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Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Brain and the Nervous System

Animations

Part 1: The Neuron

To understand the nervous system, therefore, we need to understand how individual neurons function. The animation above identifies key parts of an individual neuron, and illustrates the process through which a signal is transmitted from one end of the neuron to the other end, and then on to other neurons.

Part 2: The Brain

To achieve what it achieves, the brain relies on an enormous number of neurons — approximately 10 million in the human brain — working together. Neurons in different parts of the brain have specialized functions; for instance, neurons in one area play a key role in making vision possible, neurons elsewhere play a key role in allowing learning, and so on.

To understand how all these pieces fit together, one needs, among other things, a sense of the basic "landscape" — the animation that follows offers a brief tour of the basic brain structures and their functions.

Part 3: The Cerebrum

Within the human brain, many essential and complex functions are supported by the top-most part of the brain — the cerebrum, and especially its outmost layer — the cerebral cortex, as illustrated by the animation below.

Part 4: Studying The Brain — TMS

How do psychologists study the brain? Many tools are available, and these are described in Chapter 3. In recent years, though, there has been much excitement about a technique called transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). In this technique, a powerful magnet is placed on the surface of the scalp, and its magnetic field stimulates cells on the brain's surface.

At lower intensities, this can stimulate brain cells. At higher intensities, it can disrupt brain activity — in an area directly adjacent to the position at which the magnet is held. In the video above, a volunteer experiences TMS first on the left side of the brain, adjacent to areas crucial for the production of speech. Next, the volunteer experiences TMS on the right side. What are the effects?

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