Chapter 2 - Brain PT 2 Flashcards
Medulla
The base of the brain stem - controls heartbeat and breathing.
Brainstem
The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as if enters the skull; the brain stem is responsible for autonomic survival functions.
Reticular Formation
A nerve network in the brain stem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.
Thalamus
The brains sensory switchboard* located at the top of the brain stem, it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
Hippocampus
Linked to memory
Pons
Pathway for nerve bundles between cerebellum and cerebrum.
Cerebellum
“Little brain” - Processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.
Limbic System
Associated with movements such as fear mad aggression and drives such as those for food and sex.
Amygdala
Components of Limbic system and are linked to emotion.
Hypothalamus
Directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp) helps control endocrine system via pituitary gland and is linked to emotion.
Cerebral Cortex
The body’s ultimate control and information processing center.
Glial Cells
Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, ms protect neurons.
Frontal Lobes
Involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements.
Occipital Lobes
Includes the visual areas, ear h of which receives auditory information primarily from the opposite ear.
Parietal Lobes
Receives sensory output for touch and body position.
Temporal Lobes
Includes the auditory areas, each of which receives auditory information primarily from the opposite ear.
Motor Cortex
Controls voluntary movements.
Sensory Cortex
Registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.
Association Areas
Involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking and speaking.
Phineus Gage
Pole went through his head
Aphasia
Impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca’s area or to wernicke’s area.
Broca’s Area
Controls language expression - directs the muscle movements involved in speech.
Broken Language - Slurred Speech
Wernicke’s Area
Controls language reception - involved in language comprehension and expression.
If you say hola, I don’t understand
Plasticity
The brains capacity for modification, as evident in brain reorganization following damage (especially in children) and in experiments on the effects of experience on brain development.
Corpus Callosum
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 connecting fibers (mainly those of the Corpus Callosum) between them.
