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9.13 The Human Brain - Lecture 1 Notes
Jul 8, 2024
9.13 The Human Brain - Lecture 1 Notes
Lecture Overview
Introduction to the course
The Human Brain
taught by Nancy Kanwisher.
Agenda for the lecture:
Brief story introduction (~10 min)
Discussing the why, how, and what of studying the human brain
Course mechanics and grading details
Introduction Story
A true story about a scary medical situation with a friend named “Bob”.
Story highlights themes relevant to the course: nature of the human mind, brain organization, resilience, and recovery from brain damage.
Bob had an incident displaying symptoms linked to brain function (e.g., navigation deficits).
EMTs couldn’t initially find anything wrong; Bob taken to ER.
Bob had a meningioma (non-cancerous tumor) impacting his navigational abilities.
Earlier fMRI scans showed a slowly growing tumor next to the para-hippocampal place area.
Post-surgery, Bob still couldn’t navigate despite other cognitive functions remaining intact.
Key Themes from Story
Brain Function Specialization
: Different brain regions specialize in different functions.
Brain Damage and Recovery
: Certain specialized mental functions may not recover post-damage, especially in adults.
Research and Real-Life Application
: Intersection of research findings with real-life scenarios.
Why Study the Human Brain?
Know Thyself
: Understanding the brain is understanding who you are.
Limits of Human Knowledge
: Knowing the mind helps evaluate the potential limits of human understanding.
Advance AI
: Insights from brain function can inspire artificial intelligence developments.
Greatest Intellectual Quest
: Unpacking the complexities of the brain and mind is a profound intellectual pursuit.
How to Study the Human Brain?
Levels of Organization
Molecules and their interactions
Properties of individual neurons
Circuits of interacting neurons
Entire brain regions and their functions
Networks of multiple brain regions interacting
Methodologies
Cognitive Science Methods
: psychophysics, perceptual illusions, behavioral observations.
Neuropsychology
: Studying brain-damaged patients such as Bob.
Functional MRI (fMRI)
: Imaging techniques to observe brain activity.
Neurophysiology
: Recording from neurons to study their properties.
EEG and MEG
: Studying brain waves and magnetic fields from the brain.
Diffusion Tractography
: Connectivity measures in the brain.
Course Focus and Topics
Areas of Recent Progress
Visual perception (color, shape, motion)
Recognition of faces, places, bodies, and words
Number processing and understanding
Speech and music perception
Language understanding
Theory of mind (understanding others' mental states)
Brain network interactions
Questions Explored in Course
Specialized brain machinery for specific functions?
Division of labor between brain regions?
Developmental trajectory of brain functions?
Cross-species comparison?
Uniquely human brain functions?
Role of knowledge and experience in brain functions?
Plasticity and changes in brain functions?
Conscious and unconscious processes?
Exclusions and Limitations
Motor control, subcortical functions, detailed circuit mechanisms, memory
Limited to functional understanding mostly in humans, little on animal literature for uniquely human functions.
Course Mechanics and Grading
Midterm
: 25%
Final Exam
: 25% (cumulative, weighted toward second half)
Reading and Writing Assignments
: 25% (approximately two papers per week)
Quizzes
: 25% (brief quizzes to reinforce learning, starting February 20th)
Longer Written Assignment
: Design an experiment (~3-5 pages)
Additional Information
Dissection Session: Real human brain dissection by Ann Graybiel.
Emphasis on reading scientific papers, understanding major theoretical questions, and cognitive science basics with neuroanatomy focus.
Resources for those who haven’t taken foundational courses.
Final Thoughts
Introduction to the relevance and excitement of studying the human brain.
Encouragement to focus on understanding over memorizing disjointed facts.
Preparation for in-depth exploration of mental functions and their brain basis throughout the course.
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