Brain and Behavior Institute, 2001

Serendip is an independent site partnering with faculty at multiple colleges and universities around the world. Happy exploring!

Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities

Remote Ready Biology Learning Activities has 50 remote-ready activities, which work for either your classroom or remote teaching.

BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR INSTITUTE 2001

Monday - Wednesday mornings, 30 July - 1 August

One week into it, half way through, where've we been? where are we going .... ?

Brain=Behavior? What newly understood? What remaining/new question?

Gladys M. Baskerville comfortable with; thankful that have interacting systems, since system complex, never to be fully understood boxes inside boxes inside boxes; input starting in middle, output affects input; neuropharmacology, that dopamine affects so many things; will be more aware of medications; just don't know what things doing to your body where is reasoning coming from, things so black and white as teacher but students just don't get it; storage of information in brain? how utilize in instruction? interested in formation and early years, fullest potential

Patrice J. Braxton one third yes; is part of team antiquated ways of thinking about science and about nervous system open up world of science: how do we measure peak of performance? what same/different in babies/students/adults? Is there a peak or does one always learn?

Karen Cohen

Robert A. Cole don't believe its "who you are"; that is the I-function? is that the spirit? interested in how much of behavior one doesn't "think about" needs to know more about I-function, how much does it affect behavior? do you want to have more control? does age affect that? how much I-function in baby? teenagers just want dopamine satisfied? have less trust in psychiatrists/psychologists prescribing medications ... less wrong makes one worry about taking medicine

Sylvia Cooper works for me understanding brain and rest of nervous system as total package, including neurons; brain and drug addiction; effects of things one eats conflict resolution, avoiding violence, is environment? how use to better understand students?

Christeena Mathews is too simple to say it like that greater appreciation of brain as more than an organ, has a lot to do with who we are how does soul, feelings, emotion fit into this? how bring into classroom

John Dalton expanded notion of "brain" works; is not only what is above neck; don't like "glib" phrase; is problematic has greater understanding of behavior not determined by I-function, very valuable still lots of question about I-function, relation to consciousness/unconsciousness; interested in pharmacology, genetic influences

Pamela T. Harris I too now believe are the same brain and neurotransmitters, how connectedness of neurons produce a total person how does b/b go with spirit, how does bb/spirit/environment go together, how use this information to help students, particularly those with, perhaps, "unhealthy connections"?

Bertha May Henson yes, do now believe brain=behavior every time input changes, whole situation changes appetite whetted for more information, would like ongoing institute

Randal Holly somewhat comfortable that is so accomplishments of neuropharmacology, drugs that can both inhibit and facilitate behaviors are synaptic connections continually reforming, or is it a static system reached at some point and not subsequently altered? can drugs repair synaptic connections

Sharon P. Lee are the same thing boxes within boxes within; outputs affecting inputs; drugs and inhibitors (would like more) what are long term effects of drugs? how does rehabilitation work? how identify/deal with chemical imbalances

Janet P. Middleton yes; are constantly thinking therefore processing fascinated by how things start and stop in middle; understood before there was something there but now can explain to a student in terms of neurons how apply information to student learning? how maximize student potential?

Susannah Starkweather yes mechanics of how neurons work, potentials; overwhelmed with complexity where is research going? what are practical uses?

Regina Toscani yes, but qualify with possibility that some inputs are "spiritual" now understand why Christopher can move leg; I-function a small part of brain/nervous system old: how much control does I-function have; are there ways to increase its control?

Nayjuana Woodberry

	Brain=Behavior?	What newly understood?	What remaining/new question?
Gladys M. Baskerville	comfortable with; thankful that have interacting systems, since system complex, never to be fully understood	boxes inside boxes inside boxes; input starting in middle, output affects input; neuropharmacology, that dopamine affects so many things; will be more aware of medications; just don't know what things doing to your body	where is reasoning coming from, things so black and white as teacher but students just don't get it; storage of information in brain? how utilize in instruction? interested in formation and early years, fullest potential
Patrice J. Braxton	one third yes; is part of team	antiquated ways of thinking about science and about nervous system	open up world of science: how do we measure peak of performance? what same/different in babies/students/adults? Is there a peak or does one always learn?
Karen Cohen
Robert A. Cole	don't believe its "who you are"; that is the I-function? is that the spirit?	interested in how much of behavior one doesn't "think about"	needs to know more about I-function, how much does it affect behavior? do you want to have more control? does age affect that? how much I-function in baby? teenagers just want dopamine satisfied? have less trust in psychiatrists/psychologists prescribing medications ... less wrong makes one worry about taking medicine
Sylvia Cooper	works for me	understanding brain and rest of nervous system as total package, including neurons; brain and drug addiction; effects of things one eats	conflict resolution, avoiding violence, is environment? how use to better understand students?
Christeena Mathews	is too simple to say it like that	greater appreciation of brain as more than an organ, has a lot to do with who we are	how does soul, feelings, emotion fit into this? how bring into classroom
John Dalton	expanded notion of "brain" works; is not only what is above neck; don't like "glib" phrase; is problematic	has greater understanding of behavior not determined by I-function, very valuable	still lots of question about I-function, relation to consciousness/unconsciousness; interested in pharmacology, genetic influences
Pamela T. Harris	I too now believe are the same	brain and neurotransmitters, how connectedness of neurons produce a total person	how does b/b go with spirit, how does bb/spirit/environment go together, how use this information to help students, particularly those with, perhaps, "unhealthy connections"?
Bertha May Henson	yes, do now believe brain=behavior	every time input changes, whole situation changes	appetite whetted for more information, would like ongoing institute
Randal Holly	somewhat comfortable that is so	accomplishments of neuropharmacology, drugs that can both inhibit and facilitate behaviors	are synaptic connections continually reforming, or is it a static system reached at some point and not subsequently altered? can drugs repair synaptic connections
Sharon P. Lee	are the same thing	boxes within boxes within; outputs affecting inputs; drugs and inhibitors (would like more)	what are long term effects of drugs? how does rehabilitation work? how identify/deal with chemical imbalances
Janet P. Middleton	yes; are constantly thinking therefore processing	fascinated by how things start and stop in middle; understood before there was something there but now can explain to a student in terms of neurons	how apply information to student learning? how maximize student potential?
Susannah Starkweather	yes	mechanics of how neurons work, potentials; overwhelmed with complexity	where is research going? what are practical uses?
Regina Toscani	yes, but qualify with possibility that some inputs are "spiritual"	now understand why Christopher can move leg; I-function a small part of brain/nervous system	old: how much control does I-function have; are there ways to increase its control?
Nayjuana Woodberry

Have learned fair amount by looking from output side ...

There ain't nothing there but neurons (ion flows, permeability changes, transmitters ...)
Action = motor symphony = spatio-temporal pattern of activity across lots of motoneurons
Symphonies may be based on internal scores and/or afferent/reafferent signals (usually both)
Symphonies may reflect prior inputs and/or genetic information (usually both)
Symphonies may be endogenously generated and/or triggered by inputs (frequently both)
Inhibition plays an important role in determining what symphonies are played
Symphonies frequently involve distributed performances with corrollary discharge signals creating coordination
Outputs affect inputs, both via the outside world and via corollary discharge signals
Corollary discharge can create elements of what appears to the external observer to be "expectation"
Feedback organizations can endow systems with what appears to the external observer to be "purpose"
Action can occur without involvement of the "I-function" or the neocortex
Damage to neocortex abolishes the ability to create "voluntary" movement but not the ability to generate motor symphonies nor to do so in complex and "adaptive" ways in response to sensory input

Extrasensory perception: One can learn/know without experiencing: proprioception/pheromones, as well as "five sense" info that by passes I-function

Turn to input side, what expect from there?
The brain as a painter

Eye
Fovea and optic nerve head
Seeing more than your eye does
Map your own blindspot (needs Internet Explorer as browser)
The unconscious/I-function distinction
More brain as painting - lateral inhibition - a more "real" reality?
Still more brain as painting - color - "if the tree falls in the forest ...?"

Conflict and conflict resolution: learning from the brain
judge less; appreciate more, what others' stories can do for each other, for oneself
elements of rationality, creativity, self without I-function - where/what is "reason"?
More ambiguity and its resolution
Visual pathways and Blind sight
Between input and output: self and "intrinsic variability" in the frog
One more step on the way to the I-function
Generalized control mechanisms
Emotions, personality
Dreams ... self

Antonio Damasio

Personal responsibility, free will?

Send us your comments at Serendip