Brain Regions/Functions - Hindbrain, Midbrain, Subcortical Forebrain Flashcards
1
Q
3 regions of the brain
A
- Hindbrain
- Midbrain
- Forebrain
2
Q
Brainstem comprised of…?
A
Hindbrain and midbrain
3
Q
Hindbrain structures
A
- Medulla
- Pons
- Cerebellum
4
Q
Midbrain structures
A
- Reticular formation
- Substantia nigra
5
Q
Forebrain comprised of….?
A
Subcortical structures and cerebral cortex
6
Q
Subcortical forebrain structures
A
- Hypothalamus
- Thalamus
- Basal ganglia
- Limbic system
7
Q
Limbic system structures
A
- Amygdala
- Cingulate cortex
- Hippocampus
8
Q
Medulla functions
A
- Involuntary mouth and throat movements (swallowing, coughing, sneezing)
- Regulates survival functions (respiration, heart rate, blood pressure)
9
Q
Damage to medulla
A
Death
(commonly damaged through opioid use)
10
Q
Pons functions
A
- Connect two halves of cerebellum
- Coordinates movements on two sides of body
- Relays messages between cerebellum and cerebral cortex
- Regulates respiration, deep sleep, REM sleep
11
Q
Cerebellum functions
A
- Coordinates voluntary movements, posture, balance
- Processing and storing procedural memories and implicit memories
- Involved in some cognition (attention, language processing, visuospatial)
12
Q
Damage to cerebellum
A
Ataxia
13
Q
Reticular formation
A
- Network of neurons from medulla to midbrain
- Contains reticular activating system (RAS)
14
Q
Reticular formation functions
A
- Regulates muscle tone
- Eye movements
- Control of pain
15
Q
Reticular activating system (RAS)
A
- Also known as ascending reticular activating system (ARAS)
- Part of reticular formation
16
Q
RAS functions
A
- Consciousness and arousal
- Controls sleep/wake cycle
- Alerts cerebral cortex to incoming sensory signals
17
Q
Damage to RAS
A
Coma
18
Q
Stimulation of RAS
A
Waking (if asleep) or becoming more alert (if awake)
19
Q
Substantia nigra
A
Contains dopamine-producing cells
20
Q
Substantia nigra functions
A
- Reward-seeking
- Drug addiction
- Motor control (alongside basal ganglia)
21
Q
Damage to substantia nigra
A
Parkinson’s motor symptoms (slowed movement, tremors, rigidity, etc.)
22
Q
Hypothalamus functions
A
- Homeostasis and survival (body temperature, blood pressure, heart and respiration rates, thirst and hunger, growth, sexual activity, reproduction, physiological stress responses)
- Influences ANS and pituitary gland
- Related to emotions, memory, circadian rhythms
23
Q
2 hypothalamus components
A
- Contains mammillary bodies
- Contains suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
24
Q
Damage to/stimulation of hypothalamus
A
Aggression/rage, crying, laughter
25
Mammillary bodies function
Memory
26
Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) functions
1. Biological clock
2. Sleep-wake cycle
3. Circadian rhythm
27
2 ways the hypothalamus influences the pituitary gland
1. Hypothalamus produces hormones that stimulate or inhibit release of hormones by the anterior pituitary
2. Hypothalamus sends oxytocin and vasopressin to posterior pituitary to be released into bloodstream when needed
28
Hypothalamus and pituitary gland (hormone example)
1. Hypothalamus secretes gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
2. GnRH stimulates anterior pituitary to secrete gonadotropins
3. Gonadotropins regulate testes and ovaries
4. Development and regulation of reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics
29
Oxytocin
1. When released from posterior pituitary, stimulates uterine contractions during childbirth and lactation after childbirth
2. Beneficial for ASD, schizophrenia, and other disorders that affect social-emotional cognition
3. Inconsistent or marginal evidence to support oxytocin benefits for facial recognition
30
Vasopressin
1. Also known as antidiuretic hormone
2. Controls water reabsorption in kidneys, regulates water balance in body
31
Roles that oxytocin and/or vasopressin play
1. Social bonding
2. Trust
3. Cooperation
4. Social recognition
5. Sexual behavior
6. Social memory
7. Aggression
8. Psychosocial stress
32
Elevated oxytocin and stress
1. Can inhibit hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and SNS responses to stress, which decreases stress response
2. Can increase sensitivity to facial expressions, which can increase stress
33
Thalamus functions
1. Relays sensory information to cortex for all senses (except smell)
2. Coordination of senses and motor function, language, declarative memory
34
Damage to thalamus
Korsakoff syndrome
35
Korsakoff syndrome
1. Chronic alcoholism > damaged neurons in thalamus and mammillary bodies > thiamine deficiency
2. Anterograde amnesia, retrograde amnesia, confabulation
36
3 basal ganglia components
1. Striatum
2. Globus pallidus
3. Sometimes includes nucleus accumbens
37
3 striatum components
1. Caudate nucleus
2. Putamen
3. Nucleus accumbens
38
Striatum function
Receives input from cerebral cortex
39
Basal ganglia functions
1. Initiation and control of voluntary movements
2. Procedural and habit learning
3. Cognitive functioning (attention, decision-making)
4. Emotions
40
Damage to basal ganglia linked to:
1. Mood disorders
2. Schizophrenia
3. ADHD
4. OCD
5. Tourette's
6. Huntington's
7. Parkinson's
41
Globus pallidus function
Transmits information from basal ganglia to thalamus
42
Amygdala functions
1. Emotions
2. Recognition of facial expressions
3. Conditioned fear responses
4. Evaluating emotional significance of events
5. Attaching emotions to memories
6. Flashbulb memories
43
Amygdala and PTSD
PTSD linked to:
1. Hyperactive amygdala (distressing memories and other symptoms)
2. Hypoactive VPC (reduced regulation of amygdala)
44
Kluver-Bucy syndrome
1. Studied in monkeys
2. Lesions in amygdala, hippocampus, temporal lobes
3. Symptoms = hyperphagia, hyperorality, reduced fear, hypersexuality, visual agnosia
45
Papez circuit
1. Papez:
Hippocampus and other structures are part of emotions
2. Klover and Bucy:
Hippocampus primary cause of syndrome symptoms (later changed to amygdala)
3. Papez circuit updated to add amygdala
46
2 cingulate cortex components
1. Cingulate gyrus
2. Cingulate sulcus
47
Cingulate cortex functions
1. Motivation
2. Memory
3. Emotions (emotional reactions to pain)
48
Damage to cingulate cortex
Pain without emotional distress
49
Abnormalities in cingulate cortex linked to:
1. Depression
2. Bipolar disorder
50
Hippocampus
Involved more in memory and less in emotions than amygdala and cingulate cortex
51
Hippocampus functions
1. Moving declarative memories from short-term to long-term memory
2. Spatial memory
52
Hippocampus and Alzheimer's
Damage to hippocampus:
1. Impaired episodic memory
2. Impaired spatial navigation/memory
53
Hippocampus and stress
Stress > increased cortisol in hippocampus > impaired retrieval of declarative memories
54
Abnormalities in hippocampus linked to:
1. Depression
2. Bipolar disorder
3. Schizophrenia
4. PTSD
55
Hippocampus and PTSD
More extreme trauma linked to smaller hippocampus
(may be trauma > reduced hippocampal volume > PTSD)
