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Human physiology, hazards and health risks
Published in Stephen Battersby, Clay's Handbook of Environmental Health, 2016
David J. Baker, Naima Bradley, Alec Dobney, Virginia Murray, Jill R. Meara, John O’Hagan, Neil P. McColl, Caryn L. Cox
The diencephalon is located centrally within the forebrain (the anterior or front part of the brain). It consists of the thalamus, hypothalamus and epithalamus, which together enclose the third ventricle (a sac containing cerebrospinal fluid found within the brain which is connected to the lateral ventricles in the cerebral hemispheres and to the fourth ventricle in the brainstem). The thalamus acts as a grouping and relay station for sensory inputs (inputs such as pain, touch and temperature from the periphery), ascending to the sensory cortex and associated areas. It also mediates motor activities, cortical arousal or wakefulness and memories. The hypothalamus, by controlling the autonomic (involuntary) nervous system, is responsible for maintaining the body’s homeostatic balance, by maintaining the concentrations of ions and pH, of the internal environment (‘the milieu interior’). Moreover, the hypothalamus forms a part of the limbic system, the ‘emotional’ brain. The epithalamus consists of the pineal gland and its connections.
Mental activities
Published in Karl H.E. Kroemer, Fitting the Human, 2017
The cerebellum, which lies beneath the cerebrum just above the brain stem, coordinates the body’s movements. A special collection of nerve cells is at the base of the cerebrum: the basal ganglia, the hypothalamus, and the thalamus. The basal ganglia help to smooth out movements. The hypothalamus coordinates automatic functions of the body, such as sleep and wakefulness; it maintains body temperature and regulates the body’s water balance. The thalamus organizes sensory messages to and from the highest level of the brain, the cerebral cortex. Brain stem
Review of the Human Brain and EEG Signals
Published in Teodiano Freire Bastos-Filho, Introduction to Non-Invasive EEG-Based Brain–Computer Interfaces for Assistive Technologies, 2020
Alessandro Botti Benevides, Alan Silva da Paz Floriano, Mario Sarcinelli-Filho, Teodiano Freire Bastos-Filho
Under certain conditions, thalamic neurons can generate precisely rhythmic discharges of action potentials (APs) that reach the cortex. Thalamus is located in the center of the brain, connecting its different parts, and all information reaching the cortex passes through it. Information from the sensory systems is conveyed to the thalamus, which redirects it to specific areas of the cerebral cortex, and information about the control of voluntary movement traverses the thalamus in the opposite direction.
A Functional BCI Model by the P2731 working group: Physiology
Published in Brain-Computer Interfaces, 2021
Ali Hossaini, Davide Valeriani, Chang S. Nam, Raffaele Ferrante, Mufti Mahmud
Slow cortical potentials (SCP) are low-frequency shifts in EEG ranging from 0.01 to 0.1 Hz that are distinct from well-known delta waves [121]. SCPs precede or accompany imagined movement or cognitive tasks, and, in keeping with their function, they are concentrated over the frontal motor regions [116,122]. Research points to a strong correlation between SCPs and a user’s behavior including attention, preparation and motivation [123]. Though SCPs are mainly produced in the cerebral cortex, they respond to connections with the thalamic attention system [122]. The thalamus is a cluster of neurons beneath the cerebral cortex that functions as a hub for sensory and motor signals, and it is thus closely tied to decisions and motivations.