Peer Graded Assignment: Final Assignment Coursea: Understanding the brain

1. Final Assignment – Neurobiology
The study of the nervous system and how the brain functions is known as
neurobiology. The field investigates how the nervous system, the brain, and other
structures like the spinal cord work. Physiology and neuroscience are both subsets
of neurobiology.
The Neurobiology of Trauma
Part of the nervous system that are active in your example
The amygdala, which is responsible for processing emotions, and the hippocampus,
which is involved in memory processing, are flooded with the stress hormone cortisol
during periods of significant stress.
Today, child abuse is considered a public health problem. That’s why, from the past
few decades, experts have been trying to understand the effects of exposure to
traumatic life experiences on children’s psychopathology. That, however, raises
another important question: how does trauma neurobiology develop?
Child abuse is thought to be a public health issue. Because of this, researchers have
been attempting to comprehend how exposure to stressful life events affects
children's psychopathology for the past few decades. But that brings up even
another crucial query: how does trauma neurobiology evolve?
Clinical studies have concentrated on elucidating the effects of traumatic, one-time
experiences as well as exposure to chronic neglect and abuse. Numerous studies
have demonstrated that responses to isolated traumatic situations are frequently
influenced by recollections of the incident.
Additionally, frequent exposure to traumatic experiences, such as repeated medical
or surgical operations, or persistent abuse appear to have an overall negative impact
on neurobiological development. The following are factors of traumatic experiences:
• The child’s age when they were first traumatized.
• The frequency of traumatic experiences.
• To what degree the caretakers contribute to the traumatic nature of the event.
Describe the functions of the nervous system that are apparent and/or impaired in
your example
We are aware that traumatic events can change the chemical makeup of the brain.
They also weaken patients by affecting their ability to operate physically, mentally,
and emotionally.

2. The following are some of the most important functions of hippocampus:
• The hippocampus, which is associated with the sensing, expression, and
reaction functions, is a component of the limbic system.
• The two most popular theories for how the hippocampus works are those
involving space and memory. The spatial hypothesis was supported by the ground-
breaking 1971 finding of cells in the hippocampus that fired bursts of action
potentials when a rat crossed particular locations in space, or "place fields." This
suggested that the hippocampus was a part of the brain that assisted in helping the
brain map out the structures of its environment.
• These elements support the control of the endocrine system as well as other
bodily functions. This is commonly known as the "fight or flight" reaction.
• On the edge of the cortex is where the limbic system is found. basically, it is
made up of the hypothalamus. (a small gland located near the brain's base) and
amygdala
Emotion Learning
In moderating many facets of emotional learning as well as emotional behavior, the
amygdala performs a special function. The amygdala is primarily in charge of
managing the emotion of fear.
Fear conditioning can happen as a result of using Pavlovian conditioning. This
occurs when an unconditionedly innately unpleasant stimulus is combined with an
otherwise neutral stimulus.
For instance, making a loud banging noise each time a person sees an image of the
face of a specific stranger might serve as an unpleasant stimulus (neutral stimulus).
The neurons in the amygdala will become conditioned to the shift in stimuli after
numerous pairings of these two stimuli, exhibiting a conditioned fear response.
As a result of being conditioned to be afraid, we may anticipate that the individual in
the case will later develop a phobia of the stranger in the picture.
The amygdala is thought to affect cognitive functions like memory formation,
decision-making, attention, and social behavior, according to the literature.
It can be hypothesized that this is because the hippocampus, prefrontal, and sensory
cortices are among the areas to which the amygdala projects information. The
amygdala can therefore assign emotions to these mental processes.
For instance, we might decide based on our own feelings, or we might pay more
attention to something if we think it will make us feel good feelings toward it.
Memory Formation
The amygdala plays a key role in memory formation, particularly when it comes to
emotionally charged memories.
The hippocampus is a brain structure involved in remembering, and because the
amygdala is relatively close to it and has connections with it, the two frequently
collaborate to enhance recall of memories.

3. The amygdala can imbue memories with feelings. In essence, a memory is more
likely to be recalled if it is more emotionally charged.
For instance, a memory that is likely to be preserved is the birth of a child, which is
normally a highly emotive pleasant memory. Some memories with strong emotional
attachments can last a lifetime, whereas banal recollections with little to no emotional
connection are frequently forgotten.
Good and bad memories, but mainly emotional traumas, are stored in the amygdala.
Because these traumas are highly emotional memories, this is when the amygdala
can be harmful because these traumas will be particularly difficult to overcome.
Due to the amygdala's connections to numerous other brain areas, people who have
undergone emotional trauma may also discover that their trauma has an impact on
other cognitive abilities.
It is thought that emotional memories are kept in the synapses of the neurons in the
brain.
There is evidence to support the idea that the amygdala's numerous
neuromodulators control how emotional memories are formed. The neural
connections of the amygdala are thought to contain memories of fear.
Aggression
The limbic system's most crucial component, the amygdala, controls several
emotions, including aggression.
The amygdala's response is a reliable indicator of aggressive behavior.
Researchers discovered that surgically removing the amygdala causes formerly
violent people to become less aggressive.
In experiments on animals, amygdala activation results in aggressive behavior.
Explain in detail the ways in which this course has allowed you to better analyze the
events and phenomena around you.
This course has taught me important events that take place in our brain and why
ceryona events takes. This has improved my learning skills. Taught me that all
humans brains are anatomical circurits however there is differences between each
person. The brain determines human behaviour, breathing, walking and every other
activity that can be taught of. Our brain determines who we are and vibes the ability
to appreciate beauty, raise our children, recall loved once’s, respond to injustice,
take lessons from the past and envision a new future. This course has impacted my
thingking greatly.