Neuropsychology
CH 1: The development of neuropsychology
TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury): wound to the brain resulting from head injury
Neuropsychology: scientific study of relationship between brain function and behaviour
- Brain theory: brain is the source of behaviour
- Neuron theory: the unit of brain structure and function is the neuron
The brain is divided into two hemispheres separated by corpus callosum
the left hemisphere mainly controls actions of right part of the body and vice versa
Neural tube: basic plan of the brain filled with CSF
CSF: cerebrospinal fluid, functions as a cushion for the brain + removing metabolic waste
neocortex: outer layer of the brain
gyri: folds/bumps in the cortex
sulci: grooves/creases in the cortex
- gyri and sulci increase the surface area of the cortex
- long sulci are called fissures
- longitudinal fissure: divides the two hemispheres
- lateral fissure: divides the hemispheres in two parts
corpus callosum: connects the two hemispheres, a commisure
the cerebral cortex contains most of the forebrain (front part of neural tube, embryo)
the brain stem is connected to the spinal cord
the forebrain mediates higher functions like executive and cognitive functions
the brainstem mediates regulatory functions like eating, drinking and moving
the spinal cord conveys sensory information to brain and from brain to muscle
, Central nervous system (CNS): brain and spinal cord
→ connected to body through nerve fibers with information
Peripheral nervous system (PNS) neurons and nerve processes
→ peripheral nervous system tissue regrows after damage
● Somatic nervous system: senses + responds to external information
○ sensory connections to receptors in the skin
○ motor connections to body muscles
● Autonomic nervous system: senses + responds to internal information
○ sensory and motor connections to internal body organs
Sensory pathways: fibers carrying info from senses (crossed brain) to CNS
Motor pathways: fibers carrying info from brain to muscles (from CNS)
mentalism (Aristotle): behavior product of intangible entity, the mind
dualism (Descartes) mind acts through the brain to produce higher brain functions (language
& rationalism), brain alone is for lower animal functions
materialism (Darwin) all behavior produced by the brain
- epigenetics influence gene activity and thus influence one's behavior
- neuroplasticity: the brain can physically and chemically change
GALL & SPURZHEIM
→localization of function: a different, specific brain area controls each kind of behaviour
→ phrenology: assignments of traits to a particular part of the skull
→lateralization: located on one side of the brain. one hemisphere can, other can't
Broca's area: left hemisphere : broca's aphasia & inability to speak
Wernicke's area: behind Broca's : wernicke's aphasia (fluent) → inability to make sense
Broca's aphasia: movement problem
Wernicke's aphasia: understanding problem
alexia: inability to read
apraxia inability to make sequences of moves
HUGHUNGS- JACKSON: hierarchical organization i spinal cord- brainstem-forebrain
amnesia: partial or total loss of memory
visual form agnosia: not able to see shopes of objects vs ataxia: not reaching
dorsal stream: from visual cortex to parietal lobe: mediates vision for action
ventral stream: from visual cortex to temporal lobe: conscious visual representations
examination of the behaviour of individuals who have suffered brain damage due to brain
injury or illness gives insights into brain functions.
Functional hierarchy: functions aren’t represented in one location in the brain but are
re-represented in the neocortex, brainstem and spinal cord.
● localization: different brain regions have different functions
● lateralization: left and right hemispheres have different functions
● multiple memory systems: different brain regions produce variety of types of memory
● two-brain finding: each hemisphere plays different role in behaviour
CH 1: The development of neuropsychology
TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury): wound to the brain resulting from head injury
Neuropsychology: scientific study of relationship between brain function and behaviour
- Brain theory: brain is the source of behaviour
- Neuron theory: the unit of brain structure and function is the neuron
The brain is divided into two hemispheres separated by corpus callosum
the left hemisphere mainly controls actions of right part of the body and vice versa
Neural tube: basic plan of the brain filled with CSF
CSF: cerebrospinal fluid, functions as a cushion for the brain + removing metabolic waste
neocortex: outer layer of the brain
gyri: folds/bumps in the cortex
sulci: grooves/creases in the cortex
- gyri and sulci increase the surface area of the cortex
- long sulci are called fissures
- longitudinal fissure: divides the two hemispheres
- lateral fissure: divides the hemispheres in two parts
corpus callosum: connects the two hemispheres, a commisure
the cerebral cortex contains most of the forebrain (front part of neural tube, embryo)
the brain stem is connected to the spinal cord
the forebrain mediates higher functions like executive and cognitive functions
the brainstem mediates regulatory functions like eating, drinking and moving
the spinal cord conveys sensory information to brain and from brain to muscle
, Central nervous system (CNS): brain and spinal cord
→ connected to body through nerve fibers with information
Peripheral nervous system (PNS) neurons and nerve processes
→ peripheral nervous system tissue regrows after damage
● Somatic nervous system: senses + responds to external information
○ sensory connections to receptors in the skin
○ motor connections to body muscles
● Autonomic nervous system: senses + responds to internal information
○ sensory and motor connections to internal body organs
Sensory pathways: fibers carrying info from senses (crossed brain) to CNS
Motor pathways: fibers carrying info from brain to muscles (from CNS)
mentalism (Aristotle): behavior product of intangible entity, the mind
dualism (Descartes) mind acts through the brain to produce higher brain functions (language
& rationalism), brain alone is for lower animal functions
materialism (Darwin) all behavior produced by the brain
- epigenetics influence gene activity and thus influence one's behavior
- neuroplasticity: the brain can physically and chemically change
GALL & SPURZHEIM
→localization of function: a different, specific brain area controls each kind of behaviour
→ phrenology: assignments of traits to a particular part of the skull
→lateralization: located on one side of the brain. one hemisphere can, other can't
Broca's area: left hemisphere : broca's aphasia & inability to speak
Wernicke's area: behind Broca's : wernicke's aphasia (fluent) → inability to make sense
Broca's aphasia: movement problem
Wernicke's aphasia: understanding problem
alexia: inability to read
apraxia inability to make sequences of moves
HUGHUNGS- JACKSON: hierarchical organization i spinal cord- brainstem-forebrain
amnesia: partial or total loss of memory
visual form agnosia: not able to see shopes of objects vs ataxia: not reaching
dorsal stream: from visual cortex to parietal lobe: mediates vision for action
ventral stream: from visual cortex to temporal lobe: conscious visual representations
examination of the behaviour of individuals who have suffered brain damage due to brain
injury or illness gives insights into brain functions.
Functional hierarchy: functions aren’t represented in one location in the brain but are
re-represented in the neocortex, brainstem and spinal cord.
● localization: different brain regions have different functions
● lateralization: left and right hemispheres have different functions
● multiple memory systems: different brain regions produce variety of types of memory
● two-brain finding: each hemisphere plays different role in behaviour
