From the unseen workings to more noticeable responses, the human brain has amazed and puzzled people throughout the ages. Numerous scientists and physicians dedicated their life’s to observe and study the brain for many years and yet we are still learning new things about it. The most interesting thing about the brain is the complexity of its structure and how information travels through it in a matter of milliseconds. The human brain is made up of two hemispheres, left and right that connect and communicate with each other through a thick band of millions of nerves that is known as the corpus callosum. Each hemisphere appears to be specific for some kind of behaviors. Damage to any area of the brain will result in the loss of function or even
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the correlational method as a means for examining the relationship between functions of the left and right hemispheres. I will compare the performance of people with intact brains with the performance of so-called split-brain patients. In many ways, the brains of these two groups are very similar. 1a. The brain stem is found in the deepest part of the brain. The brainstem controls the automatic survival functions of the body, such as breathing. There are no differences between the function of the normal brainstem and the brain of a split brain patient. The brainstem will still supply the automatic survival functions of the body. 1b. The hippocampus is found in the limbic system along with the amygdala, the hypothalamus. The hippocampus is in charge of allowing the body to process information into memories. Without the hippocampus, there is no way for new memories to be created. There is no anatomical difference between the hippocampus in the normal brain and a split brain. 1c. The corpus callosum is found in the center of the brain. The role it plays as a part of the brain is it connects both the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing them to work and interact together as a whole system. The difference between the anatomy of the corpus callosum in a split brain patient versus someone without a
The connectionist model describes the different areas of the brain and how they process particular types of information (Brookshire & McNeil, 2015). We have a greater understanding of left hemispheric damage. For example, if an individual has damage to their posterior-inferior third frontal gyrus of the left hemisphere, they will present with Broca’s aphasia, which evidences as motor planning deficits. While scientists and researchers have a general understanding of what the right hemisphere is responsible for, we have yet to understand specific areas precise responsibilities. Generally, we recognize the right hemisphere is responsible for behavior and cognition, perception, recognition and expression, attention, and pragmatic communication (Brookshire &
By conducting Corpus Calloscotomy, also known as “Spilt Brain Research” which is a drastic way of alleviating epileptic seizures, which are the occurrence of sporadic electrical storms in the brain. Although during research on people with a severed corpus callosum, researchers have confirmed that the majority of the research subjects have revealed that the right hemisphere of the brain is directly related to the visual recognition and identification of emotion, whereas the left hemisphere is directly related to the verbal aspect and functionality. After the split brain surgical procedure the two hemispheres do not exchange information as well as they did initially. The damage can also result in split brain syndrome, which is a condition where
They also have trouble learning to perform new tasks that require interdependent movement of each hand, like playing the piano. This finding helped conclude that the corpus callosum helps in transfer of information and it is the co-ordination between the two hemispheres that lets us perform activities smoothly. The split of the two hemispheres ultimately made it so you cannot access information the other side of the brain controls. Now, Gazzaniga works at University of California, Santa Barbara teaching psychology so he can pass on knowledge to his students. Gazzaniga and his team of researchers are testing information transfer using a MEG, which maps the brain activity by recording magnetic fields produced by electrical currents in the brain. Unlike split-brain surgery these techniques are non-invasive. He has made many books explaining his work and making information about brain function more accessible to the public. Gazzaniga deserves to be in the Hall of Fame due to his amazing contribution to psychology, his continued efforts in the field, and his willingness to share his findings to educate
The brain is one of the most complex organs within the human body. It is what distinguishes us from animals. With this in mind, it makes sense that there are multiple different ways in which the brain must be approached in order to improve its functioning capabilities. In the article “12 Things We Know About How the Brain Works”, by Shane Parrish, twelve main topics are discussed in relation to the brain and how it functions. Each topic delves into a different way the functions of the brain affect day-to-day life.
The human mind is the center of a person’s reasoning and thoughts and today it has gone from a mystery to a unique feature in the human anatomy. The mind is home to one's consciousness, perception, thinking, judgement, and memory. The brain also controls a person's muscle movement, breathing, and even their body temperature. Its anatomy is so complex that many doctors and scientists are continually learning and understanding how the different features of the brain work together to function as one of the body’s most interesting organs. Those who do study the way the brain and the nervous system function together are quite brilliant and are one of the most dedicated group of doctors. There are many fields
Many of the features that distinguish Homo erectus from other hominin species—both earlier and later species—are seen in the skull. The average brain size of Homo erectus is estimated to have been roughly 900 cubic centimeters (cc.), which is larger than Homo habilis, but smaller than that of Homo heidelbergensis and other later forms. The size of the Homo erectus brain is negligibly larger than in Homo habilis when it is considered as in relation to body size—i.e., brain size increased substantially in Homo erectus, but, because body size also increased, the relative size of the Homo erectus brain is not considerably larger than that of Homo habilis. The absolute in brain size, however, caused changes in the brain case; for instance, the
On the other side are the abnormalities due to anatomy. In this specialization we focus our attention on the neurons themselves, and how they are functioning in parts of the brain that are detrimental to mental well-being and emotional understanding such as the corpus callosum, broad bands of nerve fibers, which connects the two cerebral hemispheres of the brain. If these two separate hemispheres do not communicate through the nerve cord
The results of this study show us the brain is not in fact symmetrical and the two hemispheres in the brain work in different ways. The left hemisphere is known to play the dominant role, which is in control of all complex behavioural and cognitive processes as for the right hemisphere it only plays a minor role. This report will further analyse how different the two hemisphers is the dominant side of the brain.
The brain is a complex and curious organ; despite extensive research, scientists still know little about it. William Allman described the brain as “a monstrous, beautiful mess.” He went on to say that “its billions of nerve cells – called neurons – lie in a tangled web that display cognitive powers far exceeding any of the silicon machines [scientists] have built to mimic it” (faculty.washington.edu). Imagine this mess of neurons experiencing a simple disruption, one that creates a domino effect that effortlessly damages this intricately created organ. Some of the most disastrous disruptions to this complex organ, traumatic brain injuries, most commonly occur in the frontal lobe. Injuries to
Our brain is most complex organ system in our body. This three pound of tissue creates the main nerve center of the body. It controls our all body function, body movement, thought, and our behavior. Many of people do not know about the how a brain works? The left part of the brain controls our right side of the body and right side of brain part controls our left side of the body part. Our brain uses 20% of the total oxygen and blood in the body so it is required oxygen and nutrition from the blood for work properly. The lake of oxygen in the brain for 5 to 10-minute results in permanent brain damage or occurs a stroke. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of our brain is interrupted or severely reduced. A stroke is one of the diseases
The human brain is a mystery that has been studied for centuries in attempt to understand how it functions. Scientists first thought that the brain was a structure that functioned a whole. It was in the early 1600’s where the first ideas of localisation of function in the brain started. At this time Rene Descartes discovered a tiny structure called the pineal
For those who don’t know, the brain is the most complex organ in the human body because of all the multiple sections that make up the brain. The human brain is found in the cranial cavity and is also a vital part of the nervous system. As a matter of fact, the reason why the brain is such a precious organ is because it allows us to interpret and store new information along with giving us the ability to move our body and enabling us to express ourselves.The brain can be broken up into three portions: the Forebrain, the Midbrain and the Hindbrain. These three potions regulate our body temperature, our breathing and heart rate as well as tell us when to eat and sleep. Therefore any severe damage to one of these portions could be life-threatening.
You live and you learn, from the moment that we breathe our first breath, we are assimilating and are acquiring information. Life changing and profound learning experiences happen before we can even speak, as children our learning process is grandiose. Harvard University published a series of summaries on Child development. One of these articles mentions that “The basic architecture of the brain is constructed through an ongoing process that begins before birth and continues into adulthood.” ("InBrief: The Science of Early Childhood Development," n.d.).
The human brain is utterly baffling. A small organ weighing merely three pounds as an adult has the ability to control and shape a human’s life. Without it there would be nothing. There are so many different functions… and with that there are so many things that can go horribly wrong. It is amazing the capacities and that it possesses and we do not even realize it. That is why studying neurology and working on the treatment of neurological disorders is so critically important. Through the examination of Huntington’s disease, Bell’s Palsy, and Aphasia, neurologists can work to better the human mind and cure the diseases that attack it, which will infinitely enhance the lives of humans and create a brighter future for us all.