This continuous sleep deficit causes This continuous sleep deficit causes significant gaps in learning.significant gaps in learning.


Adolescents circadian clock keeps teens Adolescents circadian clock keeps teens up late at night, however as school starts up late at night, however as school starts early they are forced to get up before they early they are forced to get up before they have received enough sleep.have received enough sleep.

As a result most adolescents are not able As a result most adolescents are not able function properly in school as they are still function properly in school as they are still in a sleep like state.in a sleep like state.

Studies show that when teens get Studies show that when teens get adequate sleep they perform better on adequate sleep they perform better on cognitive tasks. cognitive tasks.

Teens that are sleep deficient show Teens that are sleep deficient show significant gaps in their ability to retain significant gaps in their ability to retain information and perform cognitive tasks. information and perform cognitive tasks.


So why does school start so early?So why does school start so early? Later school start studies indicate Later school start studies indicate

that when school starts later (10 am- that when school starts later (10 am- 4:30 pm), teens perform better 4:30 pm), teens perform better academically and they are less academically and they are less frequently absent. frequently absent.

However they are less likely to However they are less likely to participate in extra curricular participate in extra curricular activities which are also beneficial to activities which are also beneficial to healthy development.healthy development.


The most important factor to The most important factor to adolescent development is the adolescent development is the relationships, connections and relationships, connections and support systems formed with support systems formed with family and peers.family and peers.

The Human Brain--FunctionsThe Human Brain--Functions

The The human brainhuman brain is is the center of the the center of the human human nervous system and is and is the most complex the most complex organ in any creature organ in any creature on earth. on earth.

It has the same It has the same general structure as general structure as the brains of other the brains of other mammals, but is over mammals, but is over five times as large as five times as large as the "average brain" of the "average brain" of a mammal with the a mammal with the same body size. same body size.

Human BrainHuman Brain

The brain is made of three main parts: the The brain is made of three main parts: the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrainforebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. .

The forebrain consists of the cerebrum, The forebrain consists of the cerebrum, thalamus, and hypothalamus (part of the thalamus, and hypothalamus (part of the limbic system). limbic system).

The midbrain consists of the tectum and The midbrain consists of the tectum and tegmentum.tegmentum.

The hindbrain is made of the cerebellum, The hindbrain is made of the cerebellum, pons and medulla. pons and medulla.

Often the midbrain, pons, and medulla are Often the midbrain, pons, and medulla are referred to together as the brainstem. referred to together as the brainstem.


The The cerebrum or cortexcerebrum or cortex is the is the largest part of the human brain, largest part of the human brain, associated with higher brain function associated with higher brain function such as thought and action. such as thought and action.

The cerebral cortex is divided into The cerebral cortex is divided into four sections, called "lobes": the four sections, called "lobes": the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobelobe, and temporal lobe. .


Right HemisphereRight Hemisphere The right The right

hemisphere hemisphere controls the left controls the left side of the body side of the body

Temporal and Temporal and spatial spatial relationships relationships

Analyzing Analyzing nonverbal nonverbal information information

Communicating Communicating emotion emotion

Left HemisphereLeft Hemisphere The left The left

hemisphere hemisphere controls the right controls the right side of the body side of the body

Produce and Produce and understand understand language language


Frontal Lobe-Frontal Lobe- associated associated with reasoning, planning, with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem emotions, and problem solving solving

Parietal Lobe-Parietal Lobe- associated associated with movement, orientation, with movement, orientation, recognition, perception of recognition, perception of stimuli stimuli

Occipital Lobe-Occipital Lobe- associated associated with visual processing with visual processing

Temporal Lobe-Temporal Lobe- associated associated with perception and with perception and recognition of auditory recognition of auditory stimuli, memory, and speechstimuli, memory, and speech


The The cerebellumcerebellum, or "little brain", , or "little brain", is similar to the cerebrum in that is similar to the cerebrum in that it has two hemispheres and has it has two hemispheres and has a highly folded surface or cortex.a highly folded surface or cortex.

This structure is associated with This structure is associated with regulation and coordination of regulation and coordination of movement, posture, and movement, posture, and balance. balance.

The Human BrainThe Human Brain

ThalamusThalamus is a large mass of gray is a large mass of gray matter deeply situated in the matter deeply situated in the forebrain at the topmost portion of forebrain at the topmost portion of the diencephalon. the diencephalon.

The structure has The structure has sensory and sensory and motormotor functions. functions.

Almost all sensory information enters Almost all sensory information enters this structure where neurons send this structure where neurons send that information to the overlying that information to the overlying cortex. cortex.


HypothalamusHypothalamus- The structure is - The structure is involved in functions including involved in functions including homeostasis, emotion, thirst, hunger, homeostasis, emotion, thirst, hunger, circadian rhythms, and control of the circadian rhythms, and control of the autonomic nervous system. autonomic nervous system.

Examples:Examples: Moods and motivation Moods and motivation Sexual maturation Sexual maturation Temperature regulation Temperature regulation Hormonal body processes Hormonal body processes


AmygdalaAmygdala- involved in memory, - involved in memory, emotion, and fear. emotion, and fear.

The amygdala is both large and The amygdala is both large and just beneath the surface of the just beneath the surface of the front, medial part of the temporal front, medial part of the temporal lobe. lobe.


Hippocampus-Hippocampus- This part of the This part of the brain is important for learning brain is important for learning and memory. Specifically for and memory. Specifically for converting short term memory to converting short term memory to more permanent memory, and more permanent memory, and for recalling spatial relationships for recalling spatial relationships in the world about us. in the world about us.


PonsPons- It is involved in motor control - It is involved in motor control and sensory analysis... for example, and sensory analysis... for example, information from the ear first enters information from the ear first enters the brain in the pons. the brain in the pons.

It has parts that are important for the It has parts that are important for the level of consciousness and for sleep.level of consciousness and for sleep.

Some structures within the pons are Some structures within the pons are linked to the cerebellum, thus are linked to the cerebellum, thus are involved in movement and posture. involved in movement and posture.


Medulla-Medulla- this structure is the this structure is the caudal-most part of the brain caudal-most part of the brain stem, between the pons and stem, between the pons and spinal cord. spinal cord.

It is responsible for maintaining It is responsible for maintaining vital body functions, such as vital body functions, such as breathing and heart rate. breathing and heart rate.

inside the human brain introduction to anthropology, sociology & psychology—hsp 3m

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