02_Brain Anatomy and Physiology Flashcards
Hindbrain:
Three components
Medulla
Pons
Cerebellum
Medulla:
Overview
Information flow between spinal cord and brain
Swallowing, coughing and sneezing
Breathing, heartbeat and blood pressure
*Damage to Medulla is often fatal
Cerebellum:
Overview
Coordinated and refined motor movements
Possible result of damage to the cerebellum
Ataxia
Ataxia
Slurred speech
Severe tremors
Loss of balance
Midbrain:
Three components
Superior and inferior colliculi
Substantia nigra
Reticular formation
Superior and inferior colliculi
Routes for visual and auditory information, respectively
Substantia Nigra
Motor activity
[Also plays role in brain’s reward system]
Reticular formation:
Location
Extends from spinal cord through the hindbrain and midbrain into the hypothalamus in the forebrain
Reticular Formation:
Functions
Respiration
Coughing
Vomiting
Posture
Locomotion
REM sleep
Reticular activating system (RAS)
Screens sensory input, especially during sleep
Arouses higher centers in the brain when important information must be processed
Forebrain: Subcortical structures
Hypothalamus
Hunger
Thirst
Sex
Sleep
Body temperature
Movement
Emotional reactions
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)
Mediates sleep-wake cycle
Mammillary Bodies
Involved in learning and memory
Two components of the Hypothalamus
Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)
Mammillary Bodies
Hypothalamus and Homeostasis
Hypothalamus monitors body’s internal states and initiates responses needed to maintain homeostasis
Influences:
ANS
Pituitary gland
Other endocrine glands
Basal ganglia:
Three forebrain structures
Caudate nucleus
Putamen
Globus Pallidus
Basal Ganglia:
Main Functions
Sensorimotor learning
Motor expressions of emotional states
(e.g. smiling when happy, frowning when sad, running when afraid)
Diseases associated with Basal Ganglia
Huntington’s disease
Parkinson’s disease
Tourette’s disorder
OCD
ADHD
Basal ganglia and ADHD
Behavioral disinhibition linked to smaller caudate nucleus and globus pallidus
Limbic system:
Three Main Structures
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Cingulate cortex
Amygdala:
Functions
Motivational and emotional activities
Associates emotions to memories
Recall of emotionally charged experiences
Kluver-Bucy Syndrome
Effects of Bilateral lesions in amygdala and temporal lobes
Reduced fear and aggression
Increased docility
Compulsive oral exploratory behaviors
Altered dietary habits
Produce hypersexuality and “psychic blindness”
Psychic Blindness
Inability to recognize significance or meaning of events or objects