Reflexes and Neurons

The monks continued to learn about neuroanatomy and we started our discussion of the nerve cell.  Using the brain hats that we made the day before, we discussed the location and functions of the four lobes of the cerebral cortex.   We also discussed the brain stem, thalamus, and cerebellum.  To finish up the quick tour of the nervous system, we talked about the spinal cord and spinal reflexes.

To illustrate reflexes, I demonstrated the knee jerk reflex and mentioned how the brain is not required for this reflex.  The monks were then divided into groups and given a reflex hammer to experiment with the reflex.  They learned that the brain can modify the reflex, but it is not needed for the basic response.

We then moved the nerve cell.  I showed them some photographs of nerve cells from different parts of the brain and also a simple diagram of a neuron.  We moved to a second classroom where the monks built functional models of a nerve cell with string, paper cups, paper and metal washers.  One monk was so proud of his neuron model that he taped it to the wall of the classroom.  Other monks saw this and added their neurons to the wall, making sure that axon terminals of one neuron lined up with dendrites of another neuron.

Now that the monks know about the structure of a neuron, our next lesson will be about the function of a neuron.