...Maddie Augustine 3-22-2015 Rules on how the Brain Develops -Chapter 1: John Medina’s begins “Brain Rules” by introducing the relationship between exercise and cognitive function. Throughout history, our ancestors were forced to adapt to a lifestyle of exercise that improved their cognitive function. Scientists have found evidence to support the correlation between mental alertness and physical activity because exercise created blood flow in the brain. An active lifestyle can aid in the aging process of older adults. Even if someone has lived a sluggish lifestyle, they can improve their cognitive function by becoming active because it is never too late. Many health risks are diminished in adults who have lived an active lifestyle. Not only adults, but children also benefit academically from physical activity throughout the school day. Once in high school, I realized the difference between physical education classes in previous years. During elementary and middle school, my teachers would demand a large amount of rigorous exercise. We would frequently run laps around the track and baseball field, or we would be tested on how many pull-ups we could do individually. It was not until I spoke with one of my previous physical education teachers that I understood why it was the level of exercise was so different in my earlier years. She explained to me that at a young age, she attempted to instill habits of rigorous exercise and encourage sports with a large amount of physical...
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...the idea of the self, discuss the function of memory in “Dave’s Neckliss.” In Dave’s Neckliss, the function of memory in relation to William James’ self is quite self-evident. William James says that to remember something from our past, our memories must be triggered by a “cue”, which functions as a reminder in order to start the recollection process. Therefore, the 'cue' decides how many potential memories could be associated with a specific point. In Chestnut’s “Dave’s Neckliss” Uncle Julius’ frail memory was activated by Annie’s “…. large, sugar-cured ham” pg. 89. Uncle Julius was reminded of a memory, which came to him as a brief passing moment while eating the ham and caused a tear to roll down his cheek. The linking of cue to memory is the thinking aspect. Therefore, if we focus clearly on the correlation, the connected entity will surely be likely to stay within our memory as it did with Uncle Julius. A few things trigger the function of memory in Dave’s Neckliss. First, we see “…. The conditions were all favorable to storytelling. There was an autumnal languor in the air, and a dreamy haze softened the dark green…. pg.90. In my opinion, these current weather conditions that Uncle Julius was speaking about also reminded him of the story he was about to tell. According to James’ writings, the connection between the climate and the ham in this case explains both the general preservation and the special recollection of the memory. Later on, we witness the differences...
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...excessive use of such, devices be inhibiting our brain’s natural navigation system? In this paper I will address, this question by examining, certain brain studies. Through such analysis I will conclude whether the frequent use of a GPS adversely affects memory and the spatial orientation functions of our brains. I have a tawdry tale to tell, Of effects unforeseen, I didn’t treat my old brain well, Result? A sordid scene! I had a hippocampus once, But now it’s atrophied, In navigation I’m a dunce, Warnings I did not heed. A GPS device I used, To go from here to there, My cognition I have abused, Now, I have none to spare. Is there a moral somewhere, For elders tempest toss’d? These new advances bring despair, They’re great, but at what cost? (Eisenburg, 2009) Modern society allows us an array of devices to track, monitor and make tasks easier to perform in almost every aspect of our lives. Such devices range from smart phones and their related apps, which function as pedometers, ovulation, heart rate or even sleep-cycle monitors, to Global Positioning Systems (“GPS”) that have morphed into talking digital compasses. Some of the newer devices thrill novices and techs alike while others are so widely adopted that it is hard to remember life without them. Although invented with the intent to help us navigate our pursuit of a happier, healthier and more convenient lifestyle, could some of these devices be adversely affecting our efforts to improve human development? My purpose...
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...cerebrum, and cerebellum. I would like to take you on a tour of the brain to discuss these parts. We will go over their functions, and the things that contribute to each major part. We will also look at how important the brain is to the central nervous system, and what might happen if you incur damage to a part of your brain. Let us start by looking at the cerebrum, which makes up about 80% of the brain by weight. The cerebrum is the covered by a sheet of neural tissue known as the cerebral cortex. The cerebral cortex houses the thalamus, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland. The thalamus is responsible for relaying information from the brain stem and spinal cord to the cerebral cortex. The hypothalamus and pituitary gland control functions like body temperature, sexual response, aggression, and pleasure. The cerebral cortex also holds about 90% of the of the brain’s neurons. The cerebral cortex is made up of four lobes. The frontal lobe is responsible for conscious thought and higher mental functions like, decision making. It also plays an important part in processing short-term memories, and retaining long-term memories. The parietal lobe integrates sensory information from the various senses and is also used for calculation, and certain types of recognition. The temporal lobe is responsible for the senses of smell and sound and is a key factor in long-term memory. It also processes the semantics of speech and vision. The occipital lobe is mainly responsible for the sense of sight...
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...Neuropsychology is the branch of psychology which investigates the function and structure of the brain as it relates to processes of cognition such as; memory, perception, thinking, recognition and the human ability to solve problems, ( Jansari, 2010 p.60). Since the second half of the nineteenth century neurologist began studying brain damage in patients, more specifically their research has examined the effect of brain damage and its implication for normal cognitive functions. It has therefore being argued that in order to understand a working system, one must understand how it can fail, (Jansari, 2010 p. 59). This can refine and possibly constrain existing theories, as well as inspire the formulation of future concepts with regards to the structure of normal cognition. Evidence is based on case studies of individual brain damaged patients who show deficits in particular areas of the brain, from such studies researchers infer that different areas of the brain are highly specialized. Furthermore the development of more accurate techniques, aided by more effective research paradigms has increased our understanding of cognitive functions, in areas such as disassociation, plasticity, memory, localization and face processing, which would be explored later in the essay. Cognitive neuropsychology has however shown that there are limitations in understanding cognition where questions regarding methodology may arise, for instance studying single patient symptoms may pose problem for...
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...exercise to bulk up their bodies, but the phrase “use it or lose it” applies to more than just the muscles in our bodies -- it also applies to the neural pathways and connections in our brains. There are a variety of exercises and activities that can successfully work each of the brain’s five major cognitive functions on a daily basis. In addition to the tasks you can perform daily, you can also train your brain with HAPPYneuron online brain games and a personalized brain fitness program. Our minds consist of five main cognitive functions: • memory, • attention, • language, • visual-spatial skills, • and executive function. It’s important to challenge, stimulate and effectively exercise all five areas to stay mentally sharp as our brains age. Here are 5 daily brain exercises that can help you do this. 1- Memory Memory plays a crucial role in all cognitive activities, including reading, reasoning and mental calculation. There are several types of memory at work in the brain. Taken together, these are the cognitive skills we may notice most when they begin to fail. To maintain a good memory, you need to train for it, which can be easier than you think. Listening to music is not only enjoyable, but by choosing a song you don’t know and memorizing the lyrics, you boost the level of acetylcholine, the chemical that helps build your brain, and improve your memory skills. Challenge yourself even more by showering or getting dressed in the dark or using your opposite hand to...
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...Our brains are arguably the most important parts of our bodies. At the very least, they’re certainly the most complex. Out of all our organs, the brain is the one we still have the most to learn about. That isn’t to say that scientists haven’t made an incredible amount of progress in figuring out just what makes our grey matter function the way it does. Most people are taught early in life that our brains are divided into two hemispheres. The right hemisphere is what helps us think in creative ways while our left hemisphere allows us to make logical conclusions. However, the human brain can be divided significantly further than that. Currently we have separated the brain into four major lobes. These lobes are known as the frontal lobe, parietal...
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...evolved over the years. Researchers are constantly trying to find new ways to understand and define the human brain. Our memory is quite important in how we function on a day-to-day basis. Our memories help us to remember important functions such as combing our hair, brushing our teeth or getting dressed in the morning. Memories also help us to learn more information. Cognitive psychology refers to the study of human mental processes and their role of thinking, feeling, and behaving. Cognitive psychology studies how people perceive, learn, remember, and think. Cognition is the area within psychology that examines how we acquire, store, transform, and use knowledge to help further our knowledge (Matlin, 2013). If cognition functions every time a person gains, stores, transforms, and uses information then, cognition requires mental processes. Cognitive processes are vital to human behavior. There are three cognitive processes, perception, attention, and memory. The first cognitive process is perception. Perception uses previous knowledge to gather and interpret stimuli registered by the senses (Matlin, 2013). Perception is our experience of the world and the environment around us. It’s the set of front-end processing that allows an individual to organize and interpret incoming information. We gain information about properties of our environment and use it in our everyday lives. Perception involves bottom-up processing as well as top-down processing. Bottom-up processing is when...
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...definitions, heritability is not necessary condition, for example, in the overview of the Roadmap Epigenomics Project, epigenetics is regarded as ‘also stable, long-term, alterations in the transcriptional potential of a cell that are not necessarily heritable’. Patterns of epigenetic modifications are thought to include: (1) methylation on cytosine (DNA methylation); (2) modification of histone proteins and chromatin architecture; (3) small and non-coding RNA-based mechanisms. Two major epigenetic modifications: DNA methylation and histone modifications have been focused in studies of development and cell proliferation over the past few years [1,2]. Recently, the epigenetic modifications are found associating with memory, behaviour and environment. For instance, memories formation, dynamic regulation in behaviour changes...
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...become depressed. In other words, it is really useful for determining the level of depression before, during, and after a treatment. This will permit knowing not only their current mood but also their risk of falling into depression in the near future. Discussion The present experimental design sought to study and demonstrate whether aerobic exercise training enhances certain cognitive functions vital for the realization of quotidian tasks and also for our well...
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...Learning and Memory Humans are continually learning, storing and coding raw information that is sent to us from our sensory registers from the outside world. Because of such an overload of stimuli thrown at us, it is vital and necessary to learn as infants and throughout our lives how to store and process this information. We learn to pay attention to some material, while other data is filtered out immediately. Researchers have spent enormous amounts of time studying the different types of memory: short-term memory, long-term memory, procedural memory and declarative memory. Because the only way we survive, evolve and learn new skills and talents is by developing our minds and adapting to the ever changing demands of life. What scientists have discovered is that learning requires attention, coding and storing of past memories and experiences. In order to live healthy and happy lives, we can stimulate and encourage learning throughout our entire lifetime from infancy to late adulthood providing that our brain is biologically healthy and intact. Most important, scientists are now studying what simple changes can be made to stave off such diseases such as Dementia and Alzheimer’s. The only kind of memory that the world has ever been able to agree on is that one which saves occurrences from the past. Even more limiting is a methodical notion in which the procedure that creates memory (learning) is identified by the modification of the actions of an individual who...
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...conference in Tubingen, which is a traditional university town in central Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He was describing one of his patients, whose symptoms were memory loss, language problems and unpredictable behavior. After her death, Dr. Alzheimer noticed changes in her brain tissue, abnormal clumps and tangled bundles of fibers. Since then, this disease is one of the most common dementia in the aging population, bearing Alzheimer's name. Alzheimer disease is a neurodegenerative disorder which shows progressive dementia and it is the fourth most common cause of death. There are clear pathological hallmarks of the disease, mainly in the form of plaques and tangles. Plaques are abnormal clusters and fragments of protein, which build up between nerve cells. Dying nerve cells contain tangles, which are made up of another protein. These plaques and tangles might be the reason for cell death and tissue loss in the Alzheimer's brain....
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...the most complex and magnificent organs in the human body. Our brain gives us awareness of ourselves and of our environment, processing a constant stream of sensory data. It controls our muscle movements, the secretions of our glands, and even our breathing and internal temperature. Every creative thought, feeling, and plan is developed by our brain. The brain’s neurons record the memory of every event in our lives. Anatomy of the brain There are different ways of dividing the brain anatomically into regions. Let’s use a common method and divide the brain into three main regions based on embryonic development: the forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain. Under these divisions: The forebrain (or prosencephalon) is made up of our incredible cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus and pineal gland among other features. Neuroanatomists call the cerebral area the telencephalon and use the term diencephalon (or interbrain) to refer to the area where our thalamus, hypothalamus and pineal gland reside. The midbrain (or mesencephalon), located near the very center of the brain between the interbrain and the hindbrain, is composed of a portion of the brainstem. The hindbrain (or rhombencephalon) consists of the remaining brainstem as well as our cerebellum and pons. Neuroanatomists have a word to describe the brainstem sub-region of our hindbrain, calling it the myelencephalon, while they use the word metencephalon in reference to our cerebellum and pons collectively. Before exploring these different...
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...Brain Structures and Functions Worksheet PSY/340 Version 3 1 University of Phoenix Material Brain Structures and Functions Worksheet Provide a brief description for each of the following functions: 1. Basal ganglia The basal ganglia (or basal nuclei) are a group of nuclei of varied origin in the brains of vertebrates that act as a cohesive functional unit. They are situated at the base of the forebrain and strongly connected 2. with the cerebral cortex, thalamus and other brain areas. The basal ganglia are associated with a variety of Corpus collosum functions, including voluntary motorof nerve fibers that divides the cerebrumroutine behaviors or "habits" The corpus callosum is a thick band control, procedural learning relating to into left and right such as bruxism, eye movements, and cognitive,of the brainfunctions. for communication between both hemispheres. It connects the left and right sides emotional allowing 3. hemispheres. The corpus callosum transfers motor, sensory, and cognitive information between the brain Temporal lobe hemispheres. lobes are one of the four main lobes or regions of the cerebral cortex. Structures of the The temporal limbic system, including the olfactory cortex, amygdala, and the hippocampus are located within the 4. temporal lobes. The temporal lobes play an important role in organizing sensory input, auditory Occipital lobe perception, language and speech production, asperception system. They are not particularly...
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...what they do. The function and behaviors to the frontal and temporal lobes are what contribute to what we do every day in our lives. First we will look into the temporal lobe and how it works. It is one of four lobes that make up our brain. The location of the temporal lobe is on the bottom front side of our brain and holds critical function. A few of those functions are auditory perception, emotional response, and long term memory function. Our hippocampus is located within our temporal lobe and consolidates our information from short term and long term memory. If we are to damage the temporal lobe it can be detrimental to us. Our left temporal lobe if damaged can cause us to not recognize words that we are so common at using. The right side if it becomes damaged can cause us not to be able to speak as we normally would. If we damage our temporal lobe changes such has behavior can be affected, along with changes in sexual and personality can Page 3 change. We learned in class that the function of the temporal lobe influences our frontal lobe also. Our frontal lobe is located at the front of the brain and is responsible for our movement, choices we make, and solving problems. Our frontal lobe is divided into three different areas. These areas are called the prefrontal, the premotor, and the motor. The frontal lobe is in charge of many of our core functions, and the three areas...
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