Concepts of brain function Flashcards
Explain the nervous system of simple creatures
Reflexes only
How has increased complexity come about?
Evolution
What does the brain allow for?
Modulation of reflexes
Independent sensory and motor function
Describe the sensory function of the brain?
Reception vs. perception
Giving information meaning
Storage of information (memory)
Describe the motor function of the brain?
Decision-based activity
How does information get in and out of the brain?
Individual pathways (tracts) for sensory and motor Multiple pathways for sensory and motor
Where in the brain does information go?
To the relevant cortex
How do cortexes and sides of the body relate?
The left side of the body is controlled by the right cortex of the brain
What is decussation?
The crossing of neurones from the left side of the body to the right and vice versa
What is a cortical heirarchy?
The CNS is organised into a cortical heirarchy. The cortex of the brain is the highest in the hierarchy as it has the highest level of function
What is unimodal association?
One area of the brain has one role, it deals with one sensory system or part of the body
Explain the relationship with primary and secondary cortex
The primary cortex receives information about one thing, e.g. vision
The secondary cortex interprets this information and makes sense of it
Tertiary regions are unimodal or multimodal?
Multimodal
They interpret many modalities (including memories and learnt behaviours)
e.g. creating depth and vision
What is cognition?
Higher function of the brain
What does cognition include?
Planning Thinking Language Memory Emotions