The human brain is a unique entity whose function determines a person’s mood and behavior. Without the proper and productive functioning of the brain, normal and happy life for the individual is impossible. Modern scientific methods allow scientists to investigate how different brain parts work to perform complex behavioral tasks and thought processes, such as thinking, analyzing visual information, or remembering. This critical article examines the relationship between the physical structure of the brain and the study of cognition.
Transmitters of biological origin transmit impulses between neurons in the brain. The brain’s various functions are divided into parts, such as the hippocampus or cortex. By studying not the whole organ but by looking at each of its components individually, it is possible to gain a deeper understanding of the brain’s overall functioning (Bright Enlightenment, 2014). Often scientists study less evolved organisms and then transfer these experiences to humans. Many behavioral experiments on mice or other rodents demonstrate how the brain learns during various tasks, such as remembering the location of a treat in a maze.
The results of such studies can be important and useful to study similar processes in the human brain. For this purpose, modern technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging, are used. With its help, scientists can map the activity of different brain parts based not on the image of each specific neuron but on their active interaction (Bright Enlightenment, 2014). These studies have already helped diagnose various mental disorders, the research, and treatment of which have always been very difficult. The brains of people suffering from such serious illnesses show unhealthy activity in certain parts of the brain. Technological advances may make it possible to discover new and unexplored cognitive abilities in people and to treat complex mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Reference
Bright Enlightenment. (2014). How Does the Brain Work? – Human Cognition. [Video]. YouTube.