Neuroscience
Introduction and history of Neuroscience - Ch. 1 & 2
Cerebrum = forebrain, biggest part
Cerebellum = hindbrain, smaller
Trepenation: Damaging the prefrontal cortex to let out bad spirits, kill/cure and treat
schizophrenia.
Smell = memory and emotion. These two are strongly connected.
There are species with two brains. This is called lateralization. For instance this is in
dolphins. This way they can sleep and function at the same time.
History
7000 BC → first case of skulls with holes. This was either a way to kill people or to treat
them for evil spirits. Later there were skulls with holes in the forehead to be enlightened.
Middle ages → trepanation. Skulls with holes for schizophrenia treatment.
Hippocrates (430-379 BC): Hippocrates suggested a brain should have something to do
with monitoring senses & thinking.
- correlation between structure and function
- eyes, ears, nose, tongue with connecting nerves: the brain is the organ of sensation,
because it is right back of the eyes/ears etc.
- site of intelligence
1
,Aristoteles (384- 322 BC): But Aristotles thought the heart had this function. The fluids were
important. He thought the brain was a fluid storage. Your brain was a cooling center for the
heart. A big head gave more support to the heart, so this would make your smarter.
- the heart is the intellectual center!
- the brain serves to cool the passions of the heart ratio is dependent on the maximal
cooling capacity
-
Mentalism: - the philosophical position that an immaterial mind is responsible for behavior
- mind / body problem (Dualism) → what is passion, what is love? Is the mind a
chemical pathway or does it also have these aspects?
130-200 AD → Galenus was working for the gladiators as a physician. He treated injuries
after they went into the arena. After seeing these patients he drew conclusions about the
function of the parts, based on their injuries.
Also, he did animal dissections, which was special. People thought humans and animals
were not comparable.
He said the big part of your brain is cognition and the small part was for muscle control. He
said this because the cerebellum is solid (so this hasn’t changed, was already there when
your born) and the cerebrum is soft (it changes, it is not filled up yet. So here the decisions
and memories are made). Observations were incorrect but outcome was correct.
Big holes in the brain (ventricles) functioned as a storage for spiritus animalis.
Because there was a taboo on dissection there was a period of 1500 years were there
barely were any developments in brain research.
2
,René Descartes (1649): Tried to solve the mind body problem by finding a place for your
soul. Pineal gland / pijnappelklier → Descartes said that was your soul. However, it has to
do with hormones.
1751 → Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity. After this nerves/neurons were also
discovered, because the brain generates electricity and people reacted to electrical
impulses.
So the tubes (nerves) werent transporting fluid, but electrical signals!
Johannes Muller found the function of the different nerves. For instance, he noticed the
optic nerves.
18th century: there are parts of the body represented on the brain → homunculus
Franz Joseph Gall: 1758-1828 → skull shape and size says something about your
functions/skills/problems. This guy from Austria got really famous for this. He made
atlasses on what part of your skull said what. Area 17 for instance stands for heimatliebe in
Austria/Germany. In America area 17 stands for patriotism. In France area 17 stands for
love for the wine.
19th century: phrenology continued. Cesara Lombrose defined the homo delinquens. If you
have a low forehead and an extended jaw, you have a criminal mind.
Now: still forms of phrenology, less often used.
Lobotomy = disconnecting the prefrontal cortex when people were schizophrenic,
homosexual, etc.
3
, Mr. Tan is a case where the function of Broca’s area was discovered. He could only say Tan.
Broca’s area is the area where speech is produced. Close to the motor cortex. THis is
were you make sentences.
Wernicke’s area: association area. He can speak fluently, but what he says is nonsense.
Language development.
Wernicke develops what you want to say, Broca makes you say it by producing words and
activating the motor cortex.
Glucose is the major substance utilized by the brain.
Microdialysis → taking out neurochemicals and see what happens.
Anatomy of the nervous system - Ch. 3
Afferent = Going to CNS, sensoric
Efferent = going to PNS, motoric
Parasympathisch en sympathetisch hebben een effect op dezelfde dingen (bijvoorbeeld de
pupil) maar het effect is afhankelijk van wel systeem het meest actief is.
Cranial nerves
Cranial nerves are the ones that start in the brain. We have 12.
Olfactory = smell, only afferent
Optic = sight, only afferent
Others are both afferent and efferen.t
4
Introduction and history of Neuroscience - Ch. 1 & 2
Cerebrum = forebrain, biggest part
Cerebellum = hindbrain, smaller
Trepenation: Damaging the prefrontal cortex to let out bad spirits, kill/cure and treat
schizophrenia.
Smell = memory and emotion. These two are strongly connected.
There are species with two brains. This is called lateralization. For instance this is in
dolphins. This way they can sleep and function at the same time.
History
7000 BC → first case of skulls with holes. This was either a way to kill people or to treat
them for evil spirits. Later there were skulls with holes in the forehead to be enlightened.
Middle ages → trepanation. Skulls with holes for schizophrenia treatment.
Hippocrates (430-379 BC): Hippocrates suggested a brain should have something to do
with monitoring senses & thinking.
- correlation between structure and function
- eyes, ears, nose, tongue with connecting nerves: the brain is the organ of sensation,
because it is right back of the eyes/ears etc.
- site of intelligence
1
,Aristoteles (384- 322 BC): But Aristotles thought the heart had this function. The fluids were
important. He thought the brain was a fluid storage. Your brain was a cooling center for the
heart. A big head gave more support to the heart, so this would make your smarter.
- the heart is the intellectual center!
- the brain serves to cool the passions of the heart ratio is dependent on the maximal
cooling capacity
-
Mentalism: - the philosophical position that an immaterial mind is responsible for behavior
- mind / body problem (Dualism) → what is passion, what is love? Is the mind a
chemical pathway or does it also have these aspects?
130-200 AD → Galenus was working for the gladiators as a physician. He treated injuries
after they went into the arena. After seeing these patients he drew conclusions about the
function of the parts, based on their injuries.
Also, he did animal dissections, which was special. People thought humans and animals
were not comparable.
He said the big part of your brain is cognition and the small part was for muscle control. He
said this because the cerebellum is solid (so this hasn’t changed, was already there when
your born) and the cerebrum is soft (it changes, it is not filled up yet. So here the decisions
and memories are made). Observations were incorrect but outcome was correct.
Big holes in the brain (ventricles) functioned as a storage for spiritus animalis.
Because there was a taboo on dissection there was a period of 1500 years were there
barely were any developments in brain research.
2
,René Descartes (1649): Tried to solve the mind body problem by finding a place for your
soul. Pineal gland / pijnappelklier → Descartes said that was your soul. However, it has to
do with hormones.
1751 → Benjamin Franklin discovered electricity. After this nerves/neurons were also
discovered, because the brain generates electricity and people reacted to electrical
impulses.
So the tubes (nerves) werent transporting fluid, but electrical signals!
Johannes Muller found the function of the different nerves. For instance, he noticed the
optic nerves.
18th century: there are parts of the body represented on the brain → homunculus
Franz Joseph Gall: 1758-1828 → skull shape and size says something about your
functions/skills/problems. This guy from Austria got really famous for this. He made
atlasses on what part of your skull said what. Area 17 for instance stands for heimatliebe in
Austria/Germany. In America area 17 stands for patriotism. In France area 17 stands for
love for the wine.
19th century: phrenology continued. Cesara Lombrose defined the homo delinquens. If you
have a low forehead and an extended jaw, you have a criminal mind.
Now: still forms of phrenology, less often used.
Lobotomy = disconnecting the prefrontal cortex when people were schizophrenic,
homosexual, etc.
3
, Mr. Tan is a case where the function of Broca’s area was discovered. He could only say Tan.
Broca’s area is the area where speech is produced. Close to the motor cortex. THis is
were you make sentences.
Wernicke’s area: association area. He can speak fluently, but what he says is nonsense.
Language development.
Wernicke develops what you want to say, Broca makes you say it by producing words and
activating the motor cortex.
Glucose is the major substance utilized by the brain.
Microdialysis → taking out neurochemicals and see what happens.
Anatomy of the nervous system - Ch. 3
Afferent = Going to CNS, sensoric
Efferent = going to PNS, motoric
Parasympathisch en sympathetisch hebben een effect op dezelfde dingen (bijvoorbeeld de
pupil) maar het effect is afhankelijk van wel systeem het meest actief is.
Cranial nerves
Cranial nerves are the ones that start in the brain. We have 12.
Olfactory = smell, only afferent
Optic = sight, only afferent
Others are both afferent and efferen.t
4
