Psychology

The Secret Life of the Brain

Mr. Ring

Yasoda Rijal, Nimo,Michaela, Adrew

Please complete the follow questions after watching the corresponding episodes. The episodes
you do not watch will be explained to you by your group members.
Episode 1: The Babys Brain (watched in class)
1. If a baby is born 3 months early, what are some challenges they will face?
Babys brains were affected by the earlier born because many precious weeks still remain for
the development of the brain. Babies will suffer from brain bleeding, which he/she have high risk
of cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, and learning disability. Babies will have difficulty later in the
life. Difficult in paying attention, learning, planning and imposing structure. From the womb,
babies cant directly get their food into her stomach, he/she will get food from other digestive
system of her mother.

2. How are brain cells different than other types of body cells in terms of
development and reproduction?
Brain cell have different function than the most other body cells. Brain cell do not reproduce,
also brain cell provide a supportive framework for nerve cells as they developed. Brain helps to
make a way to carry information. Neuron makeup many cells specific to the brain. They produce
electrical impulses to transfer information.

3. What are some ways in which the world influences the developing brain?
The environment is shown to have many influence on neuronal development. Touching, rocking,
talking, smiling, and singing all affect the brain development. World can be warm, loving, caring
to their child to create a network of the brain cells that help the baby comfort. Good nutrient can
help the brain to reduce the risk of neural tube defect. Talking and singing can help the babys
brain to handle the speech and language development. Babies will react through their physical,
social, and sensory about what they like and what they dont like.

Episode 2: The Childs Brain

1. If you tried to learn a foreign language now, why would it take so much
more work that when you learned to speak your native language as a very young child?
At birth or for the short period of time, babies have an incredible ability to hear the difference
between all the sound we used in the worlds languages. As baby gets older, babys brain will be
more efficient at responding to the language they regularly hear. A year old baby listen and
understand speech with both left and right hemisphere. Brain is most plastic, so it will adapt all
other things as they will be matured.

Psychology

The Secret Life of the Brain

Mr. Ring

2. What difficulties do 8 year old Katie Warrack and 14 year old Michael Rehbein face after
their brain surgeries? How do they deal with them?
8 years old, Katie Warrack has suffered from seizure which is so devastating that she can no
longer talk. She have a surgery where she have to eliminate the left hemisphere. 14 years old,
Michael Rehbein had the left part of the brain removed. He have half of his body paralyzed. But
they can relearn how to talk, and walk again. Right hemisphere will take over left hemisphere,
but it is not efficient for its work.

Episode 3: The Teenagers Brain

1. In this program, Steven E. Hyman says,The brain is a work in progress, and adolescence is
the last great time of enormous brain change and brain development. Think about your
experiences and feelings in recent months. Do you see any evidence that your brain is
changing?
Ive noticed many changes in my thinking recently. Ive gone through the classic cant stand my
parents phase as well as the realization that Im growing up and moving out in near future.
2. As you watched the program, how did Courtney Hale Cooks experiences with schizophrenia
challenge your previous ideas or teach you something new?
I thought schizophrenia was solely in older people but, this case isnt.

3. What did you learn about drug addiction from this program that challenged your previous
ideas or taught you something new?
I learned many things about drug addiction, but none of my previous ideas were necessarily
challenged.
4. If addictive drugs change their brains, are teenage addicts still responsible for their
addictions? What are some ways teenagers can resist taking these drugs if their brains have
been altered?
Teenagers arent responsible for the addiction while its occurring but they are responsible for
getting it in the first place. Most teenagers are educated on what drugs do so it shouldnt be too
hard to stay away from them.

Psychology

The Secret Life of the Brain

Mr. Ring

Episode 4: The Adults Brain

1.Why does not being able to feel his emotions make it so hard for Marvin Bateman to make
daily decisions?
He has lost the emotional connection from his past. Memories and the emotions that go with
them guide our everyday decisions
2. How is fear a useful emotion? How can it be a harmful one? Can you give examples from
your own life?
Fear can help you sense danger and prevent you from it. Youll also have a good memory of
that danger and can use it in the future. It can be harmful because it can lead to the disease like
PTSD and be overly sensitive, even the slightest sound can make that person scared.Fear has
prevented me from doing this in my life. For example my fear of roller coasters has kept me
from going on them.
3. Why do you think Lauren Slater is suspicious of her medication, even though it has helped
her so much? Do you think her worries are valid, or not?
Shes suspicious of the drug because her dose has increased almost eight times as it was when
she first started. I dont think her worries are valid because it doesnt matter about the amount of
drug doses as long as the drug is helping her.
Episode 5: The Aging Brain
1. What are some differences between short-term and long-term memory? Give some examples
from your own experience that illustrate the differences.
Short term memory has a fairly limited capacity and can hold item for only short period of time,
also a primarily a function of the frontal lobe of the cerebral context.
Long term memory can store unlimited amount of information indefinitely, also held in
hippocampus and then transferred to the areas of the cerebral cortex involved in language and
perception for permanent storage.
Examples: I still remember the story of the book called The Chosen from 5th grade.
I remember all the definition of the Life Span yesterday, but now I forget.
2. Imagine the world in 2025. What kinds of medical treatments do you think there might be to
help people suffering from neurological conditions such as Alzheimers?
Medical treatment which prescribed to symptoms related to memory, thinking, language,
judgement, and other thought of process. Like Exercise, and better medicine than
Cholinesterase inhibitors.

Psychology

The Secret Life of the Brain

Mr. Ring

3. The physical therapy that Kent Miller uses to combat the paralysis of his left side requires
many hours of tedious work. Do you think you would have the emotional strength to endure
such a procedure if you were in his position? Why or why not?
No, because I dont have much strength to do the work for many hours and also I feel like Im
weak to try all things.