Psychology-II

Psychology Lesson II #

Insights #

“The mind is what the brain does.”

“No offense for fish, but fish don’t have any of cortex. They don’t have much of a mental life.”

“You could do brain surgery while fully conscious because the brain don’t have any sensory receptors.”

“It might be hard to mesh the mechanistic notion of the mind with the idea that people have spiritual value.”

“80% of the brain is cortex.”

“There are parts of the brain where neurons can re-grow”

“Brain is highly resistent to damage. it can take many damage and still preserve some functionalities.”

“There are something we can do without brain like limb flexion, newborn sucking, erection of penis and vomiting.”

“Nearly 90% of the right handed people have their language in left hemisphere and have math and music on the right. Left-handed people are more complicated. Only God knows what’s going on there.”

word list #

• Astonishing: Extremely surprising or impressive; amazing.

  • Example: The astonishing complexity of the human brain has captivated scientists for centuries.

• Dualist: A person who believes that the mind and body are two distinct entities.

  • Example: Dualists often struggle with the scientific consensus that mental events can be traced back to neural activity.

• Immaterial: Unimportant under the circumstances; irrelevant.

  • Example: To a dualist, whether the brain is a mere physical organ might be considered immaterial to the existence of the mind.

• Argument: A reason or set of reasons given in support of an idea, action or theory.

  • Example: Philosophers often debate the validity of arguments for and against dualism.

• Sophisticated: Developed to a high degree of complexity.

  • Example: The sophisticated networks of dendrites, axons, and synapses within the brain challenge simple dualist notions.

• Hydraulic: Operated by the pressure of a fluid.

  • Example: Hydraulic principles seem primitive compared to the intricate processes inside neurons.

• Corporate: Work jointly towards the same end.

  • Example: The various lobes of the brain need to function in a corporate manner to produce consciousness.

• Mere: Just; only.

  • Example: The retina is not a mere light sensor; it’s the starting point for complex visual processing.

• Demon: An evil spirit or devil.

  • Example: In some belief systems, mental illnesses were once attributed to demons.

• Malevolent: Having or showing a wish to do evil to others.

  • Example: In folklore, malevolent entities are often blamed for hallucinations or mental disturbances.

• Hallucinated: Experience a seemingly real perception of something not actually present.

  • Example: Certain imbalances in neurotransmitters can make a person hallucinate.

• Reincarnation: The rebirth of a soul in a new body.

  • Example: The concept of reincarnation poses interesting questions for dualists about the relationship between mind and body.

• Ether: A pleasant-smelling colorless volatile liquid that is highly flammable.

  • Example: Ether was historically used to inhibit sensory faculties during surgical procedures.

• Conduit: A channel for conveying water or other fluid.

  • Example: Axons serve as conduits for electrical impulses between neurons.

• Intricate: Very complicated or detailed.

  • Example: The intricate connections within the brain are yet to be fully mapped and understood.

• Elaborate: Involving many carefully arranged parts or details; detailed and complicated in design and planning.

  • Example: The elaborate networks of neurons are what make advanced faculties like reasoning and memory possible.

• Faculty: An inherent mental or physical power.

  • Example: The faculty for language is often considered to be a uniquely human characteristic.

• Consensus: A general agreement.

  • Example: There is a growing consensus in neuroscience that experiences like angst can be explained by brain chemistry.

• Dendrite: A short branched extension of a nerve cell.

  • Example: Dendrites receive signals, serving as the input regions of the neuron.

• Axon: The long threadlike part of a nerve cell along which impulses are conducted from the cell body to other cells.

  • Example: Axons carry signals away from the neuron, making them the output channels.

• Synapse: A junction between two nerve cells.

  • Example: Neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine are released into the synapse to continue the signal chain between neurons.

• Sensory: Relating to sensation or the physical senses.

  • Example: Sensory neurons are essential for our interaction with the environment, sending information from the eyes, ears, skin, and other organs to the brain.

• Retina: The light-sensitive inner surface of the eye.

  • Example: The retina converts light into neural signals that are processed by the brain.

• Infinitesimal: Extremely small.

  • Example: The infinitesimal gap of the synapse is where neurotransmitters are released.

• Antagonist: A person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something.

  • Example: In the realm of neurotransmitters, an antagonist blocks or dampens a biological response.

• Inhibitory: Tending to inhibit or restrain a process.

  • Example: Inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA help control neuronal excitability.

• Vibrant: Full of energy and enthusiasm.

  • Example: Despite its complexity, the brain is a vibrant organ, constantly changing and adapting.

• Serotonin: A neurotransmitter that affects mood, emotion, sleep, and appetite.

  • Example: The research study aimed to understand how serotonin and dopamine interact in mood disorders.

• Prozac: An antidepressant drug.

  • Example: Prozac, which increases serotonin levels, is often used alongside therapy for treating depression.

• Prevalent: Widespread in a particular area or at a particular time.

  • Example: Depression has become increasingly prevalent, making drugs like Prozac more common in treatments.

• Dopamine: A neurotransmitter associated with movement, pleasure, and reward.

  • Example: In contrast to serotonin, dopamine is often linked to sensations of pleasure and reward in the brain’s intricate network.

• Cortex: The outer layer of the cerebrum, composed of folded gray matter.

  • Example: The cortex is central to processing the complex effects of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine.

• Flexion: The action of bending or the condition of being bent.

  • Example: Flexion in the arm was studied in relation to how signals are sent through the cortex to the muscles.

• Erection: The action of erecting a structure or object.

  • Example: The erection of a new neuroscience research facility is set to advance our understanding of the cortex.

• Cerebellum: The part of the brain at the back of the skull, involved in coordination and balance.

  • Example: While not as complex as the cortex, the cerebellum plays a crucial role in motor control, including tasks like flexion.

• In Close Up: A tight shot in photography or film that captures a subject in great detail.

  • Example: The documentary about brain chemistry used in-close-up shots to show neurons and synapses firing.

• Crumple: To crush something so that it becomes creased and wrinkled.

  • Example: In a tragic incident, the newly erected research facility crumpled during the earthquake.

• Wrinkled: Having small lines or folds in it, typically as a result of aging or the skin contracting.

  • Example: Studying the wrinkled brain tissue, researchers found new connections between the cortex and cerebellum.

• Primate: A mammal of an order that includes monkeys, apes, and humans.

  • Example: The research also included studies on other primates to see how their cortex and cerebellum compare to humans.

• Frontal Lobe: The part of each hemisphere of the brain located at the front of the skull.

  • Example: The frontal lobe is crucial for executive functions and works in tandem with neurotransmitters like serotonin.

• Parietal Lobe: The part of the brain positioned above the occipital lobe and behind the frontal lobe.

  • Example: The parietal lobe processes sensory inputs, often acting on cues from the retina.

• Occipital Lobe: The rearmost lobe in each cerebral hemisphere of the brain.

  • Example: The occipital lobe, closely connected to the retina, is responsible for visual processing.

• Temporal Lobe: The lobe of the cerebral hemisphere located beneath the lateral fissure.

  • Example: The temporal lobe is involved in processing auditory information and is influenced by neurotransmitters like dopamine.

• Topological: Related to the properties of space that are preserved under continuous transformations.

  • Example: The topological mapping of the cortex has provided new insights into how it connects with other brain areas.

• Zap: To destroy or obliterate.

  • Example: Researchers used targeted electrical impulses to zap specific neurons and study their functions.

• Linguistic: Relating to language.

  • Example: The temporal and frontal lobes interact in complex ways to process linguistic information.

• Apraxia: A neurological condition characterized by loss of the ability to execute learned purposeful movements.

  • Example: Apraxia often involves damage to the frontal lobe or cortex, affecting motor skills.

• Agnosia: The inability to process sensory information.

  • Example: Agnosia is often caused by lesions in the parietal lobe or occipital lobe.

• Hemisphere: Half of a spherical or roughly spherical structure or organ.

  • Example: The left and right hemispheres of the cortex have specialized functions.

• Bisected: Divided into two equal or nearly equal parts.

  • Example: The brain is bisected into two hemispheres, each responsible for different functions.

• Angst: A feeling of deep anxiety or dread.

  • Example: Angst can be a psychological symptom related to imbalances in serotonin and dopamine.

• Repellent: Able to repel a particular thing; impervious to a particular substance.

  • Example: The researchers developed a repellent coating for the new brain implants to prevent tissue rejection.

sensory body