Ch. 10 - Neurophysiology Flashcards
What are the right and left cerebral hemispheres connected by?
The corpus callosum
What are the 4 lobes per hemisphere of the brain?
- Frontal
- Parietal
- Occipital
- Temporal
What are the functions of the lobes?
- Frontal - control skilled motor behavior
- Parietal - interpret somatosensory input
- Occipital - interpret visual stimuli
- Temporal - interpret auditory input
What makes up the diencephalon?
The thalamus and hypothalamus
Describe the thalamus.
- Ovoid mass of gray matter
- Ascending stimuli (all sensory except olfactory) is relayed through the thalamus to cerebral cortex
What part of the brain controls the homeostatic processes and is often associated with autonomic nervous system?
Hypothalamus
Describe the hypothalamus.
- Collection of nerve cells
- Lies subcortical (at base of cerebrum)
What does the hypothalamus regulate?
- Body temperature
- Appetite
- Water balance (Thirst)
- Sexual activity
- Sleep
- Emotions
- Pituitary secretions
- Autonomic functions - GI & cardiac activity
What controlls the bodies heat regulation?
Posterior hypothalamus
What is the most potent mechanism for heat production, and what does it cause?
Shivering - causes fibrillation of muscle for heat production
What are the different ways of heat transer?
- Heat transfer - emission of heat in form of infrared rays
- Conduction - flow of heat energy from warmer to cooler environment (down gradient)
- Convection - movement of heat by currents in the medium (ex wind)
- Evaporation - conversion of a liquid into vapor (respiratory, skin, sweating)
What does the Limbic system consist of?
The hippocampus & amygdala
Where is the limbic system located?
Deep in the temporal lobe - primitive brain area
What basic drives does the limbic system initiate?
- Hunger
- Aggression
- Emotional feelings
- Sexual arousal
What part of the brain functions in learning and memory?
Hippocampus