COGNITIVE

NEUROSCIENCE

MET ETEC 512

NATALIE, JONATHAN,
SHEENA (JOY)
 HISTORY IN BRIEF
COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE

The deep roots of cognitive

neuroscience lies in the
History of Philosophy from
atomic theories from the 5th
Century B.C. to its rebirth in
the 17th and 18th Century in
the works of Galileo,
Descartes, and Boyle

Aristotle considered the brain

as a cooling system and that
intelligence arose in the
human heart
HISTORY IN BRIEF
DONEC QUIS NUNC

Galen (2nd Century) declared

the brain to be the centre of
learning but personality and
learning were generated by
other organs

Vesalius suggested that the

brain was the major source of
learning and emotions.

Psychology thus arose from

these facts and philosophical
reason about the mind
 COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
FUN FACT

Phrenology, a pseudoscientific
approach in the 19th century
looked at the shape of the scalp.
Prominent bumps were indicators
of significant brain activity.

Gall and Spurzheim endorsed this

and proposed the brain was
divided into 35 sections.

Phrenology drew large crowds at

carnivals for enjoyment but
lacked empirical research.
COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE DEVELOPMENT
LOC ALISATION

Localisation - this theory

involved specific functional
areas without clear
identification.

Epilepsy studies developed

by John H. Jackson in the UK
(1835) supported findings
where his work identified
specific lobes of activity
during seizures, leading to
further understanding of
brain lobes.
 COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE
AGGREGATE FIELD VIEW

JP Flourens (1794, France), a

physiologist, proved through
empirical research on animal
that all areas of the brain
participate in mental
functions.

He looked at the cerebellum

cortex and brain stem,
concluding that muscular
functions and cognition were
affected when parts of the
brain were removed.
 NEUROSPYCHOLOGY AND BRAIN MAPPING

Brocas research (1861, France)

showed how frontal lobe damage
could prevent speech but not
impede understanding, known to day
as Brocas area in brain physiology.

Wernicke (1848, Germany) showed

how a stroke in the temporal and
parental brain lobes altered
understanding but allowed clear,
random speech, known as Wernickes
area today.

Brain mapping grew from electrical

impulse studies in brains (Hitzig &
Fritz, 1870, Germany), identifying 52
areas of the brain through tissue
staining.