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Psych on The Brain

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How well do you know your Brain?

Aoccrdrinig to rscheearch at Cmabridge Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht

oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny

iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be

at the rghit pclae. The rset can be ttaol mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid

deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the

wrod as a wlohe.

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(no, it doesn’t count)

A Little Quiz

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When are your last brain cells born?

A) Before BirthB) At age SixC) Between the ages of Eighteen and

twenty-threeD) In old Age

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Which of the following is NOT likely to improve brain function in old age?

A) Eating fish with omega-3 fatty acidsB) Getting regular exerciseC) Drinking one or two glasses of red

wine/dayD) Drinking a whole bottle of red

wine/day

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Which of the following strategies is the best one for overcoming jet lag?

A) Taking melatonin the night after you arrive at your destination

B) Avoiding daylight for several daysC) Getting sunlight in the afternoon at

your destinationD) Sleeping with the light on

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Your brain uses about as much energy as a

A) refrigerator light.B) laptop computer.C) idling car.D) car moving down a highway.

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Someone is tickling you. You can reduce the sensation by

A) putting your hand on his to follow the movement

B) biting your knucklesC) tickling him backD) drinking a glass of water

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Which of the following activities is likely to improve your performance in school?

A) Listening to classical music while you sleep

B) Listening to classical music while you study

C) Learning a musical instrumentD) Taking breaks from studying to play

video gamesE) Both C and D

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Which of the following things is a blow to the head least likely to cause?

A) Loss of consciousnessB) Memory lossC) Restoration of memory after suffering

amnesiaD) Personality Change

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You are in a noisy room talking to a friend on a cell phoneTo have a clearer conversation you should:

A) talk more loudly.B) cover one ear & listen thru the other.C) cover your ear when you talk.D) cover the mouthpiece when you listen.

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Which of the following is the hardest thing your brain does?

A) Doing Long DivisionB) Looking at a photographC) Playing ChessD) Sleeping

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Memory starts to get worse in which decade of life?

A) ThirtiesB) FortiesC) FiftiesD) Sixties

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How much of your brain do you use?

A) 10%B) 5% when sleeping, 20% awakeC) 100%D) Varies according to intelligence

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Brain FactsThe adult human brain weighs about 3

lbs.The adult human brain has about 100

BILLION (!) neurons, 20 times more than the world population

Early in pregnancy, a baby’s neurons multiply at about 250,000 per minute (!)

There are 1,000 to 10,000 synapses per neuron in a “typical” adult human brain

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More brain factsThe best estimates of the speed of

neural transmission range from 6 to 122 meters per second (100 meters per second equals about 224 miles per hour)

Nearly half the weight of the brain comes from glial cells (think “glue” cells), which help support the neurons that send messages and outnumber them about 10 to 1

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More brain stuff

Some neurons release excitatory neurotransmitters, which are analagous to the gas pedal on a car

Other neurons release inhibitory neurotransmitters, which act like the brakes on a car

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The Cerebral CortexThe cortex is the

wrinkled, outer covering of the brain, often likened to the bark of a tree

If the human cortex was flattened out, it would be equal to about 4 sheets of paper

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Relative Cortex SizesA chimpanzee’s

cortex = one sheet of paper

A monkey’s cortex = a postcard

A rat’s cortex = a postage stamp

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The Lobes of the CortexWe divide the cortex

into four sections, or lobes:

The frontal lobesThe parietal lobeThe occipital lobeThe temporal lobe

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The Frontal LobeOne Third of the

Cerebral cortexSeveral Primary

functions:Planning aheadPrediction“Programming” for one’s

needsJudgement, understanding

consequencesAnalytical and critical

reasoningCognition and memoryvoluntary motor activitystores language skills

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More on the CortexSome estimate that as

much as 75% of the cortical area is given over to the “association cortex” (it’s not very easily localized in any one spot), which makes connections etc.

Damage to association areas in the frontal lobes can prevent a person from fleeing danger even though they “know” they should flee!

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The Lobes of the Cortex (continuedThe occipital lobes:

at the rear of the head; houses the visual cortex

The temporal lobes: at the temple, on the side of the head; houses the auditory cortex, smell is housed here

F.P.O.T.!

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The Parietal LobeAn area that

responds to nerve impulses for:

PainTemperatureTouchPressureLeft-right

orientation

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Occipital Lobe

Visual Information processed here

Damage to this area can cause partial or complete blindness

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Temporal LobeUpper section of it

affects hearingInner surface

concerns memory processing

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The Limbic SystemSometimes called

the “emotional brain”

Includes:thalamus

hypothalamusamygdala

hippocampus

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Thalamus“Last Stop” for

neurons firing info to cerebral cortex

A kind of “relay center” for sensory input

Related to sleep and wakefulness

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HypothalamusRelated to Homeostasis

Links nervous system to the endocrine system - related to pituitary gland

Hormone production and regulation affecting emotional behavior, including anger, stress, and sex

Also blood pressure, heart rate, thirst, hunger, circadian rhythms, and other maintenance functions

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AmygdalaNamed because of

its “almond” shapeRelays info to

hypothalamusInvolved in storage

of emotional memories, particularly negative ones

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Amygdala Issues Over reaction, Hyper emotionality Hyper sexuality Monkey mothers

damaged amygdalas were abusive

Borderline personality disorder

Misinterpretation of facial expressions in depressed patients

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HippocampusInvolved in long-

term memory (first damaged in Alzheimers

Used to access facts stored in memory

Related to inhibitions

Also involved in spatial navigation

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Brain differences thinking about finances

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