3.2 The cerebral cortex Flashcards
Name the three main structural parts of the brain
The central core of the brain contains the medulla, The central core of the brain also contains the cerebellum and The main body of the brain is the cerebrum
Medulla function
(also known as the brain stem) that regulates the basic involuntary life processes (autonomic system) of heart rate, heart rate, peristalsis, intestinal secretions, arousal and sleep
Cerebellum function
responsible for controlling balance, posture and co-ordination of movement
Cerebrum function
the centre of conscious thought and is divided into many lobes.
Cerebral cortex description
The cerebral cortex is described as the centre of conscious thought; it stores and recalls memories and is responsible for altering behaviour in light of experiences (learning).
What brain functions are within the cerebral cortex
There is localisation of brain functions within the cerebral cortex, it contains sensory areas, motor areas and association areas
What do the motor areas do in the cerebral cortex
The motor areas co-ordinate voluntary movements.
What do the association areas do in the cerebral cortex
The association areas make decisions based on previous experiences. There are association areas involved in language processing, personality, imagination and intelligence.
Evidence of brain function- cerebral cortex
Evidence for this localisation of brain function has come from; clinical studies of brain injuries, lesions and EEG’s along with brain scans (PET and fMRI techniques that highlight active regions of the brain).
Identify the key structural areas of the cerebral cortex.
The cerebral cortex is divided into two cerebral hemispheres – the left and the right.
Left cerebral hemisphere
The left cerebral hemisphere deals with information from the right visual field and controls the right side of the body
Right cerebral hemisphere
The right cerebral hemisphere deals with information from the left visual field and controls the left side of the body
What are the two cerebral hemispheres connected by
The two cerebral hemispheres are connected by the corpus callosum
State the function of the corpus callosum.
The corpus callosum is responsible for transferring information from one side of the cerebrum to the opposite side, it acts as an information bridge connecting the two cerebral hemispheres.
Evidence for the function of corpus callosum
Evidence of the function of the corpus callosum can be seen when examining the responses produced by split-brain patients when asked to complete tasks
