Lab 2: brain and sensory systems

1) Lecture on the brain

2) Look at the brain models (plastic) and at the real brains stored in formalin underneath your bench. BE CAREFUL with the formalin: wear gloves and goggles at all times!

3) Lecture on the sensory systems

4) Practical observation (models)

Objectives

Have a basic understanding of the:

· central nervous system (lobes and parts of the brain, spinal cord structure and basic functioning)

· Sensory systems

Keep in mind that any cell can be innervated: look at the nerves surrounding the organs of your fetal pig (when we get to the fetal pigs).

Assignment

· Use 2 paper clips to map the density of sensory neurons on your finger, arm and your back. Be polite.

· Answer the vignettes (short stories, like medical cases-several answers are possible!)

· Draw the lobes of the brain, label and explain the main function or role of each lobe

Map of density of sensory neurons; distance in mm when 2 fine touches with a paper clip seem like one:

Person 1 Person 2 Person 3 Avg

Finger tip:

Arm

(proximal to wrist)

Back

How do you interpret this information?

1) Lobes of the brain

2) Draw a mammalian brain in mid-saggital section.
2) Vignettes

• Your mare does not come into estrus. What part of the brain might be affected?
• Jane suffers from epilepsy and it threatens to spread to the other cerebral hemisphere, which procedure could be performed to avoid that?
• Your dog seems to forget things after a head injury. Which brain region is likely to be damaged?
• Which organ could be lesioned to reduce aggression and fear?
• What is the function of myelin?
• If hit in the back of the head with a baseball bat, which sense is likely to be affected?