2. Just the Facts
The brain and spinal cord make up the
Central Nervous System
Average human brain weighs 3 pounds
By age 6, human brain is full size
40% = gray matter 60% = white matter
Brain uses 20% of the oxygen supply
Lack of oxygen for 3 to 5 minutes causes
brain cells to die
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chmodel.html
3. Neurons
Born with about 100 billion
neurons
Send and receive electro-chemical
signals to and from the brain and
nervous system
Cannot regrow after being
damaged, unless in hippocampus
http://www.nasaexplores.com/show_58_student_st.php?id=040428102710
4. Neurons
Dendrite:
Brings information to the
cell
Many dendrites branch off
from cell body
No myelin insulation
http://www.nasaexplores.com/show_58_student_st.php?id=040428102710
5. Neurons
Axon:
Takes information away
from the cell
Usually only one
Myelin insulation
http://www.nasaexplores.com/show_58_student_st.php?id=040428102710
6. Neurons
Myelin Sheath
Coating on axon
Protects neuron
Increases the electrical
transmission speeds along
the axon
More myelin the better
http://www.nasaexplores.com/show_58_student_st.php?id=040428102710
8. Hindbrain
controls involuntary systems
controls heart rate and
breathing
regulates flow of information
controls dreaming and
waking
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p. 35 copyright 1999
9. Hindbrain
Cerebellum
Controls movement and balance
Stores lots of neurons
Helps form memories
Holds/stores procedural
memories such as
“how to”
“ABC’s, basic facts”
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p. 35 copyright 1999
10. Midbrain
Small area that controls eye movement and
opening and closing of the pupils
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p.34 Copyright 1999
QuickTime™ and a
TIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
11. The Forebrain
controls parts essential to memory and learning
Thalamus
Size of a walnut
Information sorter like
the post office
Keeps brain updated
like a software update
on a computer
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p. 36 copyright 1999
12. Hypothalamus
Sends information from the
body to the brain
Keeps the body in balance
Maintains body temperature
Controls appetite
Works with the pituitary gland
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p. 36 copyright 1999
13. Pituitary Gland
Pea-sized
At the base of the brain
Controls growth and
development
Regulates hormones
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p. 36 copyright 1999
14. Pineal Gland
Regulates flow of Melatonin,
the chemical that helps you
to fall asleep
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p. 36 copyright 1999
15. Hippocampus
Seahorse shaped
Brain’s file cabinet
Puts information in correct
spot for easy retrieval
Sends information to long
term memory
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p. 36 copyright 1999
17. Cerebrum
Top brain layer
Covered by gray matter
Left side: looks at parts
time oriented
sequential
Right side: looks at wholes
spatial
creative
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p. 36 copyright 1999
18. A Day in Life of a Brain:
http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chmodel.html
19. Stress and Your Brain
Stress chemicals block the synapses so electrical impulses cannot get through.
High stress levels may cause brain damage.
Coritsol is a very destructive stress chemical.
FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS WILL ALWAYS TAKE PRIORITY OVER
EVERYTHING ELSE IN OUR BRAINS.
20. Memory Lanes
Memory lanes contain the files in which a
memory is stored.
Learning happens when neurons
communicate with each other.
21. How learning works
Information enters through brain stem
Goes to thalamus - sorter
Travels to hippocampus - organizer
Goes to STM
If connection made to other memories
than it goes to working memory
Through more connections over time
information travels to LTM
22. Short term vs. Working Memory
Short term= lasts for only seconds
Maximum information in STM = 7 items
Working = lasts for few hours
Leads to information being in LTM
30. Long Term Memory and
the Five Memory Lanes
LTM = stored forever
Learning has to follow certain lanes for it
to be permanent
Five lanes =
Semantic
Episodic
Procedural
Automatic
Emotional
Learning & Memory: The Brain in Action p. 55 copyright 1999
31. Long Term Memory and
the Five Memory Lanes
Semantic Lane
Stored in the hippocampus (file cabinet/organizer)
Information learned from words
Takes several repetitions for learning to occur
Can hold unlimited amount of information
32. Long Term Memory and
the Five Memory Lanes
Episodic Lane
Stored in the hippocampus (file
cabinet/organizer)
Deals with location
Where you learn the information is important
to making it a memory and reaching LTM
Recalling where you sat, where it was written
on the board or in the book, what place you
were at
33. Long Term Memory and
the Five Memory Lanes
Procedural Lane
“muscle memory”
Cerebellum used for these memories
(back of head, movement and balance)
Memory is stored when it becomes routine
Brushing teeth, riding a bike, tying shoes
Allows us to do two things at once because we
use different areas of the brain
Goofy body movements/dances to help recall
information
34. Long Term Memory and
the Five Memory Lanes
Automatic Lane
A stimulus automatically triggers the recall of
the memory
Located in the cerebellum
(back of head, movement and balance)
ABC’s, math facts, sight words, songs,
opposites
No comprehension - just information (trivia)
Can trigger other lanes to open and recall
learning
35. Long Term Memory and
the Five Memory Lanes
Emotional Lane
Opened through the amygdala
Most powerful kind of memory
Stress hormones can make it impossible to
recall memories/learning
Another lane can trigger emotional memory
which can than stop the memory process
36. Important
When memories are stored in more than one
memory lane, they become more powerful.
Learning = Memory
The more memory lanes we use to store
information, the more powerful the learning
becomes.
Every day our brain prunes away neuronal
connections that are not being used.
Keep those brain cells active!!!!!!!!!!
