4.2 The Cerebral Cortex Flashcards
Corpus callosum and anterior commissure
Two bundles of axons in which neurons in each hemisphere communicate with neurons in the corresponding part of the other hemisphere
Laminae
Layers of cell bodies that are parallel to the surface of the cortex and separated from each other by layers of fibers
Columns
How the cells of the cortex are organized; cells are formed into columns based on similar properties, and arranged perpendicular to the laminae
Occipital lobe
Located at the posterior end of the cortex; the main target for axons from the thalamic nuclei that receive input from the visual pathways
Primary visual cortex/striate cortex
The very posterior pole of the accidental lube; has a striped appearance in cross-section
Cortical blindness
Caused by destruction of any part of the striate cortex in the related part of the visual field
Parietal lobe
Lies between the occipital lobe in the central sulcus; Monitors all the information about eye, head, and body positions and passes it on to other brain areas that control movement
Central sulcus
One of the deepest grooves in the surface of the cortex
Postcentral gyrus/primary somatosensory cortex
Posterior to the central sulcus; the primary target for touch sensations and information from muscle stretch receptors and joint receptors
Neglect
A fascinating symptom of right-hemisphere parietal lobe damage; a tendency to ignore the contralateral side of the body and world
Temporal lobe
The lateral portion of each hemisphere, near the temples; the primary cortical target for auditory information; the left temporal lobe is for understanding spoken language; also contributes to some of the more complex aspects of vision, including perception of movement in recognition of faces; Also plays a part in the emotional and motivational behaviors
Klüver-Bucy syndrome
Previously wild and aggressive monkeys failed display normal fears and anxieties after temporal lobe damage
Frontal lobe
Contains the primary motor cortex and the prefrontal cortex; extends from the central sulcus to the interior limit of the brain
Cerebral cortex
The cellular layers on the outer surface of the cerebral hemispheres form gray matter
Precentral gyrus
The posterior portion of the frontal lobe just anterior to the central sulcus; specialized for the control of fine movements
Prefrontal cortex
Most anterior portion of the frontal lobe; receives information from all the sensory systems, including the interior of the body; Important for working memory and the delayed-response task; contributes to the shifting of attention
Prefrontal lobotomy
Surgical disconnection of the prefrontal protects from the rest of the brain; used to be conducted in attempts to control psychological disorders
Working memory
The ability to remember recent stimuli and events
Delayed-response task
A stimulus appears briefly, and after some delay, the individual must respond to the remembered stimulus
Reference memory
The ability to remember unchanging information
The binding problem
The question of how the visual, auditory, and other areas of your brain influence one another to produce a combined perception of a single object
Gamma waves
30-80 action potentials per second
One hypothesis for the binding problem
Binding of the perception depends on precisely simultaneous activity in various brain areas
What causes synchrony to develop? (The binding problem)
Synchrony among distant parts of the cortex depends on coordination by an area in the inferior parietal cortex
