HEMISPHERES, SENSORY AND MOTOR CORTEXES, SPLIT BRAIN, PLASTICITY, ENDOCRINE SYSTEM

Chapter 2

Motor Cortex

Motor Cortex – An area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements Sends messages from brain to body Right Motor Cortex controls movement

of left side of the body

Page 77

Motor Cortex

Motor Strip Dominance

For each of the following answer left, right, or both.

1.With which hand do you write?2.With which hand do you throw a

ball?3.Which hand do you use to hold

scissors?4. When holding a baseball bat,

which hand is on top?5.Which hand deals out playing

cards?

Motor Strip Dominance

6.When you cross your arms, which arm is usually on top?

7.When you cross your leg, which leg is usually on top?

8. When putting on a pair of pants, which leg goes into the pants first?

9. When putting on a jacket or sweater, which arm goes into the sleeve first?

10.Which hand is on top when you clap? High number of right answers

means that you are left strip dominant.

Sensory Cortex

Sensory Cortex – An area at the front of the parietal lobe that registers and processes body sensations. Receives messages from the body to the

brain Right Sensory Cortex receives sensory

information from the left side of the body

Parts of the sensory cortex receive senses from various body parts – the more sensitive, the more cortex area devoted to it.

Sensory Cortex

Phantom Limb

Phantom Limb – feeling sensations or movements coming from a limb that has been amputated. Ex. when touching the face of someone

whose fingers have been amputated, the person also reports a sensation in their nonexistent fingers.

WHY? Sensations may come from a body image stored in the brain

Re: p. 83 2nd paragraph Line 9

Phantom Limb Video (till last1:00)

Brain Plasticity

Plasticity – the brains capacity for modification Neural tissue can reorganize as a

response to damage Ex. Morgan Madson and Volleyball Ex. Child has a right hemispherectomy,

now the functions of the left brain have made new connections to perform tasks the right brain use to perform. Picture on p. 83 - Brain Plasticity - the story of Jody

Girl Living With Half Her Brain

Children have more plasticity than adults

Association Areas

Association Areas- Any area of the cerebral cortex that does not control muscle movements or receive sensory information – Rather, these areas involve higher mental functions (learning, remembering, speaking, and thinking)

Association Areas

Association Areas

Aphasia – impaired use of language. RE: p81 Broca’s Area – speech production

Damage to this area may disable muscle movements needed for speech

Broca's aphasia - Sarah Scott - teenage stroke MNEMONIC :BROKEN CD PLAYER

NO LONGER PRODUCES SOUND

Wernicke’s Area – language comprehension Damage to this area may disable one’s

ability to understand language

Wernicke's and Broca's Aphasia

Hemispheres of the Brain

Contralateral Control – left hemisphere controls right side of the body, and the right hemisphere controls the left side of the body.

2 Students complete CD ROM Activity while class

completes Hemispheric Dominance Inventory

Hemispheres of the Brain

Left Hemisphere Receives sensory messages and controls

motor functions of the right half of the body

Research indicates the left hemisphere is more active during logic and sequential tasks and language

Hemispheres of the Brain

Right Hemisphere Receives sensory messages and controls

motor functions of the left half of the body Research indicates the right hemisphere

is more active during spatial and creative tasks, art and music

are you left brained or right RSA Animate - The Divided Brain CD ROM Hemispheric Specialization

Split Brain

Split brain – condition in which the corpus collosum is severed.

Purpose is to reduce seizures in patients with uncontrollable epilepsy

Roger Sperry – architect in split brain surgery. (Began by splitting the brains of cats and monkeys and found no serious effects)

Split brain patients have “two separate minds” – in textbook, pg. 85 – Severed Corpus Callosum (ctshad)

Stop at phone..left does not see it…right does..cannot say it but can write it with left hand.

Psychquest demo on splitbrain CD ROM Activity with word flashing

Endocrine System

Endocrine System – The body’s “slow” communication system. This system is made up of numerous glands that secrete various chemicals, called hormones, throughout the body. These hormones affect organs, muscles and other glands in the body

The Endocrine System: How it Works Endocrine System (:35)

Endocrine System

Hypothalamus – control center of the endocrine system. (specifically controls the adrenal glands)

Types of Glands Pituitary Glands (aka “master

gland”)– a pea sized structure located at the base of the brain. The pituitary glands regulate and control other glands. Releases growth hormone.

Adrenal Glands – produce adrenaline (also called epinephrine), regulates the heart rate and blood pressure. Helps trigger the fight or flight response.

Endocrine System

Pancreas – regulates levels of sugar in the blood by secreting insulin

Thyroid – located in the neck, this gland regulates metabolism

Ovaries – produce female sex hormones – estrogen

Testes – produce male sex hormones – testosterone

Neuroscience review

Psychology Rap

If Time, Brain worksheet