This division of the brain into three parts constitutes what MacLean calls the Triune Brain of mammals

(meaning three brains in one). This conceptualization represents a hierarchical organization of the brain from an evolutionary perspective. Reptilian Brain: The brain stem is the oldest part of our brain. We share it with birds, and reptiles. It controls the basics: hunger, temperature control, fight-or-flight fear responses, defending territory, keeping safe. It is often called the reptilian brain and is always on the alert for life-threatening events. We "downshift" when responding to life-threatening conditions because it is the "Flight or Fight" level of our brain, action takes place without thinking. Anything that is a threat - real or perceived - causes our brain to "downshift". When "downshifting1" occurs, learning cannot take place. The Limbic System paleomammalian This is the home of the emotions. This part of the brain has visual memory, but language is limited to yells, screams, expletives. If we are not in an emotionally stable state we will not be able to learn efficiently as our brain "downshifts" from higher level activities. Any threat to our wellbeing can cause downshifting, but not to the "blanking out" stage of the brain stem (reptilian brain). A part of the limbic system, the hippocampus, is associated with longterm memory. The Cerebral Cortex neomammalian This part of the brain is used for higher level thinking. It processes thousands of bits of information per minute. It is the slowest of the three levels of the brain Students must be operating in this level if learning is to take place. Therefore, the learning environment must be absent of threats, so that the brain doesn't "downshift" into its more primitive parts. This is the home of academic learning. It has been suggested by some that a breakdown in communication among the parts of the triune brain is responsible sometimes for pathological behavior. An example would be the split between rational thought and emotion found in schizophrenia. More commonly, most of us have probably experienced, at one time or another, what might represent a relatively minor and temporary occurrence of a neurocommunication breakdown.

If someone downshifts, they choose to do a less important or difficult job, so that they do no have to worry about their work and have more time to enjoy their life. To put the engine o f a vehicle into a lower gear in order to go slower.