PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 11

SECOND SEMESTER | REVIEWER

THE POWERS OF THE MIND Neurons

Brainpower - It is the power to act. - The basic functional units of the nervous system.

- They are three-part units and are the keys to brain function.

PARTS OF THE BRAIN - They are comprised of a nerve-cell body, axon, and dendrite, and

3 MAJOR PARTS they power the rapid-fire process that turns thought into movement.

1. Cerebrum - This is the largest of the brain sections. It accounts for

about 85% of the brain’s weight, and has four lobes. HOW DOES IT WORK?

● Frontal Lobe - The front-most part of your brain. It's 1. The thought moves as an electric signal from the nerve cell down the

responsible for control over many abilities, including the axon to the dendrite, which looks like branches at the end of nerve

way you think, how you move and how you remember cells.

things. It's also a key part in your social skills, and helps 2. The signal jumps from the end of the dendrite on one cell across the

you understand and control how you talk, behave and space, called a synapse, to the dendrite of another cell with the help

interact with others; personality and emotions. of chemicals called neurotransmitters.

● Temporal Lobe - It is a pair of areas on your brain's left 3. The signal continues jumping from cell to cell until it reaches the

and right sides. They are most commonly associated with muscle you need to wave, wink, or walk.

processing auditory information and with the encoding

of memory; hearing and word recognition. Summary: Sensory Neurons (transmit information to enable our senses) - >

● Parietal Lobe - It is primarily responsible for receiving Interneurons (aid transmission between motor and sensory neurons) - > Motor

and processing sensory input such as touch, pressure, Neurons (transmit information to our muscles)

heat, cold, and pain; see and feel.

● Occipital Lobe - It sits at the back of the head and is TYPES OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS

responsible for visual perception, including colour, form 1. Adrenaline (Fight or Flight) - Produced in stressful or exciting

and motion; vision. situations, increases heart rate and blood flow, leading to a physical

2. Cerebellum - This region controls voluntary movement; translates will boost, and heightened awareness.

into action. 2. Noradrenaline (Concentration) - Affects attention & responding

3. Brain Stem - This connects the spinal cord and the brain. It controls actions in the brain, and is involved in fight or flight response.

functions that keep people alive such as breathing, heart rate, Contracts blood vessels, increasing blood flow.

blood pressure, and food digestion. 3. Dopamine (Pleasure) - Feelings of pleasure, addiction, movement,

and motivation. People repeat behaviors that lead to dopamine release.

OTHER PARTS 4. Serotonin (Mood) - Contributes to well-being and happiness; helps

1. Hippocampus - It is involved in memory, learning, and emotions. sleep cycle and digestive system regulation. Affected by exercise and

2. Hypothalamus - Emotions, desires, and hunger; homeostasis. light exposure.

5. Gaba (Calming) - Calms firing nerves in CNS. High levels improve

focus; low levels cause anxiety. It also contributes to motor control and

vision.

6. Acetylcholine (Learning) - Involved in thought, learning, and

memory. It activates muscle action in the body and is associated with

attention and awakening.

7. Glutamate (Memory) - Most common brain neurotransmitter.

Involved in learning and memory, regulates development and creation

of nerve contacts.

8. Endorphins (Euphoria) - Released during exercise, excitement, and

NEURONS
sex.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 11
SECOND SEMESTER | REVIEWER

CRITICAL AGE MENTAL CHALLENGES

Because the brain’s healthy functioning is essential to living and determines quality According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV

of life, doctors emphasize protecting the organ from injury and chemical abuse. (DSM-IV)

Evident in Infancy and Adolescence

Doug Postels - Eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, anorexia bulimia, retardation)

- There is a consensus among researchers that brain cells regenerate Substance Abuse

throughout life, but that new growth happens very slowly at a certain - Excessive use of alcohol or drugs that can alter behavior

age. - Example: Cocaine

- “The size of the brain doesn’t increase much after 3.” ; During the first Schizophrenia

three years of life, the brain experiences most of its growth and - Withdrawal from reality, genetic

develops most of its potential for learning. That’s the time frame in - Hebephrenic - Disorganized speech and thoughts

which synaptogenesis, or the creation of pathways for brain cells to - Paranoid - Hallucinations

communicate, occurs. - Catatonic - No movement

- Insanity - It can be acquired. “We are all sane today

PSYCHOACTIVE DRUGS but some can be insane tomorrow.”

1. Stimulants - Vagrant - Mga pagala-gala sa kalsada

- Stimulants are a class of drugs that increase the activity of the brain Paranoid Disorder

and the spinal cord. - Excessive suspicions and hostility

- They are used for various purposes, such as enhancing alertness, Affective Disorder

attention, motivation, cognition, mood, and physical performance; used - Bipolar

to fight sleep. - Depression

Examples: Caffeine, Amphetamines Anxiety

2. Narcotics - Phobias

- Narcotics are used to treat moderate to severe pain. - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

- It is originally referred to as a psychoactive compound with numbing Somatoform

and paralyzing properties. - Psychosomatic

Examples: Cocaine and Heroin - Symptoms are physical, but has no organic basis.

3. Hypnotics and Sedatives

- These are medications used to induce, extend, or improve the quality PYSCHOSEXUAL DISORDERS

of sleep, and to reduce wakefulness during sleep. Sexual Performance

Examples: Sleeping Pills, Alcohol, and Barbiturates - Frigidity (coldness sa partner) & impotence

4. Hallucinogens - Sexual dysfunction

- These are a large and diverse class of psychoactive drugs that can Masochism

produce altered states of consciousness characterized by major - Erotic release is achieved through having pain inflicted on oneself.

alterations in thought, mood, and perception as well as other changes. Sadism

Examples: CSD and Ecstasy - Erotic release is achieved through inflicting pain to others.

5. Antidepressants Fetishism

- These are a class of medications used to treat major depressive - Pattern of sexual arousal involving the use of non-living objects.

disorder, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, and addiction. Exhibitionism

Example: Tranquilizer - Exposing the genitals to become sexually excited.

Voyeurism

- Sexual arousal by watching people who are naked or doing a sexual act.
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 11
SECOND SEMESTER | REVIEWER

Frotteurism PERSONAL PREFERENCE

- Touching/rubbing one’s genital in a sexual manner without consent

LEFT-DOMINANCE RIGHT-DOMINANCE
Pedophilia

- Recurring intense sexual arousing fantasies/behavior involving children Classical Music Popular Music

(13 below)
Being on Time A Good Time
Personality Disorder

- Narcissism, histrionic, attention-seeking behavior, and theatrical level Careful Planning To Visualize the Outcome

of reaction
To Consider Alternative To Go with the First Idea

DRUG DAMAGE Being Thoughtful Being Active

Sue Rusche
Monopoly, Scrabble, or Chess Athletics, Art, or Music
- Co-author of False Messengers — a book on how addictive drugs

change the brain.

The Left and Right Brain Theory
- Co-founder of and executive director of National Families in Action
- This theory was developed by Nobel-prize winners Robert Ornstein
- “The question scientists can’t answer now is if the damage is
and Roger Sperry; It suggests that one side of your brain is more
permanent.”
dominant. This theory is based on the fact that the brain’s two
Inhalants
hemispheres function differently.
- They destroy the outer lining of nerve cells and make them unable to

communicate with one another.

LEFT-BRAINED RIGHT-BRAINED
- Examples: Glue, paint, gasoline, and aerosols

- In 1993, more than 60 young people died from sniffing inhalants, ● Organized ● Intuitive
● Logical ● Risk-takers
according to National Families in Action, a drug education center
● Detail-Oriented ● Creative
based in Atlanta.

Marijuana The theory suggests that people who They are often described as doing well
are left-brain dominant do well in in careers that involve creative
- Hinders memory, learning, judgment, and reaction times.
careers that involve linear thinking, expression and free thinking, such
Steroids math, and verbal information. This as becoming an artist, psychologist, or
includes careers such as accountant, writer.
- Causes aggression and violent mood swings.
scientist, or computer programmer.
Ecstasy

- Ecstasy use is rising among young people, and scientists have found
THEORY’S ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
that the drug destroys neurons that make serotonin, a chemical

crucial in controlling sleep, violence, mood swings, and sexual urges.
THE DOMINANT SIDE OF THE BRAIN
Researchers believed that brain dominance determines a person’s preferences,
problem-solving style, personality characteristics, and even career choices. For
Pro: Learning
- Upon knowing the brain inclination or to which brain a person is
“affiliated”, he or she could think of ways to boost strengths and
weaknesses. It may lead someone to develop effective ways to learn
and study.

example, a right-brain individual will quickly get a feeling for a situation, while a
left-brain person will usually ask a lot of questions first.
Con: Stereotyping
- Brain dominance may have a negative effect or may even impede
learning when this results in a self-fulfilling prophecy (he might not
have failed but because he believes he will, he stops studying and does
fail, thus making his prophecy true).
PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT 11
SECOND SEMESTER | REVIEWER

MIND MAPPING

Mind Mapping
- It is a powerful thinking tool.
- It is a graphical technique that mirrors the way the brain works, and
was invented by Tony Buzan.
- It helps to make thinking visible.
- It is a creative and logical way of organizing thoughts and ideas in your
mind through a diagram.
- It usually revolves around a central subject. Major ideas in the form of
texts/words branch out from the central subject. It can be done
through digital typing or simply drawing on a piece of paper.

YOU CAN GROW YOUR INTELLIGENCE

● Research suggests that the brain is more like a muscle: It changes

and gets stronger when you use it. Scientists have been able to show
how the brain grows and gets stronger when you learn. “Use it or lose
it”
● Inside the cortex of the brain are billions of neurons connecting in a
complicated network. Communication between the brain cells is
what allows us to think and solve problems.
● When you learn new things, these tiny connections in the brain
actually multiply and make you stronger. The more you challenge
your mind to learn, the more your brain cells grow.