10 Curie

B6: Brain and Mind

The Brain

Quick recap:
The synapse is the gap between two neurones. An electrical impulse
cannot travel across the gap so it is converted into a chemical called a
neurotransmitter.
The neurotransmitter chemical diffuses across the synapse from the
sensory neuron and binds to receptors on the motor neuron.
This causes an electrical impulse to be stimulated and passed along the
motor neuron.
Excess of the neurotransmitter chemical passes through re-uptake
channels in the sensory neuron that released it. This is for the chemical
to be reused.

An impulse can only travel in one direction because only the motor neuron
will have receptors on the surface.
Drugs like Ecstasy can affect the synapse. Ecstasy blocks the re-uptake
channels on the sensory neuron so excess of the neurotransmitter called
Serotonin remains in the synapse. This means that is will keep binding to
the receptors on the motor neuron and the person will continue to feel
pleasure and happiness for as long as the drug is active.
Some poisons such as Curare cause paralysis because they bind to the
receptors on the motor neuron surface so the neurotransmitter cannot
bind to them. Therefore no impulse can be produced and passed along the
neuron so the person cannot move.
Key words:
Impulse
Receptors
Receptors
Neurotransmitter
Neurones

Receptors
Neurotransmitter
Re-uptake
Re-uptake channels
Neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitter

10 Curie
B6: Brain and Mind

To do:
In complex animals the brain in large and made of billions of neurons.
Different areas carry out different functions. Scientists that study the brain
are called neuroscientists and they have been able to find out what the
different areas of the brain do by carrying out brain studies.
Using the internet (see websites at the bottom of the page for help)
complete the tasks below.

1. Using the website provided, complete the table below. In the empty box,
name 1 other areas of the brain and find out what it is responsible for:
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/organs/brainmap/)

Part of the brain

Cerebral cortex

Motor cortex
Sensory cortex
Hypothalamus
Limbic system

Function (what does it control?)

It contains the nerve centres for thought,
personality, the senses and voluntary
movement.
Speech production and movement
Detects sensations such as touch, pain,
temperature and pressure.
Thirst, hunger and body temperature
Plays an important role in the expression of
survival instincts, drives and emotions. It
mediates the effects of mood changes on
external behaviour and keeps conditions in your
body constant.

10 Curie
B6: Brain and Mind

2. Scientists can study the brain in many different ways. Find out a little bit
about each of these methods of studying the brain and finding out what
different areas are responsible for (keep it simple and refer to the websites
provided):
Type of study
Studying patients
with brain damage

Electrically
stimulating the
brain

MRI scans

PET scan

CT scan

How it works/What can it be used to do

E.g. if a patient has damaged the back of their brain and
there is a clear effect such as losing vision,
neuroscientists can work out that that region of the
brain is responsible for vision and eyesight.
Electrical brain stimulation (EBS is a form
of electrotherapy and technique used
in research and clinical neurobiology (study of the
nervous system) to stimulate a neuron in
the brain through the direct or indirect penetration of
its cell membrane by using an electric current. It is used
for research or for therapeutical purposes.
It creates pictures of the brain and surrounding nerve
tissues. To diagnose and monitor many diseases
affecting the brain.
A PET scan uses radiation to produce 3D colour images
of the functional processes within the human body. PET
scans can be used to diagnose a health condition, as
well as for finding out how an existing condition is
developing. PET scans are often used to see how
effective an ongoing treatment is.
Computerised tomography (CT) scans provide
information that doctors can use to help diagnose
medical conditions. The results can confirm or rule
out a suspected diagnosis. They can also sometimes
help identify conditions that were not suspected.
They are uses for head scans, Abdominal, vascular
scans bone scans.

10 Curie
B6: Brain and Mind

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003791.htm
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/CT-scan/Pages/What-is-it-used-for.aspx
http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mri-scan/pages/introduction.aspx

3. Get some pictures of what the brain looks like from MRI, PET and CT scans.

-: PET Scan

MRI Scan-:
-: CT Scan

4. If you finish this

go on the interactive
nervous system and
website:

work you can have a

activities on the
the brain on the BBC

10 Curie
B6: Brain and Mind

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/3djigsaw_02/index.sh
tml?nervous
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/interactives/personality/brain_sex
/brainquiz.shtml

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/body/interactives/senseschallenge/