Biology Flashcards
Spinal cord responsibilities
Simple spinal reflexes, primitive processes such as walking, urination and sex organ function.
-Simple reflexes
The hind brain and its parts
The Medulla - responsible for relaying the info between other areas of the brain and regulates vital autonomic functions such as blood pressure and digestive functions. Also respiratory rhythmic centers are found here.
The pons - connections point between the brain stem and the cerebellum. Controls some autonomic functions and coordinates movement. Also plays a role in balance and anti-gravity posture.
Cerebellum - Integrating center where complex movements are coordinated. Damage results in poor hand eye coordination and balance.`
The midbrain and functions
relay for visual and auditory info and contains much of the reticular activating system which is responsible for arousal or wakefulness
- Eye movement
Brainstem
contains the medulla, pons and midbrain. Contains important processing centers and relays info to or from the cerebellum and cerebrum.
the forebrain and its parts
The forebrain includes the dincephalon and the telencephalon
The diencephalon and parts
includes the thalamus and hypothalamus
thalamus
contains the relay and processing centers for sensory information
Hypothalamus
Interacts directly with many parts of the brain. Contains centers for controlling emotion and autonomic functions and has a mjor role in hormone production and release. Primary link between the nervous and the endocrine systems. Controls the pituitary gland and is thus the fundamental control center for the endocrine system.
The cerebral hemispheres and how they are connected
Connected by a thick bundle of axons called the corpus callosum. A person with a cut corpus callosum has two independent cerebrak cortices and to a certain extent two independent minds.
The cerebrum
The largest region of the brain and consists of the large paired cerebral hemispheres.
The cerebral cortex
Divided into four pairs of lobes each of which is devoted to specific function. White matter ( Myelenated axons) and gray matter (somas)
Frontal lobes
part of cerebral cortex. initiate all voluntary movement and are involved in complex reasoning and problem solving.
Parietal lobes
part of the cerebral cortex. involved in general sensation such as touch temperature pressure vibration and taste.
Temporal lobes
part of the cerebral cortex. Process auditory and olfactory sensation and involved in short term memory.
Occipital lobes
Part of cerebral cortex. Process visual sensation.
