HW #1
.pdf
keyboard_arrow_up
School
University of Missouri, Columbia *
*We aren’t endorsed by this school
Course
4075
Subject
Information Systems
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
Pages
5
Uploaded by ConstableDragon1573
BE/BME 4075/7075 – Brain Signals and BMIs
Due: Thursday, Jan. 26
Spring 2023
Homework Assignment 1:
BMIs and Neuroanatomy
Please submit your answers online
1) Functional Neuroanatomy (10 points):
Please speculate which brain area is
responsible for the symptoms described below:
a)
After recovering from a head injury following a workplace accident, a patient was
described by friends as having personality changes. He had difficulty focusing on
tasks and was significantly more impulsive and careless. (2 points)
•
Prefrontal Cortex
b)
A 34-year-old woman had a stroke, which made her unable to name the objects in
her visual field, but her vision is completely normal and she can see objects. (2
points)
•
Temporal Association Area
c)
A 55-year-old man realizes that he cannot accurately bring his index finger to his
nose. His movements are uncoordinated, and he keeps on missing his nose.
(2
points)
•
Cerebellum
d)
After falling from his bike, a 26-year-old man cannot move his right arm and has
weakness on the right side of his body. (2 points)
•
Primary Motor Cortex
e)
After having a stroke, a 47-year-old man lost all his vision, even though his eyes
and his visual cortex function properly. (2 points)
•
Occipital Lobe
2)
BMIs (10 points):
We have learned in class that sensory BMIs such cochlear and
retinal implants are used in many patients. However, there are not many widely used
examples of motor BMIs. Why do you think sensory BMIs have been more
successful than motor BMIs?
a)
I think that sensory BMIs have been more successful than motor BMI’s because
they are simpler. Sensory BMIs are not closed loop meaning they do not have to
process or record any information from the brain. They instead process
information from the environment and generate stimulation from this info which
allows for the brain to receive this information and react. Motor BMIs are not as
simple. For example a motor BMI accepts signals from the brain then decodes
them to use to then generate a stimulation pattern for the nerves to then trigger a
desired movement. Another would be the example from lecture of the robotic
arm. It takes a lot of brain work and a lot of computer work to slowly move the
robotic arm to take a drink. Sensory BMIs such as cochlear and retinal implants
are not this complex.
3)
Functional Neuroanatomy (10 points):
Please mention the general function of
each of these brain areas in one or two sentences: Prefrontal cortex, motor cortex,
somatosensory cortex, cortical association areas, cerebellum, spinal cord,
hippocampus.
a)
The prefrontal cortex is what makes humans smart setting us apart from other
species. It is responsible for cognitive and executive functions such as decision
making, social behavior, and working memory.
b)
The motor cortex is responsible for generating the signals that control
movement on each contralateral side of the body.
c)
The somatosensory cortex is responsible for the signals that create sensation
on each contralateral side of the body.
d)
The cortical association areas are responsible for taking information that was
received by the primary cortexes and making sense of it.
e)
The cerebellum is involved in every brain function through extensive
connections with the rest of the brain. Its most pronounced function is control of
fine motor control, balance, and proprioception.
f)
The spinal cord is responsible for sending motor signals from the brain to the
nerves which then goes to muscles. Also, it is responsible for sending
information from the sensory organs to the brain.
g)
The hippocampus is responsible for short term memory, memory consolidation,
and spacial navigation.
4)
Neuroanatomy (10 points):
How were Brodmann areas determined? Today it is
well accepted that Brodmann areas correspond to functional divisions of the brain.
What does it imply about brain structure and function?
a)
Brodman areas were determined because he was unsure if the human cortex
had the same uniform cellular composition throughout the whole cortex. He
used Nissl staining to label individual neurons. He used this on the whole
cortex of corpses and was able to characterize the cellular composition and
arrangement of the cortex also known as the cytoarchitecture. This showed
that there was different cellular composition at 52 different cortical areas of the
brain which he then numbered 1-52.
It implies that each separate area that
Brodman determined is responsible for processing one type of information.
Also, that our brain is organized structurally based on the functionality of each
part of the brain. Meaning that even though there are multiple different motor
function cortical areas processing different information these cortical areas are
still located very close by to each other.
5)
Design of BMIs (10 pnts):
Epilepsy patients experience intermittent seizures
characterized by abnormal electrical activity in the brain (see the red dashed box in
the figure as an example). During epileptic seizures, patients typically lose control of
their bodies for few minutes due to spasms or shaking. Therefore, they could face
serious danger during activities, such as driving or swimming.
Assume that you have discovered a brain stimulation approach, which can suppress
epileptic activity in the brain. However, your stimulation approach has a side effect. It
gives a slightly unpleasant feeling to patients during stimulation; therefore, the
stimulation cannot be applied continuously. To overcome this problem, think of a
closed-loop corrective BMI for applying your method to epilepsy patients. Draw a basic
block diagram and indicate the function of each block in the closed-loop BMI. (Hint:
Your blocks should include all steps from the brain activity until the stimulation. But do
not worry about how the blocks will accomplish your proposed functions. We will fill in
these gaps during the semester.
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
- Access to all documents
- Unlimited textbook solutions
- 24/7 expert homework help