Chapter 2-Bio Unit (2nd Half) Flashcards
Medulla
Base of the Brainstem, controls heart beat and breathing.
Brainstem
The oldest part of the brain, begins where the spinal cord enters the skull. Responsible for automatic survival functions, like heart beat and breathing.
Reticular formation
A nerve network in the Brainstem that is important for arousal and alertness.
Thalamus
Brains sensory switchboard at the top of the Brainstem. Directs messages to cortex and transmits replies to cerebellum and medulla.
Hippocampus
Located in the limbic system. Processes explicit memories for storage. Remembers visual locations or pictures.
Pons
Part of the Brainstem. It conducts signals from the cerebrum to the cerebellum and medulla. Carries sensory signals to the thalamus.
Cerebellum
The little brain attached to the rear of the Brainstem. It processes sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.
Limbic system
A donut shaped system associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as food and sex. The hippocampus, amygdala and hypothalamus are here.
Amygdala
2 Lima bean sized neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion.
Hypothalamus
Lies below the thalamus. Several maintenance activities such as eating, drinking, and temperature. Helps govern the endocrine via the pituitary gland. Linked to emotion.
Cerebral Cortex
The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the ultimate control and information processing center.
Glial Cells
Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.
Frontal lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead. Involved in speaking and muscle movements, marking plans and judgements.
Occipital lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying in the back of the head. Includes visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field.
Parietal lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head towards the rear. Receives sensory input for touch and body position.
Temporal lobes
The portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears. Includes the auditory areas each of which receives auditory information from the opposite ear.
Motor cortex
The area at the rear of the frontal lobes that control voluntary movement.
Sensory Cortex
Aka parietal cortex. Receives information from skin surface and sense organs.
Association areas
Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in sensory functions; they are higher mental functions for learning, memory, thinking and speaking.
Phineus Gage
A railroad construction worker who had a rod go through is head. It destroyed his left frontal lobe. His behavior and personality changed from soft spoken to angry.
Aphasia
An impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage to Brocas or Wernickes area.
Broca’s Area
Controls language expression. In the frontal lobe, left hemisphere. Coordinates muscle movements in speech and when it’s damaged it’ll leave impaired speech.
Wernicke’s Area
In the left temporal lobe. Involved in comprehending language. Damage to this will cause impairment in understanding.
Plasticity
The brains capacity for modification as evident in brain reorganization following stage and in experiments on brain development.
Corpus Callosum
The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.
Split brain
A condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connections fibers between them. (usually from the corpus callosum)
