The Brain
The brain is an electrical organ that can produce as much as 10 watts when fully functioning. The brain has three main parts the forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain. The forebrain or cerebrum has four major regions or lobes. The frontal lobes deal with reasoning, planning, parts of speech, and problem solving. The pariental lobes are involved in movement, orientation, recognition, and perception. The occipital lobes process visual information. The temporal lobes deal with perception, recognition of auditory stimulus, and speech
Brain Waves
Electrical activity emanating from the brain’s neurons communicating with each other displayed in the form of brain waves. Whether we are mentally active, resting, or asleep the brain always has some level of electrical activity. There are four categories of brain waves ranging from the most active to the least active. The types of brain waves are beta, alpha, theta, and delta. Brain waves are measured in cycles per second or hertz. The lower number of Hz means the slower the brain activity or the lower the frequency of the activity.
During meditation theta waves were most abundant in the frontal and middle parts of the brain. Alpha waves were more abundant in the posterior parts of the brain during meditation than during simple relaxation. They are characteristics of wakeful rest.
Brain wave patterns are highly heritable, and have been associated with alcoholism and other physical disorders. Certain genes can influence the brain wave patterns as much as nine percent.
The intuitive emphasis radar of the delta waves the creative inspiration personal insight, and spiritual awareness of theta waves, the bridging capacity of relaxed detached awareness of alpha waves, the external attention and ability to conscientiously process thought of beta waves. This brain wave pattern can be found during peak performance regardless of the content or intention, in all forms of tasks combined determine our optimal state of consciousness.
Beta Waves
Beta brain waves are among the fastest brain waves and have a frequency of 12-38 Hz or pulses per second. These brain waves are formed on the left side of the brain. The waves have been known to cause an increased ability to focus. The down side of increased beta waves is that it has been known to cause anxiety, fear, and agitation.
Alpha Waves
Alpha brain waves are one of the basic waves. The waves are present during wakefulness where there is a relaxed and effortless alertness. Alpha waves have a frequency of 8-12 Hz or pulses per second. An increase in alpha waves relieves anxiety. They have also been associated with stronger immune system and higher levels of creativity.
Alpha brain waves are easily achieved through mediation and are very beneficial. Too much time spent in the low alpha state caused by watching TV can cause unfocussed day dreaming and inability to concentrate.
A distinct alpha brain wave patterns occurs in two brain regions just before making a mistake on an attention demanding test. Research shows that a second before errors were committed brain waves in two regions were stronger than when the subject refrained from making a mistake. Alpha wave activity was twenty five percent stronger increases in the brain’s wave activity.
Research shows that watching TV is similar to staring at a blank wall for several hours peoples brain waves switch from the active logical thought beta brain waves to alpha wave.
Theta Waves
Theta brain waves are measured at 4-7 Hz or pulses per second. Theta waves are the present during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) and dreaming. They are also present at the barely conscious state just before sleep and right after sleep. Theta waves are the border between conscious and the subconscious.
Delta Waves
Delta brain waves are considered the most relaxing brainwave frequency range. Delta brain waves are associated with deep dreamless sleep and a state of unconscious awareness. They are the lowest brain wave frequency ranging from 0-4 Hz or pulses per second, but they have the highest amplitude. They are generated from the right hemisphere of the brain. These brain waves are associated with empathy, the unconscious mind, and a decreased sense of awareness.
Gamma Waves
A gamma wave is a pattern of brain waves in humans with a frequency between 25 to 100 Hz, though 40 Hz is prototypical. According to a popular 20-year-old theory, gamma waves may be implicated in creating the unity of conscious perception
Processing Visual Information
The retina of the eye detects light and transforms this information into an electrical signal which travels into the brain via the optic nerve. The optic nerve projects to the thalamus, the neurons of which project to the visual cortex. The visual cortex has the enormous task of decoding the visual world and generating our vivid perception of vision.
Electroencephalograph
An electroencephalograph or EEG records electrical signals from when the brain’s cells are communicating using faint electrical impulses by hooking up electrodes to the scalp. The galvanometers measure small electrical currents. The procedure is considered to be non-invasive and allows the administrator to see the brain waves like a doctor listens to a heart. During the procedure the subjected will be relaxing or doing some kind of cognitive task.
Electroencephalographs allow researchers to follow electrical impulses across the surface of the brain and observe changes. The procedure can also be used to measure how long it takes the brain to process visual stimuli. Electroencephalograph’s can be used to diagnose whether you are having seizures and what type of seizures. Electroencephalographs are also used to find the causes of confusion, and to evaluate brain injuries, tumors, infections, degenerative diseases, epilepsy. One drawback of the Electroencephalograph is that they can not show structures of the brain.
Electrical signals produced by the brain neurons are picked up by the electrodes and transmitted to polygraph, where they produce separate graphs.
Biopac Systems MP35
Bodies generate electricity while doing specific activities like flexing muscles. The sensors tap into the electrical activity and monitor it. The electrical activity is measured in volts. The electrical signal is the change in voltage over time. Transducers and electrodes are used to detect electrical signals.
MP35 is a modular, powerful, interface system that can be used to measure brain waves, heart rate, and muscle contraction. The system’s acquisition features include variable sample rates, pause mode, and stimulation design and control. The display features advanced grid system, journal facility for note taking, textual event markers, and measurement tools. It also includes signal averaging, filtering, and FTT for analyzing.
Electrical Safety
Working with electricity can be dangerous. People who work with electricity and indirectly can be exposed to electrical hazards. Electricity has long been recognized as a hazard standards are designed to protect people exposed to dangers such as electric shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions. Electrical hazards are in specific standards.
Violence in Media
Many children movies contain activities such as fist fights, swordplay, falls from great heights, insults leading to injury and people getting squished. Between the years 1937 and 1999 has acts of violence and variety of weapons. Disney films contain violence as well as very scary dark moments.
There is a casual link between playing a first person shooting game and brain activity patterns of aggressive cognitions that are believed to be caused by the violence characteristics of the games. New generation violent video games contain substantial amounts of increasingly realistic portrayals of violence. Elaborate content analyses revealed that the favored narrative is a human perpetrator engaging in repeated acts of justified violence involving weapons that results in some bloodshed to the victim.
