TELEVISION

Understanding the Brain

Series: Understanding the Brain
4.3
(3)
Episodes
36
Rating
TVPG
Year
2007
Language
English

About

This course takes you inside the astonishingly complex brain and shows you how it works, from the gross level of its organization to the molecular level of how cells communicate.

Related Subjects

Episodes

1 to 3 of 36

1. Historical Underpinnings of Neuroscience

28m

Our picture of the brain has changed markedly since antiquity, when it was considered an organ of minor importance. This lecture traces the major paradigm shifts in our understanding of the brain and the contributions of such pioneers as Leonardo da Vinci, René Descartes, and Thomas Willis, the "father of neurology."

2. Central Nervous System - Gross Organization

32m

This lecture covers the overall organization of the brain and spinal cord and defines important terms and concepts, focusing on areas of the central nervous system that can be viewed from the outside. Neuroanatomists divide the brain into five major regions from rostral (front) to caudal (back).

3. Central Nervous System - Internal Organization

32m

We examine how the central nervous system is organized internally, starting with the basic unit: the nerve cell or neuron. The brain and spinal cord are made up of concentrations of neuronal cell bodies called nuclei (gray matter) and bundles of axons coursing between them (white matter).

4. Central Nervous System - Subdivisions

31m

The hundreds of nuclei in the brain can be grouped into specialized systems for sensation, learning, memory, and other functions. Regions of white matter can also be subdivided into functional types; for example, projection pathways connect different areas, like the motor cortex and the spinal cord.

5. Cortex - Lobes and Areas

30m

The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of neurons or "bark" covering the brain. Considered the seat of the mind, it is where cognition and other higher-order functions such as language, intellect, and memory take place. The cortex can be divided into four lobes, each comprised of areas that are associated with specific functions.

6. Cortex - Sensory, Motor, and Association Areas

31m

This lecture introduces the traditional and modern classification of sensory, motor, and association cortex. One of the crucial discoveries of the past 40 years is that much of what was previously called association cortex is actually sensory in function. For example, there are many more cortical areas devoted to vision than previously thought.

Extended Details

  • Closed CaptionsEnglish

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