The Behaving Brain Philip Zimbardo, Stanford University The Discovering Psychology Series 6:00 - 25:58

The brain is an integral part of the nervous system and it works in a holistic way with all its parts interacting. Although some regions are specialized to get the job done in the most efficient way.

Let's take a quick tour so we can learn our way around. Anatomy and function including the brain stem, cerebellum limbic system (amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and thalamus), cerebrum, corpus collosum, and cortex were illustrated. Details may be found in Wade and Tavris pages 118-130.

Research methods were discussed including autopsies of patients with brain damage, stroke, an disease; lesioning of brains in animals; stimulating chemicals and electrical impulses; brain imagery; recording electrical impulses of single neurons; and electroencephalograms. Neurometical analyses permits identification of major psychiatric disorders (depression, dementia, schizophrenia) and alcoholism.

Other researchers study the chemical action in the nervous system. One of the most promising is the study of the effects of drugs on specific functions of the brain. The brain itself is a biochemical drug factory that manufactures opioid like molecules. These molecules are called opioid peptides, part of the complex system of neurotransmitters that send signals from cell to cell and ultimately to other organs in the body. Although there are many different types of opioid peptides, they are known collectively as endorphins. These endorphins also come with corresponding opioid receptors throughout the body. There is a finely tuned division of labor among them. The action of each one is mediated through different types of receptors. What all of them do is nothing short of remarkable. Endorphins can create the mood of euphoria and reduce pain depending upon which peptides attach themselves to which receptors.

Endorphins are just one of the staggering influences on the brain. Professor Zimbardo went on to discuss the study of neurotransmitters, using animal models, on learning and memory. For example, scopolamine can lead to experimental amnesia by blocking receptor sites for the neurotransmitter acetycholine. The opposite can also be done. Physostigmine blocks the enzyme that breaks down the neurotransmitter so there is more acetycholine around in the synapse leading to memory enhancement. Acetycholine is tremendously reduced in alzheimer's patients. The hope is that treatments can be developed to help alzheimer's patients.

Strategies are also being developed with the hope of overcoming brain damage by use of neuronal transplantation. Prenatal cells are injected into areas where cell death has occurred. These grafted cells can become functional. This has application in Parkinson's disease, for example. In Parkinson's disease, dopamine cells die and disappear. An animal model for the disease has been developed. Prenatal cells have been transplanted and shown to be successful. These prenatal cells actively secrete dopamine from their synapses. This model has been the foundation for the recurrent clinical trials undertaken in several countries. Utility for neuorgrafts has been demonstrated for other diseases as well.