The Use of Technology in Brain Research

GROUP 1M’KYLA WALKER

IMANI ROSSTONY HO

JOHNIA MURRAYJANTAVIA WERTS

Research

Researchers use a lot of technology to study the localization functions of the brain.

Option to study active brainSee where specific brain

processes take place

Invasive Techniques

The more invasive techniques that scientist use to study the brain are reserved for animals such as rats

They benefit us because we are to complete ablations which is where a piece of the brain is removed in order to examine the differences in behavior.

Invasive Technique

Hetherington and Ranson

- Lesion part of the brain called ventromedial hypothalamus in rats

~ Increased food intake dramatically & doubled weight

~ Hypothalamus acts as a brake on food intake

Ethics

Raise serious ethical concerns

Modern Researchers use EEG (electroencephalogram)

Thought of as Brain Waves

Transports information through ethical change

EFG registers patterns of voltage change in the brain

Position Emissions Topography (PET) Scan

Monitors glucose metabolism in the brain

Patient is injected with a harmless dose of radioactive glucose and the radioactive particles emitted by the glucose are detected by the PET scanner

Produces color maps of brain activity

Diagnoses abnormalities

Functional magnetic Resonance imaging (fMRI)

Provides 3D pictures of brain structures using magnetic fields and radio waves.

Shows actual brain activity and indicated which areas of the brain are active.

~Have higher resolution than PET scans

~ Most frequently used technologies in biopsychological research today.

Brain Plasticity AMANDA CAULFIELD

SHELBY SMITHJEFFREY TABOADA

Then and Now

Then (1960’s)-Thought that brain was influenced only by genetics Thought to be

unchangeable

Hubel & Weisel (1965) Showed that brain

changes as response to environmental input Were based on rats

Now Generally accepted

that environment enrichment can modify brain, especially in cerebral cortex (area of higher cognitive function)

Brain is constantly changing as result of experience throughout lifespan

Brain Plasticity

Refers to brain’s ability to rearrange the connections between its neurons Changes that occur in the structure of brain as result

of learning/experience Adapts to challenges of the environment Can change functional qualities of various brain

structures depending on regularity and type of new tasks that neurons are asked to perform

Neural connection density affected by high level stimulation and learning opportunity at appropriate times

Brain Plasticity (cont.)

Dendritic Branching The dendrites of the neurons grow in numbers and

connect with other neurons

Rosenzweig and Bonnett (1972)

Studied brain plasticity with rats To measure the effect of either enrichment or

deprivation on the development of neurons in the cerebral cortex

Used interesting tags to play with (stimulating) and no tags (deprived environment)

Last 30-60 days then were sacrificed Stimulated environment rats had increased thickness

in the cortex Frontal lobe, associated with thinking, planning, and

decision making, was heavier in rats that were in stimulated environment

Rosenzweig and Bonnet (1975) (cont.)

Similar studies show if the rats had more rats with them, the cortex would he was thicker Company + toys=best conditions for cerebral thickness

These findings can be generalized to humans to some extent Humans brains differ in genetic make-up and environment

inputs Makes it difficult to decide what is considered to be an

enriched environment Raises questions of the importance of education in growth

of new synapses If it works as though, environmental stimulation is

important for human cortex

Mozart Effect (Rauscher et al. 1993)

One of the most well-known claims of brain plasticity Listening to Mozart temporarily increases spatial

reasoning ability Structurally complex musical compositions excites brain

firing pattern as when physically completing spatial tasks

Mozart Effect (Rauscher et al. 1993)

Research shows that it has nothing to do with Mozart but with arousal

May just be increase in sense of attention Thompson et al. (2001) if mood elevates -> improved

spatial skills but if mood doesn’t elevate -> no improvement (all in result of music)

This idea suffers from problems with ecological validity Doesn’t show behavior in a real-life situation

Videos about Brain Plasticity

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaDlLD97CLM

(Ben Carson)http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2MKNsI5CWoU(Cameron: Today Show)

SCOTTIE AND SAM

The Effect of Cognition on Physiology

Richard Davidson

In 2004 he held an experiment with eight Buddhist monks.

They were highly experienced with meditation, and the ten volunteers that were there were trained in meditation for one week.

The participants were told to meditate on love and compassion.

The experiment

He used a PET scan to observe that two of the controls and all of the monks experienced an increase in brain waves during meditation.

As soon as they were done meditating, the gamma waves returned to normal.

The monks were more experienced so their gamma waves had no difference.

The spot where the gamma waves were found in the monks brains during meditation on love and compassion was found to be larger than the other volunteers brains.

Conclusion

Davidson argued that meditation could have long term effect on the brain and the way it processes emotions.

The brain adapts to stimulation (either from environment or our own thinking)

Mirror Neurons

JayBrad ;)EliBianca

Mirror Neurons

One of the ways that people learn is by observing others and then imitating their behavior.

Mirror Neurons – Neurons that fire when an animal (or person) performs an action or the animal/human is observing an action being performed

Mirror Neurons (CONT.)

Mirror Neurons play a vital role in the ability to learn from – as well as empathize with – another person.

Gallese et. al. (1996)

Researchers at the University of Parma in Italy, accidentally discovered mirror neurons.

Because neural messages are electrical in nature, the researchers would hear a telltale crackling sound whenever the neurons were activated in the monkeys.

Every time a monkey would reach for a peanut, the crackling sound was heard, not from just the monkey performing the action, but from the other monkeys as well.

Real Life Examples

At a football game or sporting event, when a player gets hit hard, the crowd cringes and reacts as if they were the one who had been hit.

When you are really hungry and you see someone taking a bite out of a burger you are like

Functions of Hormones in the Human Body

(Biological)

ELTON LOO -ONG, WIZARD PIRRUNG, ALEXAEUS POPE,

AMANANANANANABANANANADA PINTO

The Endocrine System

Glands that produce hormones in the body

Enter from glands to bloodstream (longer)

i.e. pituitary, adrenal, testes, ovaries, etc.

Various Horomones

Hormone Glands Function

Adrenaline Adrenals Fight/flight responseArousal

Cortisol Adrenals ArousalStressMemory

Melatonin Pineal Regulation of sleep

Oxytocin Pituitary & Hypothalamus

Mother-child attachment

Testosterone & Oestrogen

Gonads DevelopmentEmotion

Oxytocin, the “Love Hormone”

Produced by hypothalamusFiring of neurons by amygdala From stimulation by pituitary gland, hugs, and touches

Plays role in inducing labor, trust, generosity, and attachment to others

Melatonin, the “Sleep Hormone”

• Made by pineal gland• An unbalance of melatonin gives

symptoms of insomnia and/or jet lag• Increase during night/darkness, vice-

versa• Release correlates with circadian rhythm

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

• Side effect of excess melatonin• Found by Rosenthal in 1987• Subcategory of depression• Sleepiness, lethargy, carbohydrates

craving and apathy• Cure is sunlight AKA go outside more