Human Brain Lecture Notes

Introduction

• Professor: Nancy Camwisher
• Course Title: 9 13 The Human Brain
• Course Agenda: Introduction, story, course mechanics, why/how/what of studying the brain

Story: Bob's Medical Incident

• Main Characters: Bob (friend of the professor), Nancy Camwisher (professor)
• Setting: Cambridge, MIT, ER

Key Events

• Bob stayed at Nancy’s house before a conference
• Early morning crash led to discovering Bob on the floor
• Bob briefly unconscious, then woozy but alive
• EMTs found no immediate issues; taken to Mount Auburn Hospital ER
• Nancy suspected brain problems due to past navigational issues Bob had

Previous Concerns

• Bob frequently got lost, even in familiar places
• Showed signs of disorientation (e.g., simple directions misunderstood)
• Prior worries about Alzheimer's due to similar symptoms
• Previous observation from Nancy's lab scans: a growing blob in Bob’s brain

Discovery and Surgery

• ER revealed a lime-sized tumor in Bob’s brain, near the brain’s navigation center (para hippocampal Place area)
• Tumor identified as meningioma, not cancerous but still serious
• Surgery involved major incisions and complex navigation around brain veins
• Surgery successful, Bob discharged within days

Post-Surgery: Cognitive Abilities

• Bob’s specific navigational abilities didn’t return post-surgery
• Relies heavily on iPhone GPS for navigation
• Other spatial abilities like recognition and immediate orientation remain intact

Themes from the Story

• Brain Structure and Specificity: Different parts of the brain are responsible for specific functions
• Brain Damage and Recovery: Recovery of functions depends on the nature and timing of brain damage
• Cognitive Neuroscience Methods: Behavioral observations, anatomical and functional brain imaging, patient studies

Why Study the Brain?

• Self-Understanding: Know thyself; the brain is central to identity and consciousness
• Limits of Knowledge: Understand what humans can know and how they know it
• Advancing AI: Insights from human cognition can inform AI development and vice versa

How to Study the Brain?

• Levels of Organization: Studying neurons, circuits, regions, networks
• Mind-Brain Relationship: Examining how mental functions map to brain functions
• Methods: Psychophysics, neuropsychology, fMRI, EEG, Meg, diffusion tractography

Main Course Topics

• Perception and Recognition: Color, shape, motion, faces, places, words
• Cognitive Functions: Number sense, language, music, theory of mind
• Brain Development and Plasticity: Early development, learning, recovery from damage
• Human vs. Animal Cognition: Exploring unique aspects of the human brain

Course Mechanics

• No Textbook: Field moving too fast; rely on current research articles
• Grading: Midterm (25%), final (25%), reading/writing assignments, quizzes
• Class Format: Lectures, readings, practical exercises, experiments design
• First Assignment Due: February 12th at 6 pm on Stellar
• First Quiz: February 20th using Google forms

Reading Scientific Papers

• Approach: Identify the main question, findings, interpretation, experimental design
• Focus: Key insights and implications rather than technical details
• Understanding: Skip over technical gobbledygook if not essential for understanding the main point

Conclusion

• Overall Goal: Understanding the mind through studying the brain, appreciating cognitive neuroscience methods, and staying updated with the latest research