HUMAN BRAIN & BEHAVIOUR
SESSION 3 & 4
Recap...
Name the brain parts you are familiar with?
Brain
The Brain (introduction)
• The crowning glory of the central nervous
system
• Fills the upper portion of the skull.
• It weighs only about three pounds and could be
held in one hand,
• Contains billions of interacting cells that
integrate information from inside and outside
the body, coordinate the body’s actions, and
enable human beings to talk, think, remember,
plan, create, and dream.
Structure, of the brain can be mapped by examining and dissecting brains removed
from animals or from deceased humans who have donated their bodies to science.
Mapping of brain function
Neuro scientists
Use of different disciplines:- anatomy, physiology, biology, pharmacology, neurology,
neurosurgery, psychiatry, and psychology.
Methods-
• electrical recordings
• lesioning
• electrical stimulation
• transcranial magnetic stimulation
• brain imaging techniques as CT and MRI scans
The Hindbrain (quick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2g-HpxLtDw
overview)
The hindbrain includes the cerebellum and The cerebellum (literally “little brain”) is a
two structures found in the lower part of the relatively large and deeply folded
brainstem: the medulla and the pons. structure located adjacent to the back
surface of the brainstem. The cerebellum
The medulla, which attaches to the spinal cord, is critical to the coordination of
controls largely unconscious but vital functions, movement and to the sense of
including circulating blood, breathing, equilibrium, or physical balance.
maintaining muscle tone, and regulating reflexes
such as sneezing, coughing, and salivating.
Damage to the cerebellum disrupts
The pons (literally “bridge”) includes a bridge of fine motor skills, such as those
fibers that connects the brainstem with the
involved in writing, typing, or playing
cerebellum. The pons also contains several clusters
of cell bodies involved with sleep and arousal.
a musical instrument.
The
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZdS6u7hzBc
Midbrain
The midbrain is the segment of the brainstem that lies between the hindbrain
and the forebrain. The midbrain contains an area that is concerned with integrating
sensory processes, such as vision and hearing (Stein, Wallace, & Stanford, 2000).
• Running through both the hindbrain and the
midbrain is the reticular formation.
• Located at the central core of the brainstem, the
reticular formation contributes to the modulation of
muscle reflexes, breathing, and pain perception
(Saper, 2000).
• Role in the regulation of sleep and arousal. Activity
in the ascending fibers of the reticular formation
contributes to arousal (Coenen, 1998).
• Can you relate the functioning of reticular formation
to a principle learnt in unit I?
Interactive tool (10 Minutes)
Explore this interactive tool and read the key parts which we point out in the previous
slides
https://www.brainfacts.org/3d-brain#intro=false&focus=Brain-
cerebral_hemisphere-right&zoom=false
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA51ZO508Cs
The Forebrain
The forebrain is the largest and most complex region of the brain,
encompassing a variety of structures, including the thalamus, hypothalamus,
limbic system, and cerebrum
• The thalamus, hypothalamus, and limbic
system form the core of the forebrain.
• All three structures are located near the top of
the brainstem.
• Above them is the cerebrum—the seat of
complex thought.
• The wrinkled surface of the cerebrum is the
cerebral cortex—the outer layer of the brain,
which looks like a cauliflower
The Thalamus: A Way Station
The thalamus is a structure in the
forebrain through which all sensory
information (except smell) must pass to
get to the cerebral cortex. This way station
is made up of clusters of cell bodies, or
somas.
• More than a passive relay station.
• The thalamus also appears to play an
active role in integrating information from
various senses
The Hypothalamus: A Regulator of Biological Needs
The hypothalamus is a structure found near the base of the forebrain that is involved in
the regulation of basic biological needs
activate the lateral hypothalamus, animals eat
• No larger than a kidney bean constantly and gain weight rapidly (Grossman et al.,
• Function is to control the autonomic 1978
nervous system (Iversen, Iversen, &
Saper, 2000).
• The hypothalamus serves as a vital link
between the brain and the endocrine
system
Major role in the regulation of basic biological drives
related to survival: fighting, fleeing, feeding, and mating
Control of hunger and other basic biological processes, including thirst, sexual
motivation, and temperature regulation (Kupfermann, Kandel, & Iversen, 2000).
The Limbic System: The Seat of Emotion
The limbic system is a loosely connected
network of structures located roughly along
the border between the cerebral cortex and
deeper subcortical areas (the term limbic,
which means “border”).
First described by Paul MacLean (1954), the
limbic system is not a well-defined anatomical
system with clear boundaries.
• The limbic system includes the hypothalamus, the hippocampus,
the amygdala, the olfactory bulb, and the cingulate gyrus.
• The limbic system is involved in the regulation of emotion,
memory, and motivation.
The hippocampus and adjacent structures clearly play a role in memory
processes
Hippocampal region is responsible for the consolidation of memories for
factual information
The amygdala
Play a central role in the learning of fear responses and the processing of other
basic emotional responses
The limbic system is also one of the areas in the brain that appears to be rich in
emotion-tinged “pleasure centres.”
The Cerebrum: The Seat of Complex Thought
• The cerebrum is the largest and most complex part of the human brain.
• Responsible for the most complex mental activities, (learning, remembering,
thinking, and consciousness).
• The cerebral cortex is the convoluted outer
layer of the cerebrum. The cortex is folded and
bent, so that its large surface area—about 1.5
square feet—can be packed into the limited
volume of the skull (Hubel & Wiesel, 1979).
• The cerebrum is divided into two halves called
hemispheres.
• The cerebral hemispheres are the right and left
halves of the cerebrum
The corpus callosum is the structure that
connects the two cerebral hemispheres
Functional division
Cerebral hemisphere is divided
into four parts called lobes.
Each of these lobes is
dedicated to specific purposes
The occipital lobe, at the back of the head, includes the cortical area where most visual
signals are sent and visual processing is begun. This area is called the primary visual
cortex.
The parietal lobe is forward of the occipital lobe. It includes the area
that registers the sense of touch, called the primary somatosensory
cortex.
The parietal lobe is also involved in integrating visual input and in
monitoring the body’s position in space.
The temporal lobe (meaning “near the temples”) lies below the
parietal lobe. The temporal lobe contains an area devoted to
auditory processing, called the primary auditory cortex. Damage
to an area in the temporal lobe on the left side of the brain can
impair the comprehension of speech and language.
frontal lobe, the largest lobe in the human brain. It contains the principal areas that control
the movement of muscles, called the primary motor cortex.
http://www.neuroanatomy.ca/
Identify the brain area and its functions (Activity)
Heredity & Behaviour
Heredity: Biologically determined characteristics
passed from parents to their offspring.
● Every cell of your body contains a set of biological
blueprints that enable it to perform its essential
functions.
● Chromosomes and DNA
● Chromosomes contain thousands of genes—
segments of DNA that serve as basic units of
heredity.
Q&A
