Discussion 2

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1. Choose a brain region and a behavior this region is thought to control. Describe at least one other brain region that is involved in the execution of this behavior. How do these two regions communicate to execute this behavior? Comment on whether synaptic or hormonal communication (or both) are employed by these brain regions to complete your chosen behavior. Within the occipital lobe region of the brain, visual data received from the retinas are integrated and processed (The Human Origin Project, n.d.). The occipital lobe is the primary visual cortex, located in both the left and right hemispheres of the brain toward the back. The temporal lobe is also located in both hemispheres of the brain and plays a roll in processing information from your senses, understanding language, and storing and retrieving memories (Cleveland Clinic, 2023). Our sense of sight is used to read, and the letters being read are recognized by the occipital lobe as writing, based on messages received from the retinas (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). These messages are then sent through synaptic communication to the temporal lobe where the writing is perceived as written language and processed. 2. Draw a conclusion about the way we localize functions in the brain: Are we justified in using brain lesions to understand "normal" brain functions? Should we reevaluate our old hypotheses concerning localization of function, given the development of neuroimaging techniques? Explain. There is no strictly right or wrong answer to this question, but only thoughtful responses. The basis of localization of function in the brain is that different parts of the brain are involved in different tasks and behaviors (SMCartledge, 2018). Brain lesions are a useful tool for helping to understand “normal” brain functions. Phineas Gage was a great, however extreme, example of the localization of brain functions and how lesions can be used to study and understand those functions. While his case study was flawed given the lack of concrete information about Gage before and after the accident, it was due to his infamous injury that medical professionals realized that “messing with the brain was messing with the mind” (CrashCourse, 2014). With something as imperative to proper functioning of the human body as the brain is, I believe it’s important to utilize all techniques possible to understand this organ as thoroughly as possible. The use of neuroimaging techniques has provided a surplus amount of evidence supporting the localization of brain functions. For example, brain scans were used to exhibit the activity within Wernicke’s area of the brain during a listening task and Broca’s area of the brain during reading tasks, suggesting each of these areas are responsible for different tasks (SMCartledge, 2018). Additionally, a limited number of OCD patients underwent the lesioning of the cingulate gyrus area of the brain and one third of these patients were considered a success in treatment from the surgery (SMCartledge, 2018). The use of brain lesion case studies similar to Gage, the observation of brain activity using neuroimaging techniques, and the success of neurosurgery to treat symptomatic behaviors of mental disorders supports the hypothesis concerning localization of function.

3. Choose a step in synaptic communication and explain what might happen if you were to perturb this step. Is communication increased, decreased or in some other way changed? Support your hypothesis by describing one drug that alters synaptic communication in this way. (Hint: be sure to include in your answer to what receptors the drug binds in the brain and how this binding alters neuronal communication). One step in synaptic communication is the presynaptic release of neurotransmitters. The action potential travels up the axon of the presynaptic neuron, jumping to each node of Ranvier until it reaches the axon terminal (Lyons et al., 2012). Inside this presynaptic neuron are tiny packages, referred to as vesicles, which are full of neurotransmitters. The action potential reaches the synapse and the vesicle fuses with the neuron’s membrane, releasing the packaged neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft (Lyons et al., 2012). If this step were to be perturbed in some way, communication could either be decreased or increased. If the release of neurotransmitters was blocked or lessened, communication would decrease. However, if the release of neurotransmitters was increased, communication would increase. For example, the drug levodopa is a naturally occurring molecule that generates dopamine (Lopes, 2018). The administration of levodopa as a treatment for Parkinson’s leads to an increase in release of dopamine, which binds to both D1 and D2 receptors (Lopes, 2018). The increase in presynaptic release of dopamine increases communication between neurons. However, this increase in dopamine and it’s added binding is known to cause symptoms of schizophrenia (Lyons et al., 2012). References Cleveland Clinic. (2022, December 5). Occipital lobe: Function, location & conditions . https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/24498-occipital-lobe Cleveland Clinic. (2023, January 8). Temporal lobe: What it is, function, location & damage . https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/16799-temporal-lobe The Human Origin Project. (n.d.). The functional areas of the brain . https://humanoriginproject.com/functional-areas-of-brain/

Lopes, J. (2018, January 17). Parkinson's treatment Levodopa has shortcomings, study by students contends . Parkinson's News Today. https://parkinsonsnewstoday.com/news/student- researchers-say-parkinsons-therapy-levodopa-has-shortcomings/# Lyons, M., Harrison, N., Brewer, G., Robinson, S., & Sanders, R. (2012). Biological psychology . Learning Matters. http://ezproxy.umgc.edu/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/ login.aspx?direct=true&db=nlebk&AN=1641765&site=eds- live&scope=site&profile=edsebook&ebv=EB&ppid=pp_i SMCartledge. (2018, June 14). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15gA5aYAaDc

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