Chapter 4- Role of the brain in mental processes and behaviour Flashcards
cerebral cortex
the outer layer of the brain involved in complex mental abilities, sensory processing and voluntary movements; roles in a diverse range of activities
phrenology
a theory linking specific abilities or personality traits to specific areas of the brain, especially bumps and hollows in the skull surface
neuroimaging techniques
a technique that captures a picture of the brain
structural neuroimaging
refers to the technique that produces images or “scans”, showing brain structure and anatomy, such as the CT and standard MRI
CT
uses x-ray equipment to scan the brain at different angles. a computer builds up a picture and creates an image showing a horizontal cross section of the brain, as if it has been sliced through
limitations- only shows brain structure and admit radiation
MRI
uses harmless magnetic fields to vibrate atoms in the brains in neurons and generate a computer image of the brain. MRI images are clearer and more detailed than CT. It can display extremely small changes in the brains anatomy.
Limitations -cannot reveal how brain functions
functional neuro imaging
Techniques that provide views of some aspects of the brain function by showing images of the brain at work. They also provide information about brain structure, example, pet and fMRI
PET
produces 2-D or 3-D colour, images showing brain, structure, activity, and function. It is used to record the level of activity in different brain areas, while the participate engages in some kind of mental activity, such as imaging, remembering, listening, talking, or moving a body part.
limitations- uses a radioactive tracer
fMRI
detect and record brain activity by measuring oxygen consumption across the brain. It does not expose participants to radioactive traces, active brain areas identified by detecting changes in oxygen levels in the blood as it flows through the brain. It is often preferred and psychological research.
Role of the hind brain
autonomic responses,
collection of lower level brain structures that include medulla, ponds, and cerebellum
medulla
Vital bodily functions, for example, swallowing breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, vomiting, salivating, coughing, and sneezing
pons
Sleep, dreaming, arousal, health, control, breathing and coordination of some muscle movements. It also serves as a bridge.
cerebellum
Coordinates, fine muscle movements and regulates posture imbalance
mid brain
Collection of structures involving with movement processing in sensory information. Sleep and arousal includes the reticular formation.
reticular formation
Screens incoming information, so it’s not to overload. The brain alert higher brain centres to important information helps maintain consciousness and regulate arousal and muscle tone
Forebrain
Regulates complex cognitive processes, such as thinking, learning, memory and perception, as well as various aspects of emotion and personality
Hypothalamus
Regulating release of hormones and influencing behaviours associated with hunger, thirst and sleep
Thalamus
Acts as a release station, helps vision hearing and feeling sensations
Cerebrum
primarily responsible for everything we think feel and do it is divided into two hemispheres, the left and right hemisphere which are further subdivided into four lobes
left hemisphere
Verbal functions, example, reading, writing, speaking, and understanding speech logical reasoning
frontal lobe
Prefrontal cortex- reasoning, planning, problem-solving decision-making, symbolic, thinking regulation of emotions, expression of emotional reactions, self awareness, and aspects of personality
Primary motor cortex-initiates and controls voluntary movements
brocas area -production of speech that is clear and fluent
Parietal lobe
Receives and processes bodily somatosensory information such as touching temperature from the skin and information about muscle movement from muscles, tendons and joints, attention, special reasoning, judging position of body in a space
Primary somatosensory cortex-
Receives and processes, sensory information from the skin, arms, hands, legs, feet lips and tongue
Occipital lobe
The sense of vision damage can control visual impairments organising, selecting an integrating visual info
Primary visual cortex - the major destination of visual information from the two eyes
Temporal lobe
involved in auditory perception, memory ability to identify objects, recognise faces, and our emotional response to sensory information and memories
Primary auditory cortex- receives, and purses sounds from both ears to perceive an identify different types of sounds
wernickes area- comprehension and interpreting the sounds of human speech
