Brain. Ancient brain and new brain Ancient human brain
What is this mysterious substance in our head? It allows us to move, see, feel, understand and dream. But how does this tangle of neurons and synapses manage to guide our body and our thought?
Section of the website " Brain"Invites you on a fascinating journey within yourself, into the mysterious and amazing universe of the human brain ...
In this picture, the most important parts of the brain are highlighted in different colors. The red stripe is the frontal area. Here abilities such as foresight, imagination, creativity, a sense of responsibility and a tendency to introspection are acquired. Light green stripe - anterior central gyrus. Here is the center that controls all the muscles that obey our will. The blue stripe is the posterior central gyrus. It complements the anterior central gyrus. All information about the sensations experienced by our body (pressure, pain, temperature, etc.) flows here and is analyzed here. The blue spot marks the center responsible for our orientation in space. This part of the brain distinguishes between the left and right sides and performs calculations. The occipital lobe is painted in purple. By processing signals from the retina, this part of the brain recreates a picture of the world around us. The orange spot is the speech center, and the yellow spot is the auditory one. He not only perceives speech, but also understands it.
Through the opening in the skull, the foramen magnum, the nerve pathways enter the skull. Right here spinal cord and the medulla oblongata - a thickening that resembles an onion - pass into brain stemwhere many neurons are concentrated. They form two vital centers of the brain: respiratory and circulatory. If this part of the brain is damaged, the person dies. Above these centers is the reticular substance of the brain stem - an incredibly dense interweaving of neurons. This area of \u200b\u200bthe brain is its largest information "exchange". This is where 10 million nerve pathways from the spinal cord end. They connect all parts of the body to the brain. Signals entering brain, flock here, are analyzed here, and then forwarded to one or another part of the brain.
One of these specialized brain regions is cerebellum... It is located above the brain stem. Only the thin meninges separates it from the occipital bone. This small, tangerine-sized organ is cut with deep grooves. Cerebellum continuously receives thousands of messages: about the position of the arms and legs, about the direction of the gaze, about how the images are located on the retina and how the fluid moves in the labyrinth inner ear, etc. All this information is memorized, analyzed, compared - such work takes a few fractions of a second. As soon as the cerebellum sees any danger, it will immediately give the order to the muscles, and they will change the position of the body to prevent trouble. In addition, the cerebellum sends messages to the large brain. From them it is clear how a person feels, whether he is moving or resting, nervous or happy.
Brain stem - not a solid organ, it consists of two halves fused in the middle - left and right. This split is especially noticeable where one of the four cerebral ventricles filled with cerebrospinal fluid is located between the processes of the brain stem. Paired processes are called diencephalon. This very ancient department the brain stores the experience of evolution accumulated over millions of years. The lower part of the diencephalon - the hypothalamus closely monitors events on which the well-being of a person depends or which threaten him with trouble. At his command, a person's mood changes dramatically. It is here, in the hypothalamus, that feelings are born: hunger, thirst, aggression, rage, fear and irrepressible sex drive. In addition, the hypothalamus controls the pituitary gland: it forces this gland to secrete hormones that affect the vital processes in our body.
The upper diencephalon is called the thalamus. Messages from various parts of the body flock here. Thalamus evaluates how important they are to a person. When they are really significant, we feel anxious. The diencephalon plays a big role in the life of each of us. Dark, vague emotions lurk here: unreasonable fear, unbridled rage ... Appeals to reason, objectivity, peacefulness meet resistance in this part of the brain. The diencephalon clings tenaciously to the sad experience of the past. The real traces of the activity of this part of the brain are selfishness, hatred, belligerence and a senseless thirst for destruction. These unkind feelings again and again arise in the soul of a person and sometimes begin to control his life.
What is a big brain
Yes, the diencephalon plays a fatal role, but let us no longer dwell on it. So, a large brain covers it from above. In its lower layers are those centers that determine the dominant mood of a person, his temperament, mood. They are hidden under the grooved cerebral cortex.
Numerous experiments on animals, as well as observations of sick people, helped scientists draw up an accurate diagram cerebral cortex, show where the basic human abilities are formed.
It is in these centers that it is once and for all decided what a person will be - lethargic or energetic, whether he will strive for much or be content with little, whether he will be an optimist or a pessimist, seeing everything in black. This part of the brain determines a person's attitude to life, which is reflected in the structural features of his face, hands, manifested in his voice, gait and handwriting. But only in young children the expression on the face is genuinely sincere. Adults - through experience or education - mask their feelings and therefore behave "unnaturally." From above, the large brain is enveloped in a cerebral cortex that resembles a folded mantle. By and large, it is this part of the brain that makes a person a person. All his abilities and capabilities are concentrated here - in a three-millimeter layer of neurons.
Deep furrow divides cerebral cortex into two halves - front and back. The back of the cortex receives and analyzes visual and sound signals as well as sensory sensations. The front half, on the other hand, ponders and commands. Experiments on animals and observations of sick people helped to draw up an accurate diagram of the cerebral cortex. The unique - and therefore the most interesting - part of it was the frontal region. None of the animals have anything like this. All those qualities that are inherent in a person are concentrated here: foresight, imagination, creativity, a tendency to introspection and a sense of responsibility. This is where the concepts of "I" and "you" were born. In this area of \u200b\u200bthe brain (its area is only the size of the palm), as if in a mirror, all Nature is reflected, and in this reflection incomprehensible depths appear. Many believe that the Lord God himself is captured here.
Greetings, dear readers.
I will start my article about the reptilian brain and its invisible influence on human behavior with a naive question: "How many brains do you think a person has?" I don't mean the total weight in grams, but the quantity in pieces. Most likely, you will say that one, which is located in the head under the cranium, but after thinking, add another back, which is in the spinal column. The most advanced will remember the bone marrow, which is inside the bones. The total is three. We do not consider what some individuals think with their fifth point or fat belly.
In fact, everything is much more complicated. There is such a scientific direction in general human physiology as neurophysiology, which studies our nervous system... So, neurophysiologists have found that a person has two different brains located under the cranium at once. Not to be confused with the left and right hemispheres.
The first brain is Reptilian brain (Reptilian brain). It is believed that it appeared in animals several tens of millions of years ago. It is also called the "crocodile brain", probably, it remained unchanged among crocodiles. The reptilian brain ensures the survival of a living being in dangerous conditions. Survival of both an individual and the survival of the human race as a whole. This is the ancient, cave brain, responsible for the animal, instinctive, unconscious side of our life.
The second brain is Neocortex (Neocortex), or New brain. Scientists estimate its age at only a few tens of thousands of years. It is he who distinguishes us from animals, which are controlled only by the Reptilian brain. With the neocortex, we think, reflect, analyze the situation, perceive the world... He is responsible for our Reason, intelligence, logic, creativity, communication with other people, rationality, imagination.
Some physiological experts claim that we also have Limbic brainthat controls our emotions. And some - that it's just a system for processing our emotions, which has "external control".
It turns out that the body is one, and three independent brains control it simultaneously. Here you can add the back of the brain, which has its own special functions and responsibilities. Each brain solves its own specific tasks, and independently of the others. Because of this anarchy, all the mess that we have in our hectic life occurs. And nothing can be done about it, unless of course you learn to use the features of each "manager" correctly.
In addition, the situation is aggravated by the fact that the life support systems of our body are able to function completely independently, regardless of the circumstances and our opinion about them.
For example, you are on romantic dateyou have high feelings. And your bladder suddenly wants to empty, and begins to insist on doing it immediately. He wanted to spit on romance and what they think of you. I think you have encountered similar situations.
Hence the conclusion: we, our behavior and actions are controlled by at least four brains and life support systems of the organism. Reason, Consciousness also control us, but they play far from the first roles.
Take another look at the large image above. As you can see, to the spinal cord, which controls the body, internal organs the reptilian brain is immediately "attached". This is followed by the limbic, and then the neocortex. So that the body and the person as a whole are first governed by ancient instincts, then emotions, and only then, if it comes down to it, by Mind and Consciousness. It is clear - Reason is not always pleasant to some decisions and actions of "colleagues", sometimes it is ashamed of them. This is where internal conflicts arise.
Much has been written about life support systems and physiology in various medical books and textbooks. They are well studied. For reasonable, conscious behavior, such science as psychology, which studies the highest nervous activity human. His beliefs, convictions, experiences, deviations from normal behavior, and so on.
And psychology does not want to know anything about instincts, this is the sphere of such a science as ethology, which studies genetically determined behavior, the instincts of animals, and does not get into the study of man, doing with examples with cats, dogs and birds. Although the founder of psychology Sigmund Freud wrote at one time: “I discovered that man is an animal,” but this “discovery” of him did not receive support and understanding in human society, which naively considers itself the crown of Nature. Therefore, in any clinic you will find an ophthalmologist, therapist, psychologist and psychotherapist, but nowhere will you find a human ethologist. Nobody will work with your instincts. Nobody but yourself.
And in vain little attention is paid to instincts, because in a person there is both an animal and a rational principle. Moreover, in different people this is manifested in different proportions, who has more rational, and who has more animal. All sorts of internal conflicts, problems and experiences arise on the struggle of these principles.
What is the Reptilian Brain responsible for?
Many have heard of the Reptilian brain. But few people know about its influence on human behavior. It is customary to describe the behavior of the "crocodile" brain through Instincts. After all, it is he who controls them.
Instinct - a set of congenital, given from birth by Nature, components of the psyche, which determines the behavior of animals and humans.
There are many instincts, each is responsible for a certain field of activity. But the main three, which ultimately provide the main life task, namely the survival and continuation of the human race.
- Survival instinct, rescues in dangerous situations, ensures survival in extreme conditions. It also imposes on us actions that increase our social status in society. The higher the status, the safer - the leaders and their immediate entourage, as a rule, are well provided for, eat well and die last. But at the same time, they are trying to poison the leaders in the first place, to arrange an attempt on them or to overthrow them. So, you have to be on your guard all the time.
- Procreation instinct, organizes for us falling in love, creating a family and sex, from which children naturally arise. The more of them, the better for the instinct - this is how the continuation of the genus is guaranteed.
- Herd or herd instinct demands to stick to "friends", dividing people into flocks or groups of different signs - generic, national, religious, political, and so on. “Help your own, without strangers” - this cave logic of survival invisibly controls the behavior of millions of people today. In addition, it allows political, religious leaders to easily manipulate society.
These instincts are manifested in different people in different ways: who has more and who has less. It all depends on the conditions of life and the environment. If a person lives in difficult natural conditions, constant danger, in an atmosphere of military operations, lacks food, other resources, then instincts will be active, strongly influence behavior and decision-making.
And vice versa. If a person lives in favorable, comfortable conditions, feels safe, has stable incomes, savings for the future, good nutrition, then instincts are slowly "turned off", the Reptilian brain goes into hibernation. All decisions are made by Reason, life is predictable and conscious. But at the same time, when a danger arises, a person is not ready to recognize it in time and protect himself.
It is not difficult to guess that the most instinctive are the inhabitants of Africa, the Middle East, Central Asia, and the least - Europe and North America. Hence all the world's problems.
The function of the Reptilian brain is to help in a difficult life situation when a person cannot find a way out of it. The Reptilian brain considers this situation as a danger and tries to help eliminate it. He can only help through a direct impact on the "ward" body, otherwise for millions of years he has not learned.
Let me give you an example. Remember your childhood, when you really didn’t want to go to school, the reasons could be different: not learned lessons, a test for which you are not ready, conflicts with classmates, teachers, you just wanted to skip or go to the movies instead of lessons. But you could not afford to go out for a walk - you were afraid of the anger of your parents. In order not to go to school, it took a long and painful time to come up with explanations for the parents. But all the explanations did not have the desired effect. The situation seemed hopeless. And then your temperature suddenly rose, you showed the thermometer to your parents, and stayed at home with a clear conscience. How literally out of nowhere, without apparent reasons did the temperature rise? This is not a miracle, not magic, this is your Reptilian brain, which noticed a problem that was not resolved by the Reason and "offered" its own simple original solution, and no one noticed the catch. It is clear that the temperature dropped just as unexpectedly.
It should be noted that this ability to solve problem situations through illnesses of unknown origin persists in many people even in adulthood. And not only by a sudden rise in temperature. The unconscious has many levers of influence on the body. Instincts "remember" their successful decisions and actions, use in practice, but not always appropriate. For example, you have an important meeting, the results of which will determine your future. You are confident in yourself and in success, circumstances are developing well, but still a little worried - after all, fate is being decided. And then the temperature rises, the pressure jumps, the head hurts ...
Limitation of opportunities, difficulties in getting out of the "comfort zone", acceptance of a new one, difficulties in career growth and other incomprehensible obstacles associated with personal growth and development are also the field of activity of the Reptilian brain. After all, his main task is to protect a person from the new and unknown, not to let him get out of the usual, established way of life. The new and the unknown are dangerous for the instincts. The logic is simple: incomprehensible, not familiar, not known means dangerous, as the Neocortex would not convince them otherwise.
Now it's clear why it's hard to start new life "From Monday", diet, lose weight, play sports. The reptilian brain does not allow to drastically change the habitual, even destructive, way of life. Willpower does not help here, because it was invented by the Reason, and this unconscious "company" does not want to reckon with its opinion. It is clear that plans for the future, goals, desires and dreams will also be rejected by the Reptilian brain, and their implementation and implementation will become difficult.
How a person is torn apart by instincts and Reason
All the madness of our hectic world occurs due to the fact that in the same external conditions, under the influence of two brains at once different people act in different ways. It all depends on the level of influence of instincts and emotions. What's good for some is bad for others.
For example, for one person to climb onto the roof of an electric train car and jump off it will be normal behavior approved by his "flock" (the influence of the Pack instinct), while for others it will be complete madness.
The peculiarity of the Reptilian brain is that it is simple in its reactions and is not able to plan the future, it is not interested in the consequences of its own "decisions", it acts here and now. Thinking, reflecting, analyzing, planning, anticipating and calculating the consequences - this is the business of Reason. And the Reptilian brain solves its momentary tasks without thinking about the consequences, from here various unpleasant situations happen to a person, for example, after a struggle for resources in the form of someone else's wallet, an individual can long time to be deprived of freedom.
Another romantic example of confrontation
Let's imagine the following situation: a young man and a pretty young girl met and got acquainted. They started romantic, tender, love relationship... Flowers, candy walks under the moon. In youth, this happens to everyone. The Girl "woke up" The instinct of procreation - she wants to get married, create her own family, have a child. But the Young man is more reasonable - he needs to get higher education, get a high-paying job. In addition, society imposes the idea that a man should make a career, take a high leadership position, have his own home, a car, and so on. In general, the Girl wants one thing, and her Young Man wants something completely different. Apart from dating and sighing on the bench, they do nothing.
The girl is nervous - instincts rush things. And then a real alpha male meets her, who at least right now in bed down the aisle. Instinct rejoices - finally what you need! Events unfold rapidly: stormy courtship, proposal, wedding, the Girl in "seventh heaven" with happiness, then in the ninth month. The birth of a child, then the second, then the third, loans, mortgages - everything is like people have ... Live and rejoice.
But the media, day after day, repeat about inflation, the volatile dollar exchange rate, corruption, military conflicts, natural disasters, the vagaries of nature and many other dangers. So that the Male Instinct says: “Life is difficult and dangerous! The offspring may not survive! We need to do more, let the spare ones be better! " And our male gives birth to a mistress, whom, of course, makes children, then a second third. He is no longer interested in a jealous wife, always demanding money, his legal family is falling apart.
He becomes a free hero-lover who hides in closets and jumps in only socks from the ninth floor. Perhaps, in this form, he will live to old age, unless by accident one hundred and forty-six times he falls on the knife of some jealous husband.
Our, no longer young, Girl was left alone with children and several loans, for the payment of which there is absolutely no money, and is not expected. Her Instinct for procreation did its job, was satisfied with the result, calmed down and satisfied with itself gave way to Reason.
"Well, what did you fool think where you were looking when you got married?" - asks the Mind Girl, the same is asked by her relatives. By the way, relatives from the very beginning discouraged her from such a marriage, but she did not hear them.
And the Girl thought with instincts, which for a while turned off the critical Reason, did their job and that's it. Now Reason has to disentangle a difficult life situation. And this is not easy for him.
Findings:
1 ... Each of us has at least three brains in the head, under the cranium: Reptilian, Limbic and Neocortex. They do not complement each other, but solve their specific tasks, often contradict each other, creating problems.
2 ... The oldest is the Reptilian brain, which is responsible for safety and survival. He carries out his activity with the help of natural programs called instincts, or by direct unconscious influence on the body. There are many instincts, of which three are basic: survival, procreation, gregarious or herd - ensure the survival of the human race as a whole.
3 ... Unfortunately, the Reptilian brain does not have the ability to foresee, predict, the development of the situation, it simply solves its problem "here and now", which will be later, it is not interested. Having done the deed, he transfers control to the Reason, which tries to mitigate or change the consequences. This raises some problems.
4 ... The new brain - The neocortex appeared very recently, several thousand decades ago. He is responsible for: Reason, intellect, logic, analysis and perception of the surrounding world, creativity, speech, communication with other people, rationality, imagination, - everything that ancient animals do not have.
On this I say goodbye to you, dear readers. Until next time on the blog!
Since there is absolutely nothing to do during long flights (and I absolutely cannot sleep on the plane, for which I suffer upon arrival), I have to look for something useful to do. The series by this time are usually already revised, I do not read romance novels, but I really want to spend time usefully.
Therefore, I read various interesting articles that I carefully collect a couple of months before the next flight. :)
This time the topic came across a very interesting one, because it has a significant relation to what I do - marketing. The main task of marketing in a very simplified sense is formulated as follows: "How to sell?" How to connect a consumer and a manufacturer, how to position a product and stimulate demand - all this can be put into two words in the quotes above. And here it is just worth thinking about things that are completely abstracted from the positioning and selling process. Have you ever wondered exactly how a person makes decisions? Welcome to your brain!
According to Paul McLean, director of the brain laboratory at the US National Institute of Mental Health, each person has "three biological computers that operate together, but each has its own special level of intelligence, level of individuality, perception of time and space, and their memory."
Reptile brain
The oldest brain on earth. He appeared first and man successfully inherited it in the process of evolution from the first inhabitants of the planet - reptiles. The reptile brain includes the brainstem and cerebellum. Basically, the reptile's brain is busy with the life support of the body and maintaining the basic functions of the body (breathing, digestion, movement, etc.). It is this brain that is mobilized in cases of danger, is responsible for self-defense, dominance in the pack, protection of the territory and reproduction. This brain remains active even in a state of deep sleep, does not learn from its mistakes, is fixated and unable to adapt and change. He follows the program laid down in him evolutionarily.
Limbic system or mammalian brain
The limbic system appeared in the further course of evolution. The limbic system includes the hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala. The limbic system is the foundation of human emotion, attention, and affective (* emotional) memory. The amygdala is involved in creating connections between events and emotions; the hippocampus is responsible for storing and retrieving memories.
The limbic system "directs" the development of subjective judgments ("I like red" or "I don't like semolina", as well as "Masha is a fool!"). It is she who decides what we like and what we don't. She guides our efforts to avoid pain and enjoy. It determines how much of our attention should be given to a particular subject and is responsible for spontaneous behavior. It is the limbic system that determines our feelings. But our third brain comes up with rational explanations for this.
Neocortex (cortex)
The later brain, the result of evolution, which only primates possess, and man got the most advanced and largest version of it (two-thirds of the total brain mass). The neocortex is two large hemispheres + some subcortical groups of neurons, which include specialized zones for controlling voluntary movements and zones for processing information that comes from the sense organs. The two hemispheres control the opposite halves of the body, each in its own way. The left hemisphere is linear, verbal, and more rational, while the right is more artistic, musical, and abstract. All higher cognitive functions (language, speech, writing) are completely located in the neocortex. It is the neocortex that supports our logical thinking, allows us to plan and control the future.
Together
Scientists do not yet know how all three layers communicate with each other, but it is safe to assume that they are constantly in an active state, but in certain situations one brain begins to prevail over the others. The neocortex practically does not interfere with the work of the lower levels, but the limbic system often has a great influence on the higher mental functions ("Today I do not want to discuss this issue!"). In moments of severe stress, the reptile's brain takes over control and realizes its main task - the survival of the individual, allowing people to perform actions that are practically unthinkable for them. (It is to the reptile's brain that a person is obliged to a suddenly appearing superpower, which makes it possible to throw off a crushed plate or very quickly escape from danger).
However, it is the limbic system, which is responsible for human emotions, that is the main brain responsible for making decisions. When developing product packaging, advertising campaigns, positioning and other marketing gadgets, the main thing should be taken into account: all these efforts should please exactly the average brain of a potential buyer, because it is he who will decide what the buyer likes and what will not midbrain... They may feel that they are making deliberate decisions, but this will only be rationalization that the neocortex will carry out for them.
How to influence the midbrain of a person unknown to us? Given the three modes of perception involved in placing information in long-term memory, the prevalence of which does not depend on gender and race.
We will talk about them next time.
No related entries found.
Ancient
Midbrain - Brain: Midbrain Latin name Mesencephalon Medium m ... Wikipedia
BRAIN - BRAIN. Contents: Methods for studying the brain ...... ... 485 Phylogenetic and ontogenetic development of the brain ............. 489 Bee of the brain .............. 502 Anatomy of the brain Macroscopic and ... ... Great medical encyclopedia
ROMBOID BRAIN - During embryonic development, three distinct parts develop in the brain: the rhomboid brain, midbrain, and forebrain. The first of them is evolutionarily the oldest; it differentiates into the hindbrain and medulla oblongata. The hindbrain is further ... ... Dictionary in psychology
ANCIENT EGYPT - the second great world civilization after Mesopotamia in terms of the emergence. The cultures of Neolithic Egypt, familiar with agriculture, irrigation, and a sedentary rural lifestyle, developed ca. 5000 BC Probably around 3500 BC ... ... Collier's Encyclopedia
The medicine - I Medicine Medicine is a system of scientific knowledge and practical activity, the goals of which are strengthening and maintaining health, prolonging the life of people, preventing and treating human diseases. To accomplish these tasks, M. studies the structure and ... ... Medical encyclopedia
Cat - This term has other meanings, see Cat (disambiguation). Request "Cat" is redirected here; see also other meanings. Cat ... Wikipedia
Aromatherapy - Aroma lamp ... Wikipedia
Common hippopotamus - Request "Behemoth" is redirected here; see also other meanings. Request "Hippopotamus" is redirected here; see also other meanings. Common hippopotamus ... Wikipedia
Galileo (program) - This term has other meanings, see Galileo. Galileo Genre popular science entertainment Director (s) Kirill Gavrilov, Elena Kaliberda Editor (s) Dmitry Samorodov Production Teleformat (... Wikipedia
Books
- How they lived in Russia, Kachur Elena. About the book Inquisitive Chevostik and Uncle Kuzya go to Novgorod in the 13th century to find out answers to questions about life in Russia. They will find themselves in the courtyard of a friendly family, visit the fair, ...