Brain Structure and Function Flashcards
How is the brain separated?
The brain is separated into the prosencephalon (forebrain), mesencephalon (midbrain), and the rhombencephalon (hindbrain).
What are the three M’s that compose the brain stem?
Mesencephalon, metencephalon, and the myelencephalon.
How does cognitive complexity increase in the brain?
Hindbrain –> midbrain –> forebrain
What does the hindbrain do?
It controls the most basic functions of life: respiration, alertness, and motor skills.
What parts make up the hindbrain?
The pons, medulla oblongata, and the cerebellum.
What is the midbrain responsible for?
Integration of different senses.
What parts compose the midbrain?
Optic lobes (tectum), and the midbrain nuclei.
What is the forebrain responsible for?
The forebrain controls complex cognitive thinking, emotions, and motor functions.
What is the forebrain composed of?
It is split into the cortical and subcortical structures.
What does the brainstem do?
Important for basic vital functions.
What composes the diencephalon, and what are their functions?
The thalamus, and the hypothalamus. The thalamus is a primary processing centre for sensory information and autonomic control. Here you will find connections to the limbic system, basal ganglia, and primary sensory areas.
What comprises the telencephalon?
The largest part of the human brain (85% of total weight).
It comprises the limbic system, cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, striatum, and olfactory bulb.
What makes up the limbic system?
The hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and thalamus.
Why is the brain convoluted?
Convolutions increase the surface area while maintaining a small volume. It allows us to store more brain, which is important for efficiency.
If mammals do now have convulsions on their brain, what are they referred to?
Lissenphalic brains.
What are the furrows in the cortex called?
Fissures or sulci.
What are the ridges known as?
Gyri.
How are the hemispheres connected?
They are connected by white matter tracts known as cerebral commissures. The largest one is known as the corpus callosum.
What does the occipital lobe do?
Visual processing, reception, and interpretation.
Home to the primary sensory cortex.
What does the parietal lobe do?
Receiving and processing sensory input.
Perception of body awareness, and spatial coordination.
What does the temporal lobe do?
Auditory reception, language processing, the encoding of memory (short to long term), and emotion processing.
What does the frontal lobe do?
The motor cortex is important for voluntary motor activity.
High order cognition such as planning, emotional regulation, judgment, attention, etc.
What does the hippocampus do?
Memory and spatial navigation.
What does the hypothalamus do?
Regulates pituitary temperature, behaviour, appetite, etc.
What does the amygdala do?
Emotional processing, salience, and threat detection.
What does the basal ganglia do?
Important for voluntary movement, procedural learning, habit learning, cognition, emotion and motivation, and reward.
what makes up the striatum?
The caudate + putamen.
