Brainstem

for auditory and visual information (Kumar, 2012). Not only does the midbrain control auditory and visual systems, it also controls eye movement. The midbrain has two main parts the tegmentum and the tectum. The Tegmentum is located within the brainstem and forms the base of the midbrain.The tegmentum consists of the reticular formation, periaqueductal grey matter, and the red nucleus. The reticular formation is involved in sleep, arousal, attention, and other basic reflexes. The…

Arousal is obtained by an inhibition of the sleep-promoting structures and promotion of the cortex activity. It is an active process mediated by the upper brainstem neurons in the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPT), laterodorsal tegmental nucleus (LDT), locus coeruleus(LC), tuberomammillary nucleus (TMN) and ventral periaqueductal gray (vPAG). In a perfect mirror image, sleep is regulated by an inhibition of the…

different sensory information from the eyes; essentially, allowing us to understand what we are actually looking at. One must always be careful when taking a fall and hitting their head, as damage to the occipital lobe can cause blindness. The brainstem is not only the oldest and most basic brain region, but also, in my opinion, the most important. It controls things we absolutely could not live without, such as breathing functions and our heart beat. It also helps mange other important…

process and effects, as well as many other things. There are five parts of the brain involved with fear and the response to it. The thalamus receives incoming data and decides where to send it. It is located deep within the brain at the top of the brainstem and under the cerebral cortex, near the center of the brain. It is connected to the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and spinal cord to receive sensory information. The sensory…

Since Henry Beecher's 1955 seminal paper The Powerful Placebo, the concept of an inactive and suggestive sugar pill has fascinated the general public. Through its use in popular media and everyday conversation, the placebo effect has become a mainstay in most citizens rudimentary understanding of psychology. Unfortunately, Americans (including myself prior to investigating this phenomenon further) appear completely oblivious to the placebo's equally consequential yet grossly underreported…

The brain is the most important body organ in your body nothing can function without your brain. The brain contains the way it moves, feels, and its senses of emotions, including the lungs, heart, and stomach. which is the part to the central nervous system. There are three main structures of the brain, the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. Forbrain their are two different types of forebrain which is (diencephalon and telencephalon). The diencephalon structure contains the…

and emotional minds create a sense of harmony, through making decisions that satisfy both the head and the heart. The amygdala, a key component of the emotional mind, “ is an almond shaped cluster of interconnected structures perched about the brainstem near the bottom of the limbic ring” (p14) While retaining a small structural percentage, this structure preserves a critical position - it is the “specialist for emotional matters” (Goleman, 2005, p.…

As stated by the National Alliance of Mental Illness (2016), in a given year,1 in 5 adults in the U.S will experience some type of mental illness. A vast majority that suffer from mental or psychiatric disorders in the United States do not get the treatment and attention they need often because of the excessive cost of therapy and prescription drugs (Anxiety and Depression Association of America, n.d.). The long term effects of a mental or psychiatric disorder that goes untreated, can be…

The pathophysiology of methamphetamine abuse and addiction Introduction Addiction is a neurological disorder that impairs reward system in the brain (Peter and Charles, 2007). Methamphetamine is the second most illicitly abused drug after Cannabis in Australia (McKetin et al., 2009). It is one of the most powerful and addictive stimulant that causes brain dysfunctions. Methamphetamine increases release of neurotransmitter dopamine that is involved in reward and generation of pleasurable emotions…

encephalin, and endorphins. Adrenocorticotrophic hormone prompts downstream delivery of glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex. The initiation of the sympathetic nervous system by CRF is facilitated by direct innervation of the locus coeruleus in the brainstem, which proceeds widespread release of norepinephrine throughout the brain and peripheral tissues. All of these reactions cause a feedback mechanism leading to increased release of corticosteroids that have the ability to cause…