biopaychology pt 2 Flashcards
hindbrain
located at the skull’s rear, the lowest portion of the brain
Controls basics to keep us alive
cerebellum
–“the little brain” motor coordination
–Helps maintain balance and posture and voluntary movement
–50% of the brain’s neurons
Medulla Oblongata
begins where the spinal cord enters the skull
Controls vital functions like blood pressure, breathing and heart rate
Can’t live without it
Pons
sleeping and Dreaming
Brain stem
stem-like brain area that includes much of the hindbrain and the midbrain (medulla and pons)
Midbrain
located between the hindbrain and forebrain, in an area in which many nerve-fiber systems ascend and descend to connect the higher and lower portions of the brain
Reticular formation
arousal- responsible for regulating wakefulness and sleep-wake transitions
forebrain
the part of the brain that develops from the anterior section of the neural tube in the embryo, containing the cerebrum and the diencephalon.
Cerebrum
the whole top part of the brain
Cerebral cortex
the outer layer of the brain responsible for complex mental functions
Thalamus
-directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
-final switching station for most incoming sensory info
Hypothalamus
control of hunger, thirst, temperature and other visceral bodily functions
Limbic system
Associated with memory and emotion
Amygdala
–an almond-shaped structure located inside the brain toward the base
–Emotion (fear)
–Discrimination of objects that are necessary for survival
Hippocampus
a special role in the storage of memories
Recall
Basal Ganglia
–Large neuron clusters located above the thalamus and under the cerebral cortex
–Work with the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex to control and coordinate voluntary movements
Corpus callosum
the large bundle of axons that connects the brain’s two hemispheres
motor cortex
An area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movement
sensory cortex
The area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes touch and body sensations
lesion
abnormal disruption in the tissue of the brain resulting from injury or disease
aphasia
Impairment of language
Broca’s area
Left hemisphere damage- impairs speaking
Wernickes area
–impairs understanding
–Speak in meaningless words with no comprehension
Endocrine system
–Controlled by the hypothalamus
–The body’s “slow” chemical communication system a set of glands that regulate the activities of certain organs by secreting hormones into the blood stream.
