psychology

• Hindbrain location


  located at the base of the brain around the brain stem
• What are the components of the hindbrain?

  Medulla, pons, and cerebellum
• What functions are controlled by the hindbrain?

  Motor functions, vital autonomic responses (breathing, heart rate), sleep, and arousal
• Midbrain location

  in the central part of the brain. about 2.5 cm long and contains neural pathways connecting upper and lower brain areas.
• midbrain functions

  collection of structures involved with movement, processing of visual, auditory and tactile sensory information, sleep and arousal.
• forebrain location

  largest + most prominent part of the brain. located above the midbrain and extends across the top of the brain.
• forebrain functions

  its numerous neural pathways connect with the structures in the midbrain and hindbrain to coordinate brain activity.
• what the roles of the hindbrain, midbrain and forebrain play in football

  in football, the hindbrain is important for motor functions, and vital autonomic responses like heart rate and breathing. the midbrain is important for movement, processing of visual, and auditory information. the forebrain is important for coordinating these brain activities.
• Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

  a progressive, degenerative and fatal condition involving brain damage resulting from repeated blows to the head and multiple episodes of concussion.
• CTE diagnosis

  CTE is particularly associated with contact sports. there is currently no medical or psychological test to diagnosis a living person. If CTE is suspected, then a range of medical and neurological assessments may be undertaken to rule out other possible causes.

  CTE can only be properly diagnosed in an autopsy by examining sections of the brain. For example,the brain of an individual thought to have suffered from CTE has areas that have gradually wasted away (atrophy).
• CTE symptoms

  Many symptoms are similar to those of other degenerative brain conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. symptoms are initially mild but progress over time to become more severe. symptoms may not be experienced until years or decades after the brain injury occurs. Symptoms may include: loss of memory, e.g. asking the same question several times. mood changes, e.g. frequent mood swings, depression, feeling frustrated, agitated or aggressive. personality changes, eg. difficulty controlling impulsive or erratic

  behaviour. increasing confusion and disorientation, e.g. not knowing what time of day it is.
• why friendship/relationships are important for someone with CTE

  a person with CTE will need the extra support of a loved one through this tough time. they can help the person get better or cope better. it is better than going through it alone.
• Heather Anderson

  she is the first female athlete to be diagnosed with CTE and her story is informing because as women's participation in contact sport continues to grow, so too does their risk of repetitive brain trauma. it is a wake up call and warns other female players to be careful and wear helmets.
• can Heather's experience be applied to all afl athletes

  yes because there is a high risk of CTE in contact sports involving getting several blows to the head and repeated concussions and head injuries. it is not just women who are at risk, it is everyone.
• why athletes wearing a helmet reduces the risk of injuries to the head

  Helmets reduce potential injury by linear or direct impact forces by dissipating energy using the foam and shell. Axonal shear injuries result from rapid deceleration or rapid rotation of the head. wearing a helmet reduces the acceleration of the head upon impact.
• how does CTE affect social life

  social isolation, e.g. difficulties in making and keeping friends

  • altered personal relationships• disrupted family relationships• changes to living arrangements• social role changes• different vocational capabilities• different educational opportunities • financial hardship• legal restrictions• social stigma
• Brain versus heart debate


  is our brain or heart the source of our thoughts, feelings and behaviour?
• Ancient Egyptians think heart


  The Egyptians believed the heart held the mind and

  soul and was the source of all wisdom as well as

  memory, emotion, personality and all life forces.

  So, it was left in its place inside the body. Along

  with the organs in the jars, it was considered

  essential to fully take part in the afterlife. The

  brain, however, was removed with an iron hook

  through the nostrils and thrown out. It was not

  considered an asset.
• Ancient Greeks


  Alcmaeon discovered the optic nerve connecting

  the eyes to the brain, probably by dissecting an

  eyeball. This led him to believe that all our senses

  are connected to the brain in some way. Therefore,

  the brain was the centre of understanding and

  played a vital role in perceptions, thoughts and other

  mental processes. It also followed that if the brain

  was injured then its functions could be disrupted or

  stopped.
• Neuroplasticity


  often referred to as functional plasticity or adaptive plasticity to distinguish it from plasticity primarily associated with the developing brain. How the brain changes in responseto injury, and the effectiveness of its response, depends on the cause, location, degree and extent of the damage, and the age at which the injury occurs.
• example of neuroplasticity


  For example, a brain injury may be due to a neurodegenerative disorder or involve a malignant, rapidly spreading tumor that is unstoppable, let alone recoverable. Similarly, some parts of the brain are unable to recover to any extent from injury, especially hindbrain or brain stem structures. And some injuries to these areas are so severe that the patient may remain on life support in a coma indefinitely.
• Neuroplasticity in old and young people.

  Neuroplasticity is age-dependent. it is quicker and more substantial in the earlier years, particularly in infancy and early childhood. As we grow older the brain gradually loses the ability to compensate for damage, but not necessarily altogether. Recovery from traumatic brain injury by children in particular can be remarkable. However, there are also cases among children where any measurable recovery does not occur.
• Acquired brain injury


  A brain injury is any type of brain damage or disorder that impairs or interferes with the normal functioning of the brain, either temporarily or permanently. The term 'brain injury' is most commonly used in relation to damage or disorders that occur after birth.
• How is acquired brain injury differentiated from neurodevelopmental disorders?

  Any brain damage or disorder due to a developmental condition is not considered to be a brain injury. The term acquired brain injury is therefore commonly used to differentiate brain injury from neurodevelopmental disorders (such as autism and ADHD) that a person is born wit
• causes of acquired brain injury

  these include accidental causes such as falls and sporting incidents, intentional blows to the head, violent shaking of the head, stroke, alcohol and other drugs, lack of oxygen, brain surgery, infection (such as meningitis), brain inflammation (such

  as encephalitis), epilepsy and degenerative brain disorders such as Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, motor neurone disease and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
• is Heather's CTE an acquired brain injury


  yes because CTE is an acquired brain injury. CTE is a generative brain disorder and not a developmental condition that someone is born with. CTE involves repeated blows to the head and multiple episodes of concussion.
• similarities of CTE to Parkinson's and Alzheimers


  Many symptoms are similar to those of other degenerative brain conditions such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, so they can be debilitating and have life-changing effects. alzheimer's disease (AD) and chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) have long been recognized as sharing some similar neuropathological features.
• mind-body problem


  mind-body problem involves the

  question of whether our mind and body are distinct,

  separate entities or whether they are one and the

  same thing. Generally, most of the Greek philosophers believed that the mind and body were separate entities and

  that the mind could control the body, but the body

  could not influence the mind.
• phrenology


  in the 18th century Germany, Franz Gall proposed that different parts of the brain had different functions. this concept is now known as localization of brain function.
• neuroimaging


  a technique that captures a picture of the brain. structural neuroimaging such as CT's and MRI's show the structure of the brain. Functional neuroimaging shows specific areas of the brain at work.
• the cerebellum is involved with balance, coordination, posture, muscle tone
• the medulla oblongata controls breathing rate, heartbeat, blood pressure, swallowing, vomiting, sneezing, coughing, digestion, salivation, urination, defecation, sexual responses, sleep/wake cycles, temperature regulation, pain perception, reflexes (e.g., gagging)
• the pons connects the midbrain to the forebrain
• the medulla oblongata controls breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, swallowing, vomiting, sneezing, coughing, digestion, salivation, urination, defecation, sexual arousal, and sleep/wake cycles
• the pons connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord and helps regulate respiration, eye movement, hearing, taste, facial expressions, and sleeping patterns
• the thalamus relays sensory information from all senses except smell to the cortex
• the thalamus acts as a relay station between sensory neurons and motor neurons
• the hypothalamus regulates homeostasis by controlling hunger, thirst, sex drive, body temperature, emotions, and other bodily functions
• the thalamus acts as a relay station between sensory neurons and motor neurons; it also plays an important role in consciousness, alertness, sleep, learning, memory, emotions, language, and movements
• the thalamus acts as a relay station between sensory neurons and the cortex