Phrenology
Wrong!
Outer Surface of Human Brain
Gray Matter = Neuron cell bodies & dendrites
White Matter = Myelin (=fat)- covered axons
Cortex = Outer layer of gray matter
Gyri
Sulci
Axial Slice through Human BrainFront
Back
Major Lobes of the Brain
Ways to Find Out About Brain Function
Most of what we know about the brain comes from brain damage - Damage to specific regions often produces specific deficits - e.g., In the 1800s, Broca observed that damage to the left frontal lobe led to language deficits (aphasia)
But we can't get the full story on normal function from damage - Lack of control- Involvement vs responsibility- Compensation & reorganization
- This is how it was first discovered that different parts of the brain have different functions
Some Regions Involved in Language(Evidence from Brain Damage)
Function in the Normal Brain Ways to monitor brain activity non-invasively, as it’s
happening Measure: 1. Electrical and magnetic fields generated by neurons - Electroencephalography (EEG, ERP) - Magnetoencephalography (MEG) - Event-related Optical Signal (EROS)
2. Blood flow to active regions - Positron Emission Tomography (PET) - Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) - Other optical methods (Near-Infrared Spectrometry – NIRS)
3. Consequences of temporary disruption (Not so non-invasive!) - Electrical stimulation - Magnetic stimulation (Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - TMS)