...As long as psychology has been a discipline in its own right there have been many new and exciting theories proposed, all claiming to hold more promise and insight than the last. Consequently, many of these theories are scrutinized by those of the potentially effected field, and rightly so. Therefore the concept of a paradigm shifting theory in the form of mirror neurons would surely be scrutinized more than most, as the potential of such a theory has implications across many a field in psychology. However the concept of mirror neurons may have the potential to increase any understanding of how human and animal brains may function. Furthermore, in order to discuss possible implications of mirror neurons this essay has firstly presented a detailed description for the concept of mirror neurons, supporting any explanation with relevant research. In addition to any supporting research, research providing evidence to the contrary has been provided to enable a balanced analysis. Therefore, a balanced description of mirror neurons will facilitate any critical analysis for the possible psychological implications, thereby providing a balanced argument for the legitimacy of mirror neurons. Additionally, following any analysis of relevant research, a balanced and supported conclusion was produced in order to summarise any analysed research. Accordingly, the concept of mirror neurons first came to be in the winter of 1991when a paper entitled ‘Understanding motor events: A neurophysiological...
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...Drug abuse is the use of drugs, or the abuse of over the counter drugs as well as the drugs. Marijuana is the most common abused drug in America today, people would use this plant to simulate their brain cells, in other words to get 'high'. My opinion among drug abuse is that using drugs for non medical reason is stupendous. Abusing drugs could cause harm to someone and and the others around them. Using drugs could harm ones body, and the way that the brain functions, it will cause them to become lazier and they would participate less in outside activities. The people who smoke who have smoked marijuana would most likely say that it gave them a nice feeling, others who have only experienced it once would say they were scared, the drug is not so strong, it is still quite effective to the human brain. Drug abuse is a common topic today, some people are for drug abuse others are against. A lot of people would not understand why so many people in American today become so addicted to drugs so easily. Sometimes drug abusers, take drugs that affects the brains, and the drug causes the brain to make it harder to quit the drug even when a person has already quit smoking. Most Drugs contain chemicals that travels to the brain and messes with the nerve cells, and it also makes it more difficult for the brain to process the information that is given to them. Some drugs have a similar way to cause disruption to the brain, they all mess with the receptor and nerve cells, and they would...
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...) Nervous systems, function and survival Invertebrates and vertebrates are compiled of many different cells, systems and functioning pathways all of which are maintained by homeostasis. In this essay I will discuss the connection between homeostasis and the nervous system; briefly compare an invertebrates and vertebrates nervous system; nerve cells and how an organism’s behaviour can be determined by these factors. To survive every living organism endeavours to maintain a sense of balance, or homeostasis. This is an internal process which repairs and sustains different parameters and is constantly challenged by both internal and external factors. An organism’s nervous system, which can control thousands of activities simultaneously (both voluntary and involuntary), transmits signals between the different parts of the body and is responsible for regulating the processes which maintain homeostasis. (Datta et al. 2006 pp.8-10) In invertebrates the nervous system consists of either a nerve net (such as in jellyfish) or neurons grouped together forming ganglia which make up the nerve cord, or CNS of the organism (as found in earthworms). (Datta et al. 2006 pp.47-9) In contrast the nervous system in vertebrates can be divided into two parts, the brain (the control centre of the body) and the spinal cord, collectively known as the central nervous system (CNS) and all the other nerves in the body, collectively known as the peripheral nervous system (PNS)....
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...Associate Level Material Appendix C Brain Response of Behavior Part I Note: Parts II and III follow below, complete all three. Write a 350- to 700-word response to the following: Explain the communication process of neurons in the brain. List some common neurotransmitters and describe their effect on behavior. The communication process of neurons in the brain A brain of an average human contains approximately 100 billion nerve cells or best known as neurons. Neurons perform as information transmitters and receivers to other neurons or to muscles in the body. Neurons have these tiny fibers that extend from the body of the cell and its main function is to receive incoming messages and transmit them to the main cell. Outgoing messages to other neurons and muscles or glands are carried out by a single long fiber called the axon. Axons are covered with a white fatty tissue called myelin sheath. The myelin sheath provides insulation to avoid signals from other neurons to interfere with each other and it also increases speed when signals are been transmitted. Motor neurons carry messages from the spinal cord or the brain to the muscles and glands. Al l neurons in the nervous system only speak one language ON or OFF electrochemical impulses. The communication process of neurons in the work by impulses or what it’s also called firing. When a neuron receives a message from other neurons it automatically excites the neuron or tells the neuron to fire. This term...
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...The neurons that shaped civilizations I'd like to talk to you today about the human brain, which is what we do research on at the University of California. Just think about this problem for a second. Here is a lump of flesh, about three pounds, which you can hold in the palm of your hand. But it can contemplate the vastness of interstellar space. It can contemplate the meaning of infinity, ask questions about the meaning of its own existence, about the nature of God. 0:34And this is truly the most amazing thing in the world. It's the greatest mystery confronting human beings:How does this all come about? Well, the brain, as you know, is made up of neurons. We're looking at neurons here. There are 100 billion neurons in the adult human brain. And each neuron makes something like 1,000 to 10,000 contacts with other neurons in the brain. And based on this, people have calculatedthat the number of permutations and combinations of brain activity exceeds the number of elementary particles in the universe. 1:01So, how do you go about studying the brain? One approach is to look at patients who had lesions in different part of the brain, and study changes in their behavior. This is what I spoke about in the last TED.Today I'll talk about a different approach, which is to put electrodes in different parts of the brain, and actually record the activity of individual nerve cells in the brain. Sort of eavesdrop on the activity of nerve cells in the brain. 1:22Now, one recent discovery...
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...blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing. The brain also accepts information about the world around you from your five senses. It handles physical motion when walking, standing or sitting, and it lets you think, dream, reason, and experience emotions. The brain has five key parts that work together to make your brain function; the cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, pituitary gland, and the hypothalamus. All this fits inside your brain which is about the size of a head of cauliflower. The cerebrum is the biggest part of your brain; it makes up about 85% of your brains weight. It is the thinking part of your brain and it controls your voluntary muscles. Your memory is also part of your cerebrum, both short-term and long-term. The cerebrum is divided into two hemispheres. The right hemisphere helps you with music, colors and shapes. The left hemisphere helps you with math logic and speech. The cerebellum is at the back the brain right below the cerebrum. The cerebellum processes input from other areas of the brain, spinal cord and senses. It controls balance, movement, and coordination. The brain stem sits in front and under the cerebellum. It connects the rest of the brain to the spinal cord and is in charge of all the functions your body needs to stay alive, like breathing air, food digestion and blood circulation. The brain stem also sorts through millions of messages that the brain and the rest of the body send...
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...the anterior boundary of the midbrain. This part of the brain even plays a role in arousal which is why it is sometimes referred to as reticular activating system. However, this term can be misleading because the nuclei of the reticular formation are involved sleep, attention, movement, the maintenance of muscle tone, and various cardiac, circulatory, and respiratory reflexes. Metencephalon The Metencephalon is much like the Myelencephalon as they both house many ascending and descending tracts and forms part of the reticular formation. These structures create buldges which are referred to as pons which is located on the brain stems ventral surface. The other major division of the Metencephalon is the cerebellum. This is the large convoluted structure of the brain stems...
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...Chapter 15 Neural Integration I: Sensory Pathways and the Somatic Nervous System An Introduction to Sensory Pathways and the Somatic Nervous System Learning Outcomes 15-1 Specify the components of the afferent and efferent divisions of the nervous system, and explain what is meant by the somatic nervous system. 15-2 Explain why receptors respond to specific stimuli, and how the organization of a receptor affects its sensitivity. 15-3 Identify the receptors for the general senses, and describe how they function. An Introduction to Sensory Pathways and the Somatic Nervous System Learning Outcomes 15-4 Identify the major sensory pathways, and explain how it is possible to distinguish among sensations that originate in different areas of the body. 15-5 Describe the components, processes, and functions of the somatic motor pathways, and the levels of information processing involved in motor control. An Introduction to Sensory Pathways and the Somatic Nervous System An Introduction to: Sensory receptors Sensory processing Conscious and subconscious motor functions Focusing on the “general senses” 15-1 Sensory Information Afferent Division of the Nervous System Receptors Sensory neurons Sensory pathways Efferent Division of the Nervous System Nuclei Motor tracts Motor neurons 15-1 Sensory Information Sensory Receptors Specialized cells that monitor specific...
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...Everything I have ever achieved in my life has come as a result of one thing: My ability to think. I was born in Uganda, and raised in Rwanda. The two countries have one thing in common. They are both third world countries on the coast of East Africa. Growing up in a country where poverty over shadows everything, you have to develop the ability to think better than everybody else around you for a better survival. I figured early in my life that going to school, and doing very good in school was the only way out of my poverty. When I started school I always loved science classes. To be specific I found biology interesting, because it elaborated the functions of human body. More than that, I was fascinated with the functioning of the human brain. My love for science and the brain in particular has grown over time. My goal is to get a PhD or MD/PhD in Neuroscience. This is an interest that has developed over time. I remember reading Dr Benjamin Carson’s Book “The Gifted Hand”. In this book he describes his work in neurosurgery. The work was fascinating in itself but what was even more fascinating to me was how his brain was able to think, analyze, and solve the medical problems of his generation and the ones to come. As I read, I started to ask myself why was my grandmother’s brain failing? How was Dr.Carson’s brain functioning at a high level than most people? At that moment I knew I wanted to understand the brain, and help the world to understand how the brain works. My...
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...Introduction to Anthropology and Culture “Out There: People Who Live Without TV” by Clara Moskowitz is an article about the advantages and disadvantages of giving up TV for good. This article also discusses the reasons why people give it up and the credibility and viability of statistics released to the pubic on this topic. Studies show that the most common group of people to give up TV is those with children. Parents want to protect their children from the excessive sex, violence, inappropriate language and actions, and consumerism that are constantly promoted on TV. Families also find that TV intrudes into their lives, depleting conversation and taking away from “family time”. On the other hand, some individuals have issues with power and cable companies and refuse to promote them by giving them any business. The average American adult watches three hours of TV per day. Those who forego TV have the ability to fill that time with other activities such as reading, hiking, biking, visiting with friends, and taking part in the community. Studies show that non-viewers had a greater variety of activities in their daily scheduled compared to TV viewers. Parents are afraid to take TV away from children because they are worried the children will constantly bother them. On the contrary, parents report that kids find ways to entertain themselves and stop asking for the junk food and toys that are promoted in commercials. “Why Are Human Brains So Big” by Rachael Rettner is an article...
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...COMMENTS ON CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM AND RADIOLOGICAL ANATOMY Radiological Anatomy Radiological anatomy is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualised within the human body. It explores various tissue densities to be able to determine structures. It could either be invasive or non-invasive. Radiologists use an array of imaging techniques which include: • Conventional radiography (X-ray) • Ultrasound • Computerized Tomography • Magnetic Resonance Imaging • Interventional Radiology • Radiation Therapy The acquisition of medical imaging is usually carried out by the radiographer or radiologic technologist. The radiologist then interprets or "reads" the images and produces a report of their findings and impression or diagnosis. Central Nervous System The nervous system is organized into two parts: the central nervous system, which consists of the brain and the spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system, which connects the central nervous system to the rest of the body. In the central nervous system, the brain and spinal cord are the main centres where communication of nervous information occur. Both the brain and spinal cord are covered with a system of membranes, called meninges and are suspended in the cerebrospinal fluid; they are further protected by the bones of the skull and the vertebral column. The central nervous system is composed of large numbers of excitable...
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...WGU ALT1 Anatomy and Physiology Labs for RN - BSN All Labs http://www.homeworkminutes.com/question/view/41056/ALT1-Anatomy-and-Physiology-Labs-WGU-All-3-Labs ALT1 Labs Part 1 1. A. As you observe the skull, explain how the structure of the sutures between the cranial bones is related to the overall function of the cranium. 2. 1. A. Why are synarthroses an important component of fibrous joints? 2. Cartilaginous joints exhibit amphiarthroses. Why is this important? 3. 1. A. Structurally, how are cartilaginous joints similar? 2. 1. A. Which type of synovial joint has the least amount of movement? 2. 1. A. Why are diarthroses important for synovial joints? 2. A. Which synovial joint is most movable? 3. 1. A. What are the four structural characteristics that all synovial joints share? 2. 1. A. Which of the body movements was the most difficult to perform? Why? 2. Hinge joints like the knee’s or elbow have limited movement. Why are these types of joints more prone to injury? 3. 1. A. When performing flexion on the arm, the biceps muscle (on the anterior part of the arm) contracts. What happens to the triceps muscle (on the posterior part of the arm) as this action is performed? 2. 4. ALT1 Labs Part 2 5. 6. Organization of Nerve Tissue Lab The Multipolar Neuron 1. A. What is the function of a neuron? What is the difference between a neuron and a nerve? 2. A. What gives a multipolar neuron its name? 3. B...
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...Today, the computer plays an important role in our lives and we are completely dependent on him. It has been commonly said that the computer can never replace the human brain, as it is created by humans, but we can’t ignore the fact that computer is much more capable than human brain. There are many ways in which the computer has an edge over man. The computer has the capability to evaluate problems that man can hardly imagine. Even if a man can calculate the same problems as a computer, the computer can do it faster with 100% accuracy. The computer is clearly superior in many other aspects. In absolute speed of computation and retrieval of data, the computer is obviously by far the stronger. It has the capacity to handle things on a far bigger scale than the human brain could ever do. Measurements, results, applications can all be done to the smallest details, far beyond the human brain’s capabilities. Calculations can be done with accuracy nearly impossible. The human brain is easily stressed out by events and loses effectiveness when tired but computer can’t. On the other hand, though the human brain has a lot of flaws, yet it also has an edge over the computer. It has the capacity to create, unlike the computer and it can work without full input, making logical assumptions about problems. A person can work with a wide variety of methods, seeing new, more efficient ways of handling problems. It can come up with infinite ways of getting around problems encountered in day...
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... The first video that I watched was Suzana Herculano-Houzel Ted talk video on “What is so special about the human brain?” I thought that this Ted talk was very informative about what makes the human brain unique. All species have brains that are made the same way. However, the human brain is unique in its size, number of neurons and use of energy. According to Dr. Houszel, the human brain is modeled after primates and is distinctive in that it has a larger number of neurons in the cerebral cortex than any other animal. Human brains average 86 billion neurons, 16 billion located in the cerebral cortex, which give humans superior cognitive abilities. She asserts that humans set themselves apart from other animals one and half million years ago with the invention of cooking, enabling humans to get all the calories (energy) they need in just a few sittings instead of having to continuously eat all day. She contends that by being able to provide for our calorie (energy) needs from cooking we were able to develop the largest number of neurons in the cerebral cortex and that is the simplest explanation of our cognitive abilities. The second video that I watched was Neil DeGrasse Tyson on Nova Science Now: “How Memory Works” In the PBS NOVA video, “How Memory Works” the video explores the experiences of a man named Henry Gustav Molaison and the research projects that he has participated in which examine how memory works. Mr. Molaison had slices of his hippocampus removed in...
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