Understanding the Brain and the Mind - Essay Example

Different equipment has been developed and studied by neuroscientists to understand how the brain works at the cellular level. Early neuroscientists used Positron Emission Tomography [PET] for neuro-imaging. This technique makes use of a radioactive sugar called Fluorodeoxyglucose. Sugar, being the primary energy source of the brain, is rendered radioactive and injected into a person. The flow of the radioactive sugar is then monitored and the flow of localization through the different parts of the brain gives the scientists the actual movement of signals when certain actions are carried out. However, the main issue with this is the introduction of radioactivity to a person (Voytek, “Computational Analysis”).

Cellular electrophysiology is another technique of brain mapping that makes use of the action potentials, in the form of electrical signals, sent out by the neurons in different areas of the brain while an action, such as moving or speaking, is being carried out. Similar to this technique is macroscale electrophysiology where signals of the brain are recorded in 64-bit channels. The limitation of this technique is that the resolution is poor, yet the main advantage is that the signal is recorded at almost the same time it was made (Voytek, “Computational Analysis”).

Another computational approach to neuro-imaging is Diffusion Tension Imaging [DTI] which makes use of the contractions of the axons in the brain when water flows through them. The variation in the strain creates a map showing the movement of the water all over the brain, that is from the frontal lobe to the back, or left to right. The limitation of this technique, however, is that the connectivity map created cannot be integrated with functional brain data (Voytek, “Computational Analysis”).
Integrated Approaches

Other studies involved the use of these techniques to evaluate the effect of the damages or lesions of the brain on patients, such as those with Capgras syndrome. Damages to certain parts of the brain affect our recognition of reality and these damages created delusions. With the help of neuro-imaging or brain mapping, the damaged parts of the brain can be determined in patients with brain damage, and these damages correlated to functional localization (Ramachandran, “Three Clues”).

Stroke is another type of brain damage that randomly or unexpectedly happens to any human being. Jill Bolte Taylor’s first-hand experience provided a realistic observation of what happens when a person gets a stroke. During the occurrence of a stroke, with the lesion situated at the left side of the brain, an individual loses grasp of reality. This means that the brain can no longer differentiate the individual from the rest of its surroundings. Motor functions, the capacity to read, and the sense of hearing are also affected during this time (Taylor, ted.com).

The Mind

A study in Italy discussed a certain type of neuron called mirror neuron, situated at the frontal lobe of the brain which fires a signal in the brain that makes a person imitate what another person is doing. This neuron, at the psychological level, may be responsible for the imitation of human behavior as well (Ramachandran, ted.com). However, the complexity of the human brain does not end at the cellular level. How people think, or act, especially in industrialized regions is also affected by the environment, and with the increasing demands and expectations, human behavior has become complex as well (Schwartz, “Paradox of Choice”).

How people make choices in the past is completely different from how individuals choose today. With the increase in options, as part of a marketing strategy, individuals fail to appreciate the decisions made. Unfortunately, decision-making has now become a stressful, and unsatisfying task due to the high expectations being propelled by society with the aim of achieving perfection in every aspect of human life (Schwartz, “Paradox of Choice”).

Conclusion

The complexity of the human brain has been a challenge for scientists for so many years. There is so much effort done to be able to figure out what is truly happening inside the brain using computational analysis and integrating these instruments with real-life observations. These findings have been able to help scientists correlate some of the parts of the brain with human behavior and function. Neuro-imaging techniques, integrated with real-life patients known to have brain lesions, are very helpful in understanding the patterns of human behavior and somehow provide a better perspective in predicting human behavior. However, the findings on mirror neurons make the brain an even tougher challenge. Credit can be given to the scientists who have significantly contributed to the advancement of understanding the human mind, but it cannot be denied that neuroscience is still at a long shot to fully understanding the brain and what goes on inside it. Read More