Wednesday, November 7, 2012

Brain Videos 101

I’ve been recently feeling that I need some very basic education on the regions of the brain. Luckily I bumped into two animated lectures/videos that were, for me, particularly instructive.

I first watched the Sentis Brain Animation video, which lays out the basics of brain geography – which areas are used for what activities. (I’m sure that there’s a better word for this, but this is how I thought about it.) You can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5_vT_mnKomY

 

The RSA Animate video of Ian Gilchrist’s lecture entitled “The Divided Brain” is a bit longer, British, wittier and more focused on the differences between the right and left hemispheres: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFs9WO2B8uI&feature=related



I also liked “The Divided Brain” because it reminded me of Jill Bolte-Taylor’s seminal book entitled “My Stroke of Insight” in its discussion of the differences between the two hemispheres. Ms. Bolte-Taylor’s description of her struggle to recover from a massive left-hemisphere stroke while losing nearly all those left-side brain functions gives me the willies. It you haven’t read her book or hear her talk, watch this presentation - http://www.ted.com/talks/jill_bolte_taylor_s_powerful_stroke_of_insight.html - and then go read her book.

 


If none of these tickle your curiosity bone, you’re reading the wrong blog.

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