Hemispheric Specialization: Effects of Drugs on the Brain

Hemispheric Specialization: Effects of Drugs on the Brain NANA KOFI BONSU AKUFFO LANCASTER UNIVERSITY INTRODUCTION The human body is divided into many parts called organs. All of the parts are controlled by an organ called the brain, which is located in the head. The brain weighs about 2.75 pounds. The brain is made up of many cells, and I the centre of the body. The brain sends messages to all the other parts of the body (â€Å"The Human Brain.† 123HelpMe.com. 19 Feb 2015). The human brain is seen to be in a spherical form. A hemisphere is half of a sphere, so this means, the brain divided into two parts or hemispheres. There is the right and the left. These hemispheres appear to be identical, but closer examination reveals that they are highly specialized regions that serve different functions. The left hemisphere enables our ability to express ourselves in language. In over 95% of right-handed people the left hemisphere is dominant for speech. The figure is somewhat lower for left hander’s, approximately 70%, but still highly significant. The left hemisphere is better than the right at recognizing sequences of words and letters. It controls our logic, our reasoning, and our analytical thought processes. It can focus on details, however it has difficulty comprehending the whole picture. The perceptual functions of the right hemisphere are more specialized for the analysis of space and geometrical shapes and forms, elements that are all present at the same time (not so sequential like language). The right hemisphere is the creative half, it can see the whole out of parts, that is allowing us to connect puzzle parts together. The right hemisphere also plays an important role in the comprehension of emotion. However, the control of drug intake from childhood stages to late adulthood increases gradually in life. Even for medical purposes, the intake of drugs may not just help a patient recover but can also have other negative side effects that later on in life reveal themselves. Drugs affect brain pathways involving reward, that is, the dopamine system in the reward pathway. Within seconds to minutes of entering the human body, drugs cause dramatic changes to synapses in the brain. LITERATURE REVIEW Hemispheric specialization refers to the study of cognitive functions, dividing them up by the hemisphere of the brain responsible for them (www.ask.com/ science/define-hemispheric-specialization). Cognitive function refers to a person’s ability to process thoughts.  Cognition  primarily refers to things like memory, the ability to learn new information, speech, and reading comprehension. In most healthy individuals the  brain  is capable of learning new skills in each of these areas, especially in early childhood, and of developing personal and individual thoughts about the world. The brain has two halves orhemispheres. The two sides look like mirror images. This is calledbilateral symmetry. The wordbilateralmeans two-sided, while symmetrymeans the two sides look the same. So bilateral symmetry refers to the fact that the brain consists of two halves that are nearly mirror images of each other. Some function locations vary depending on the dominant hand of the patient. In general terms, literary functions are focused in the left hemisphere, particularly in right-handed people, while creative and figurative functions center in the right hemisphere. Also well-known is that the brain isâ€Å"cross-wired†, with theleft hemisphere controlling movement on theright side of the body, and theright hemispherecontrolling theleft side of the body. Most, but not all, of the different structures, lobes and organs of the brain have a left and right hemisphere element, andcommunication between the hemispheresis achieved by means of a thick bundle of nerve tissues known as thecorpus callosum, which effectively makes a full brain out of two half-brains. HANDEDNESS AND LANGUAGE PROCESSING It was the French physiologistPaul Brocain the 1860s (as well as his less well-known countryman and near contemporary,Marc Dax, almost 30 years earlier) who noted that, at least in general terms, a person’s handedness tends to indicate aspecialized hemisphere on the brains opposite side, so that a right-handed person probably has a left-hemispherelanguage specialization, andvice versa. Indeed, for almost a century, until theWada test(a technique involving the anaesthetizing of one side of the brain using a drug such as sodium amytal or sodium amobarbital) was introduced in the 1960s, a person’s handedness was just about the only clue an operatingneurosurgeonhad about which hemisphere of a patient’s brain was probably the one specialized for language. Following Brocas findings, it was initially assumed thathandedness and the hemispheric dominance of speech processing were inextricably and intimately connected. However, it soon became apparent, even to Broca, thatexceptions and mismatches existed, and that perhaps the association wasnot as fixedas he had initially thought. Although the incidence of right-hemisphere language dominancedoesincrease more or less linearly with the degree of left-handedness, it turns out to be not quite as simple as that. In fact, after the work of Springer Deutsch, Damasio Damasio, and others in the 1990s, we now know that, although about 95% of right-handersdo haveleft-hemisphere dominance for language functions, only around19% of left-handershave right-hemisphere language dominance, with another20%or so processing language functions inboth hemispheres(the incidence of language distribution inambidextrous peopleis broadly similar to that found in left-handed people). Other studies report percentages for left-handers of 70%, 15% and 15% (rather than 61%, 19% and 20%), but the finding all suggest that, perhaps unexpectedly, some60% 70% of left-handers process language in the left hemisphere, just like right-handers. Indeed, around 93% of all people have left hemisphere language dominance (http://www.rightleftrightwrong.com/brain.html). One half-brain is not â€Å"logical† and the other â€Å"intuitive,† nor is one more â€Å"analytical† and the other more â€Å"creative.† Both halves play important roles in logical and intuitive thinking, in analytical and creative thinking, and so forth. All of the popular distinctions involve complex functions, which are accomplished by multiple processes, some of which may operate better in the left hemisphere and some of which may operate better in the right hemisphere, but the overall functions cannot be said to be entirely the province of one or the other hemisphere. And far from having separate lives, the two halves work together. They are not isolated systems that compete or engage in some kind of cerebral tug-of-war; one is not an undisciplined child, the other a spoilsport that throws schoolyard tantrums. Rather, as we have stressed, the brain is a single, marvelously complicated, and deeply integrated system. Like those of a well-maintained bicycle, the parts of the brain do have different functions but, like the parts of a bike, they are designed to work together. Finally, as we discussed earlier, there is solid evidence that none of us relies primarily on one or the other hemisphere. We all use all of our brains; none of us are truly â€Å"left-brained† or â€Å"right-brained.† DRUG ADDICTION A drug is, in broadcast terms, a chemical substance that has biological effects on human beings and animals. In  pharmacology, a drug is a chemical substance used in the treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of disease or used to otherwise enhance physical or mental well-being.  Pharmaceutical drugs  may be used for a limited duration, or on a regular basis for  chronic disorders. Recreational drugs  are chemical substances that affect the  central nervous system, such as  opioids  or  hallucinogens. Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine are the most widely consumed psychotropic drugs worldwide. They may be used for effects on  perception,consciousness,  personality, and  behavior. Many recreational drugs are also medicinal. Some drugs can cause  addiction  and habituationand all drugs have  side effects. Many drugs are illegal for recreational purposes and international treaties such as the single convention on narcotic drugs  exist for the purpose of legally prohibiting certain substances (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug).

How can ICT Help Special Needs Children Integrate Themselves in Society?

How can ICT Help Special Needs Children Integrate Themselves in Society? â€Å"We are seen as ‘abnormal' because we are different, we are problem people, lacking the equipment for social integration.† (Brisenden, 1986) Not so long ago, society was to blame for secluding and cutting off special needs people, from complete partaking in society and as a result, these impaired people ended up demoralized and feeling inferior to others. Today we know that special needs people, try their best to learn to communicate with the rest of society. The problem is not whether they succeed or not, the problem is; Are we, as part of society, doing enough effort to help them in their lifetime struggle? The International Society for Technology Education (ISTE) has recently initiated learning environments which integrates Computer Technology and Good teaching in order to increase the motivation and self-esteem of special needs students. Researchers following closely the program have stated that Computer technology enhances these children's ability to solve problems and make decisions, they build a positive self-image, they are excited about learning and thus they become better citizens. One major reason for using ICT was to reduce the large rate of dropouts. Researchers have concluded that Children with Literacy Problems (mostly dyslexics), often lack behind the rest of their class, give up on learning and end-up as school dropouts, feeling unable to fit in a society. ISTE has created a learning program called Video Disk Spaced System. This proved to be highly successful as it was not only a support for these children, in order to keep up with the rest of the class but it also managed to promote that positive self-image concept. Computer technology motivated these kids and they in turn appreciated the potential of ICT in a learning environment. Results have shown that ICT did help these special needs children as the dropout rate decreased to three times lower than the natural average. ICT can also help physically impaired children by fulfilling their dreams. In example Sharita a physically disabled child dreams to become a writer but unfortunately she cannot move her fingers. Computer technology has helped her fulfil her dream by devising a long extended stick in the form or a finger with which she can press the letters on a computer keyboard. Another concrete example regarded Megan who is unable to speak and write because she has Cerebral Palsy, however through ICT she was awarded as the Top English Student in her class. A Light Talker was devised, which is basically a matrix of letters and phrases. Through the use of a head switch (because Megan can only control the movement of her head), she can stop vertical movements of light at the desired row and stop the horizontal movement of light at the desired letter or phrase. Through ICT Megan is thus able to communicate with tremendous effort. However one has to keep in mind that without this device Megan can neither develop her intellectual potential, nor can she express herself as a part of society. Through the examples discussed above one can realise that by Integrating Computer Technology with learning, these special needs children are becoming more eager to learn, they are being provided with new ways to manipulate their environment in order to communicate better with the rest of society, barriers are being blown away and a variety of new worlds opened up, all by the use of Computer Technology. Apart from all this, ICT has provided them with what any individual wants that is their independence. Illegal Copying of Intellectual Property Alert!! You may be Unaware of Committing Computer Crimes†¦ * What is Illegal Copying? A widely used term which means the same as illegal copying is Copyright Theft or Copyright Infringement. Copyright theft occurs when making use of protected work such as: software programs; another writer's text; movies; sounds; and images, without actually paying the required fee for authorisation. * Illegal Copying and the Use of Computers: The use of Computers has made the act of copying far easier and handier than in the past. Burton (1996) argued that the Internet is one big copying machine that is basically ridiculing copyright laws. * What is considered as Copyright Violation? Software Piracy – Software copying such as copying a program from one diskette to another. Network Piracy – Distributing unauthorised copyright materials in digitized form ex: record companies have protested against sending unauthorized copies of digital recordings over the internet. Plagiarism – Illegal Copying of Academic Property: such as another writer's text, journals etc. Interpreting and presenting them as one's own. Ownership of media – Altering images, movies and sounds. * Plagiarism: Illegal Copying of Academic Property: You as a student may think it is harmless making one copy of an Academic Software program while the teacher is looking away, but you need to keep in mind that if all students should think the same as you think, then one single act of software piracy, will be then multiplied thousands of times. In addition to this if you are caught copying illegally Scholar property, you may end up sued by the school itself. Interpreting other writers' texts (found while researching for assignments) and presenting them as your own is also considered as a criminal offence and one can end up permanently suspended from school. * The Results of Getting Caught : If you are caught using pirated academic software, you could: Face civil fines (which you don't afford and your parents may want to kill you) Endure humiliating publicity End up with a criminal record (which affects you future) * A Word of Advice: It is not ethical to illegally copy any intellectual property nor is it worth risk taking because there is a high percentage of getting a computer virus and worse the risk of getting caught!

Process Analysis - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 2 Words: 605 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2017/09/24 Category Advertising Essay Type Narrative essay Did you like this example? How to Make the Perfect Sandwich Sandwiches today as we know it, are just slices of ham and cheese put together with two slices of bread. The dictionary definition of sandwich is two or more slices of bread with layer or layers of meat, cheese or other various condiments. But where did the word ‘sandwich’ come from? You and I both know that a sandwich does not contain sand in it. In fact sandwich is actually a title of an English Nobleman, John Montagu, The Fourth Earl of Sandwich. John Montagu was gambling late at night, when he was hungry, he asked the waiter for slices of meat between two slices of bread so his fingers wouldn’t be greasy and it would keep the cards clean. But since John Montagu gambled very often, he would order it every time. It soon caught on to outsiders, where eating sandwiches were the perfect food while gambling. The perfect sandwich should be slices of bread with anything you like in it; it should be just the way you like it. Sandwiches can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even snacks. How big the sandwich is can determine whether it should be for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack. For example a basic grill cheese sandwich containing, two slices of bread and one slice of cheese is small and light, therefore it should be snack. A bacon, egg and cheese sandwich is one hearty meal, but it has breakfast written all over it. Bacon, lettuce and tomato, sounds familiar? Of course, the B. L. T. is one of the most famous sandwiches out there. The B. L. T. can be eaten as breakfast, lunch, or dinner all depending on the amount of bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes you put in it. My all time favorite would have to be the classic turkey sandwich. And no, you do not have to wait until there are leftovers from Thanksgiving. The first thing you would need to do is buy turkey. No, not the entire turkey! You can buy sliced turkey from your local supermarket or deli. Usually I prefer honey-glazed smoked turkey, which contains a sweet smoky flavor. Next you would have to buy bread, what kind of sandwich would it be without bread? I would suggest whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread, why? You have to taste it to see for yourself, even if you run out of materials to make sandwiches; you can most definitely eat this on its own. The next thing I would get is lettuce and tomatoes; they just add this fresh, crisp flavor to the sandwich. One last condiment I suggest getting is cheese, pepper-jack cheese to be exact. If you don’t like spicy foods, I would then suggest Swiss-cheese. If you dislike the holes, you can always get American cheddar or mozzarella. After you buy all the materials needed to make the classic turkey sandwich, start off heating a grill or a pan, use low heat. No need to oil or butter it because you would just be toasting the bread and melting the cheese. Take two slices of the whole wheat cinnamon raisin bread and put it onto the grill or pan side by side. Next take two slices of the pepper-jack cheese and put one slice on each slice of bread. Turn off the heat once you see the cheese melting slightly. The next step is the fun part, â€Å"have it your way†, put turkey, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese or even bread on top of the melted cheese. Go ahead stack them anyway you like it, but don’t forget to eat it. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Process Analysis" essay for you Create order

Persuasive Essay On Dancers - 1020 Words

Have you ever watched the Nutcracker as a ballet? Or seen a professional dancer dance? You probably thought of some of the things that they did were effortless. The truth is, it isn’t what you think. Dancers go through pain, stress, and shoes (Seriously!) to do what they do. There are a lot of people that think that dancing is easy, and I am here to set that straight. Let me start off by talking about the pain. Dancers go through a lot of pain. On average dancers get hurt about once every two weeks. That means that dancers, on average, get hurt about 26 times a year. Whether it is a tiny fall or breaking a bone, dancing is a foolproof way to hurt at least something in your body. Especially if you are on pointe. In a pointe shoe, you†¦show more content†¦They really just eat, sleep, study, and dance. They have an average of 7 hours of dance a day and, if they are in college, only get about 5-6 hours of sleep depending on their minors and majors. Their schedule is this way for a reason. Dancers that professionally do this or have it as a major, need to keep their muscles used to doing everything that they do. Try to think of it as playing music. If you learn a piece of music and then don’t play it for a week, the chances are, you probably forgot it. That’s why it is important to have dance classes every day. Dancers also have their schedule this way because of their performances. Most dancers usually have about 1 performance a week, which means that every day they need to buckle down and work. All dancers, for a performance, need to learn their dances, get fitted for their costumes, rehearse the dances, and have stage rehearsals at the place that they will be performing at. This happens usually all in one week. This doesn’t even include their other college classes that they may take. Now as I had said in the beginning when people see dancers dance, it looks effortless to them. This is only because dancers WANT to make it look effortless. That is their job. The dancers want to make it look graceful and beautiful, and that doesn t come with making weird faces or having it look like they are working really hard. From this, some peopleShow MoreRelatedNight by Elie Wiesel1271 Words   |  6 Pagesï » ¿THE CONTEXT ESSAY Written response to a prompt- a statement about the theme which you are required to â€Å"break open† in your response. Theme – â€Å"rites of passage† Example of a prompt: â€Å"Rites of passage presents obstacles which must be overcome† The context essay can take three forms: Expository Persuasive Imaginary THE PROMPT The prompt or stimulus is what must be addressed in relation to the texts you have explored. Sometimes there may be an image as well as text Discussion of the promptRead MoreWhat Is Gender Equality? Essay2156 Words   |  9 Pagesspecific roles to fit the ideas that have been placed on them since the beginning of time. But it can’t all be negative, slowly the population is making positive changes to how we view one another and even the media is climbing on board. During this essay, I will explore what part the media plays in relation to gender roles, comparing both male and female imagery that is pushed on us daily. I will explain how the media has played its part in preventing gender equality and my views on what we can doRead MoreThe Great Gatsby By F. Scott Fitzgerald Essay1897 Words   |  8 PagesScott’s work-life balance eventually fell out of whack, and in the later part of the decade finding the discipline to sit down and write became a constant struggle. This personal battle coincided with Zelda’s new aspiration to be a professional dancer. Tired of living in the shadow of her famous husband, she threw herself into practicing her routine. Scott, envious of her dedication, according to Mizener, treated her dream very cruelly. Her mind now broken, he wondered if he had pushed things tooRead MoreEssay about Salvador Dalis Work4988 Words   |  20 PagesDali had the artistic talent as well as the intellectual reasoning to excel at something that wasnt completely accepted at the time, such as incorporating pornographic material which the Communist Party once commented on one of his essays. Dali continually pushed the envelope a little more each time. At first Dali was apprehensive to join the movement because he saw them as inflexible, but when he realized their was room for his ideas, and that the group gave him valuableRead MoreHumanities11870 Words   |  48 PagesINTRODUCTION This module provides an overview on the subject of art appreciation for those entirely new to the subject. This is a complex topic to deal with and it is impossible to have a truly comprehensive discussion on the topic in such a brief essay. The student is advised to consult more advanced texts to gain further understanding of how to appreciate art more fully. HUMANITIES: What is it? †¢ The term Humanities comes from the Latin word, â€Å"humanitas† †¢ It generally refers to art, literatureRead MoreFrom Salvation to Self-Realization18515 Words   |  75 PagesTherapeutic Roots of the Consumer Culture, 1880-1930 T. J. Jackson Lears Lears, T.J. Jackson 1983. From salvation to self-realization: Advertising and the therapeutic roots of the consumer culture, 1880-1930. In The Culture of Consumption: Critical Essays in American History, 18801980, ed. by Richard Wightman Fox and T.J. Jackson Lears, New York: Pantheon Books, 1-38. Reprinted with the permission of the author. 1On or about December 1910, Virginia Woolf once said, human character changed. ThisRead MoreLogical Reasoning189930 Words   |  760 Pagesprobable good consequences of each action and the probable bad consequences while weighing the positive and negative impact of each consequence. It’s a kind of cost-benefit analysis. Exercises 1. Columbus Day is an American holiday. Write a short essay that weighs the pros and cons and then comes to a decision about whether there should be more or less public celebration (by Americans and their institutions) on Columbus Day, October 12. Here is some relevant background information to reduce yourRead MoreRastafarian79520 Words   |  319 Pagesprimary data on the movement but to analyze and re-analyze the growing body of scholarly and popular literature on the movement, including sociological and anthropological studies, biographies, monographs, dissertations, published and unpublished essays, and periodical articles. Archival sources, such as newspaper reports, policy statements, pamphlets, and organization manuals have also provided useful information. Chapter 1 reviews and reï ¬ nes Webers theory of charisma and routinization, usingRead MoreMetz Film Language a Semiotics of the Cinema PDF100902 Words   |  316 Pagesconstitute Chapter 5 was first read, and the Festival of the New Cinema (Pesaro, Italy), which organized the round-table discussion during which the last chapter in this volume was originally presented. The idea of bringing together a number of my essays in a single volume, thus making them more easily available, originated with Mikel Dufrenne, Professor at the University of Paris-Nanterre and editor of the series in which this work was published in French. He has my very warm gratitude. C . M. CannesRead MoreStrategy Safari by Mintzberg71628 Words   |  287 Pagessubtle cunning, and in his role as messenger or herald is articulate and important to the conduct of affairs. His attitude is ironic and unsentimental We attribute many of these qualities to entrepreneurs. We see them as creative, opportunistic, persuasive, and freer spirits than the organizational man or woman. Empirical studies have found that many entrepreneurs conform to the characteristics of Mercury, being socially adroit, autonomous individuals with lower than average needs for affiliation