Psychology Week 2 Discussion Board 1-2

Written By P. A. Owens on August 30, 2018

Week 2 Discussion Board 1-2 

DB1:  You may watch either suggested video or choose one of your own liking (in which case, please provide the URL or embed into your discussion question so I can see if I might prefer to use it in the future...)  Please note each of the primary 17 parts of the brain, their location, and their function.  Then briefly answer for me, citing and referencing your sources:  Why might it be that I cannot diagnose a personality disorder in an individual under the age of 21? (Fully developed paragraph at least, please.)

17 Parts, locations, and functions of the brain:

The Medulla is located in the lower back region of the brain, it controls heartbeat/breathing and swallowing. The Pons is also located in the back lower region of the brain and sends messages back and forth to the cerebellum and the cortex. The Pituitary gland is located above the 2 previous parts and regulates the other endocrine glands. The hypothalamus, located in the forebrain, regulate the amount of thirst, fear, sexual drive, and aggression we feel. The thalamus, also located in the forebrain, sends info to the cerebral cortex from the sensory organs. Connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain, the corpus callosum allows the two to communicate with each other. The cerebral cortex, located in the upper region, controls one’s thought process. The cerebellum, located behind the pons, controls the body’s balance and keeps muscle coordination stable. The hippocampus, contributes to one’s learning, memory, and sensory ability; and is located in the temporal lobe. The reticular formation, goes from the hind to the midbrain, controls arousal and attention. The amygdala, located near the hippocampus, controls responses and memory of fear. The cingulate cortex, involved in cognitive and emotional processing, can be found in the cortex. The brain stem, located in the bottom of the brain, controls the flow of messages between the brain and the rest of the body. The parietal lobes, located in the top and back of each cerebral hemisphere, controls centers for temperature, touch, and body position. The temporal lobes, located along the sides of the brain, contain neurons in control of the sense of hearing and meaningful speech. The frontal lobes, located in the front and top of the brain, is in control of the production of fluent speech, decision making, and mental processing. The occipital lobes, located at the base of the cortex, near the back of the brain, controls primary visual centers of the brain.

Then briefly answer for me, citing and referencing your sources:  Why might it be that I cannot diagnose a personality disorder in an individual under the age of 21? (Fully developed paragraph at least, please.)

Because the brain is not even close to being fully developed before age 21, in most people it is not fully developed until the late 20’s or even early 30’s, personalities are still subject to change over the early adult years. (2004 webMD) “New evidence has revealed that personality disorders do not remain the same over time. Professionals are finding out now that some personality disorders are more treatable than once thought. According to a study done on college students, between ages 18-21, huge changes in their personality disorders were seen in those 4 years.” As one can see stated in the article above, personalities are indeed subject to change within the adolescent years and even further into the early 20’s of one’s life. Having said that, you would not be able to accurately diagnose a personality disorder in someone younger than the age of 21. 

DB2:  Your friend, Carl, loves to skate board, but dislikes wearing a helmet.  He tells you not to worry, because if he crashes  (my 14 y/o says this is called "eating s***", but I didn't want to post that), he can still live a good life if only one side of his brain is functional.  Please offer a statement here to educate your friend.  Please cite your text and other sources appropriately to gain credit.

If only half of your brain is functioning, that means you would be missing the other half and all of its vital contributions. For example, as stated in a scientific article if you need half of your brain surgically removed, there could be terrible side effects. (2018) “Nowadays, the surgery is performed on patients who suffer dozens of seizures everyday that resist all medication, and which are due to conditions that mostly afflict one hemisphere. ‘These disorders are often progressive and damage the rest of the brain if not treated,’ University of California, Los Angeles, neurosurgeon Gary Mathern says. Freeman concurs: ‘Hemispherectomy is something that one only does when the alternatives are worse.’” As one can plainly see from that article, not having half of your brain is not the greatest idea, unless the alternatives are worse.

Work Cited:

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