3) Brain Behavior Network Flashcards
Central Nervous System
brain + spinal cord
Controls mind and behavior
Sensory info comes in, decisions to act come out
Spinal cord is protected by?
meninges (3 thin layers of membranes) and cerebral ventricles
Cerebral ventricles
Pockets in brain that contain CSF
Provide brain with nutrients and cushion against injury
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
CNS shock absorber
Allow us to move our heads rapidly without brain damage
Cerebrum or Forebrain
Top part of brain, most highly developed area that allows advanced intellectual abilities
Controls complex cognitive, emotional, sensory, & motor functions
What is the forebrain / cerebrum divided into?
Cerebral Cortex & Subcortical structures
Cerebral cortex
Outer + largest component of forebrain
Responsible for higher brain functions:
most complex aspects of perception, movement, thought
Analyzes sensory info
Gyri and sulci are not random!
2 cerebral hemispheres
4 lobes + hidden insular lobe
Gyri and Sulci
gyrus: smooth surface (raised parts)
sulcus: indentations and fissures
What are the subcortical structures of the forebrain?
Basal ganglia + limbic system:
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Pituitary gland
Amygdala
Hippocampus
the two halves of the cerebral cortex communicate through ____
the corpus callosum
T or F : people can live with only one half of a brain
true
if taken out early, brain tries to assume the roles of missing half
How did ____ find out that the 2 hemispheres of the cerebral cortex serve different functions?
Roger Sperry
Split brain surgery - severe corpus callosum
Grey matter
in outer layers of cortex
cell bodies + dendrites
white matter
inner layers of cortex
axons + myelin sheaths
Left hemisphere functions
Controls right side of body
Actions
Find-tuned language skills
- reading, writing, speech
Right hemisphere functions
Controls left side of body
Visuospatial skills
Coarse language skills
- simple speech, tone of voice
Which hemisphere deals with face perception and perceptual grouping?
right
which hemisphere deals with motion detection and allows us to make facial expressions?
left
Corpus callosum
large band of fibres that connects the 2 cerebral hemispheres, relaying info
Split brain surgery
Procedure that severs corpus callosum to reduce spread of seizures
Experience separation of mental functions
ex/
Info originating from left field goes to visual cortex on the right side, and is blocked from crossing over back to left hemi
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Lateralization
cognitive functions that relies on one side of brain more than the other
Even though 2 hemis are connected and work together to coordinate functions, each hemi serves diff functions
Are personalities lateralized?
NOOOOO
Name the lobes in the cerebral cortex and super briefly describe what they do
Frontal - thinking + speech production
Parietal - touch + spatial perception
Temporal - hearing + language comprehension
Occipital - sight
Insular - taste
Frontal lobe + what it contains
Abstract thinking, planning, judgement, memory, & movement
Executive functioning
- organize + coordinate other brain area functions
Contains
- Motor cortex
- Prefrontal cortex (Broca’s Area)
Motor cortex
in frontal lobe, responsible for voluntary body movement
- each part of cortex controls specific part of body
- parts can get bigger if it’s used alot
prefrontal cortex
in front of motor cortex
in frontal lobe
thinking, decision making, planning
- contributes to mood, personality, self awareness
- broca’s area
Which part of our brain helps to keep our impulses in check?
prefrontal cortex, in frontal lobe
broca’s area
in prefrontal cortex of frontal lobe
language area that helps control speech production
Damage to which part of our brain can change our personality?
frontal lobe
ex/ phineas gage
central sulcus
deep groove that separates frontal lobe from rest of cortex
Parietal lobe
Spatial perception
Somatosensory cortex
- process touch
- guides our attention
- help us process others actions
- integrates senses
Which lobe relays visual + touch info to the Motor cortex?
parietal
ex/ imagining the fluffiness of your pillow
Unilateral / hemispatial neglect
damage to parietal lobe
Neglect opposite side of body from where damage occurred to this lobe (cuz brain pathways cross over to other side of body)
Temporal lobe
Auditory cortex - process sound info
Wernicke’s area
Involved in long term memory
Fusiform Face area
Wernicke’s area
in temporal lobe
- speech + language comprehension
- damage to this area = speak gibberish
fusiform face area
in temporal lobe
ability to recognize faces and meaningful features
Occipital lobe
visual cortex
- process visual info
- proportionally larger in humans cuz we depend on it alot
eyes -> thalamus -> occipital lobe
Bats that rely on sound should have a bigger ____
auditory cortex
Insular lobe
taste perception
- perceives internal organ states
- linked to emotions of compassion & empathy
Basal Ganglia
subcortical structure in forebrain
- control & plan intentional movement
- skill & habit learning, behaviours we find rewarding
- emotions, language, decision making, memory
Parkinson’s disease is due to damage to which area of the brain?
basal ganglia
Which area is particularly involved in skill & habit learning, such as hobbies?
basal ganglia
What is in the limbic system?
thalamus
hypothalamus
amygdala
hippocampus
Limbic system
where subcortical structures meet the cortex
Emotional center closely tied to ANS
also involved in motivation, learning, memory
what sense is closely tied to emotion?
smell
___ structures create bridge between hemis and brain stem
limbic
limbic system evolved out of which system in early mammals?
olfactory (smell)
thalamus
part of limbic system, gateway from sense organs to primary sensory cortex
Relays & FILTERS out info from senses and transmits info to specific parts of cerebral cortex
Integrates senses, initial processing
hypothalamus
in limbic system
Maintains constant internal state (homeostasis)
Regulate hormone release and ANS
- Controls pituitary gland
- Emotion & motivation
- Body temp
- Psychological drives (the four Fs)
amygdala
subcortical structure
in limbic system
Emotional learning & memories
(esp fear & aggression)
Modulates attention & perception based on emotions
Fear conditioning
Make sense of faces and social cues, involves positive emotions too!
fear conditioning
when ppl learn to predict when smt scary is gonna happen
hippocampus
Spatial navigation/memory
Formation of new long-term memories
Learning new facts, vivid remembering
Integrating memories into network of knowledge to be stored in other parts of forebrain
Damage here does not impact skill & habit learning (thats the basal ganglia)
Spacial memory
Memory of physical layout of things in environment
As we learn to navigate, the size of our ___ increases (ex/ in taxi drivers)
hippocampus
Cerebellum
in hindbrain but not in brain stem
“little brain”
Controls balance
Coordinates precise movements
Learn motor skills
Contributes to executive, memory, spatial, & linguistic abilities
If we are standing on one foot, which part of our brain helps prevent us from falling down?
cerebellum
Brain stem + what it consists of
part of the brain between spinal cord & cerebral cortex
basic bodily functions that keep us alive
- midbrain
- pons
- medulla
Midbrain
in brain stem
Important for orientation
Tracks visual stimuli
Reflexes triggered by sound
Controls big motor movements
what part of the brain is involved when a big THUMP makes you jump?
midbrain
Hindbrain + what it contains
below midbrain
evolutionarily developed first
contains cerebellum, pons, RAS, & medulla
pons
in brain stem, hindbrain
relays info from cerebellum to rest of the brain/cerebral cortex
Key role in sleep & dreaming
medulla
in brain stem, hindbrain
An extension of the spinal cord that regulates vital reflexes
(heart rate, circulation, respiration, sneezing, coughing)
also involved in nausea & vomiting
Serious damage to the medulla can cause
brain death
- unaware of surroundings and unresponsive
- no spontaneous movement, breathing, or reflex
Reticular Activating System
in the brain stem, hindbrain
regulates sleep + arousal
- connects with forebrain
- activate cortex by jacking up signal-to-noise ratio
ex/ drugs for ADHD mimic NT activity in RAS
Someone who’s in a coma probably took damage to which brain area?
Reticular activating system
Spinal cord
Thick bundle of nerves that conveys info between brain and body
What are nerves?
projections of neurons to and from other body parts, like highway traffic
Three major types of neurons & what they connect to
Sensory - body to brain
Motor - brain to body
interneurons - sensory neurons to motor neurons (without reporting to brain)
Reflexes
automatic motor response to sensory stimuli, thanks to interneurons
ex/ stretch reflex = regripping when loosened
Where does info go when it is first picked up by a sense? (8)
- funnel into thalamus
- initial processing & filtering - primary sensory cortex specific to that sense
- association cortex
- basal ganglia
- blueprint of movement to motor cortex
- Spinal cord
- motor neurons
- muscles!
Which sense goes directly to the limbic system?
smell
primary sensory cortex
regions of cerebral cortex that initially process info from the senses
Association cortex
spread throughout all lobes
integrates sensory info or simpler functions to perform more complex functions
hierarchal: processing more complex as info is passed up network
most of the cerebrum is ____ cortex
association
75%
Peripheral Nervous System + what it’s divided into
Nerves in body outside of CNS
- Somatic Nervous System
- Autonomic Nervous System
a. Parasympathetic
b. Sympathetic
Somatic Nervous System
Voluntary behaviour
interacts with external envo
Control movement & skeletal muscles
___ triggers and coordinates movements, ____ carries them out
brain // Somatic NS
Afferent vs Efferent nerves
Afferent: info to CNS
Efferent: CNS to muscles (SNS) and organs (ANS)
Autonomic Nervous System
Division in PNS
Nonvoluntary actions
Internal environment like organs & glands
interact with brain, helps regulate emotions with limbic system
divided into
1. parasympathetic
2. sympathetic
Parasympathetic Nervous System
in ANS, chill
Rest & digestion
no threat, diff parts act independently
Sympathetic Nervous System
in ANS, stress
Fight or flight
Trigger physical responses during emotional arousal / crisis
Neurons fire together, coordinated
Fight or flight is associated with which division in the PNS?
Sympathetic nervous system
Endocrine System
system of glands that controls secretion of hormones into bloodstream
Hormones
molecules that influence particular organs
Hormones vs Neurotransmitters
Carried thru blood instead of nerves
Longer effects compared to NT
Much slower in action
snail mail vs text message
Pituitary Gland
Master Gland
Subcortical structure controlled by hypothalamus
Release hormones that direct what other glands do (also depends on actions of other glands)
This is referred to as our master gland
pituitary gland
Oxytocin
Hormone responsible for reproductive functions
Maternal and romantic love, “cuddle hormone”
Influence how much we trust others
Coordinate social behaviors and emotional communication
more sensitive to social cues, mirroring others
cons: make us treat outsiders worse
Adrenal Gland
Emergency Centers
on top of kidneys, release adrenaline & cortisol during emotional arousal
Adrenaline + what it does to our bodies
boost energy production in muscle cells, activated in emergencies / exciting activities
- Increase blood flow: contraction of heart muscle & constrict blood vessels
- Increase air intake: open bronchioles (tiny airways) of lungs
- Fuel body: break down fat into fatty acid
- Energize muscles: break down glycogen to glucose
- Improve sight: open pupils
- Decrease appetite: inhibits gastrointestinal secretions
____ nervous system triggers ____ gland to release adrenaline
Sympathetic // adrenal
Cortisol
released by adrenal gland
increase in response to stress & anxiety
regulates blood pressure and heart function, body’s use of nutrients (i.e. weight)
Why is anxiety good?
prevent ppl from engaging in unethical or dangerous behaviour
Reproductive glands
Male and female make more of their own hormone, but everyone has both
Testes
- high levels of testosterone in males
Ovaries
- high levels of estrogen in females
