Cognitive Functions and the Brain

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Cognitive Functions and the Brain Cognitive Functions and the Brain In a day a person will perform thousands of physical tasks. The brain’s different parts are the controlling force behind the millions of complex mental abilities. A person’s ability to do simple daily activities, such as driving a car or riding a bike are examples. Cognitive brain functions allow a person to use information in meaningful ways. The brain controls the application of information a person already has and can enable a person to change his or her feelings and thoughts on how the information is perceived. In ancient times, the belief was the heart controlled a person’s consciousness through the ventricles. The ventricles were believed to be controlled by spirits and not by parts of the brain. Henry More, an early philosopher, once stated “the brain shows no more capacity for thought than a cake of suet, or a bowl of curds” (Shreeve, 15). Thomas Willis, considered to be the father of neurology, was one of the first to perceive the notion that the brain was the center of the mind, and in fact, the brain’s parts were the driving force behind cognitive functions. Scientist came to realize the brain controls the workings of a person mind. The processes of perception, emotion, attention, actions take place in a person’s brain. The brain controls a person’s thinking and learning abilities as well as other cognitive areas, such as language. One of the most influential brain injury cases in history was of Phineas Gage. Gage’s injuries opened the door for the better understanding of the brain and the role the brain plays on cognitive functions. Gage worked for the railroad excavating rocks for works to lay the tracks. Many railroad workers, including Gage were injured during construction. Doctors diagnosed Gage as developing a severe brain damage from the accident. Gage’s diagnosis

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