Exam 1: Important Structures Flashcards
Nuclei
Nerves or clusters of brain cells with the same job or connecting to the same places.
Ganglia
Groups of nerves or brain cells that are closely related.
Nerves
A bundle of axons in the PNS
-Protected by a connective tissue matrix
Tracts
Bundle of axons in the CNS
-Protected by the skull and vertebral column
Gyrus
A ridge on the brain’s surface
Sulcus
A groove in the brain’s surface
Gray vs. White Matter
Gray: Made up of neuronal cell bodies, made of dendrites and soma.
White: Primarily consists of myelinated axons, made up of axons that send information.
Medulla (Brainstem)
Involuntary functions; esp. breathing, and blood flow.
Pons (Brainstem)
-Sleep/wake system
-Relay of signals between cerebellum & cerebrum
Cerebellum (Brainstem)
-Coordinated movement & balance
- Some associative learning
-“Little Brain”
Dorsal vs. Ventral PAG
PAG: propagation and modulation of pain.
Dorsal: acutely elevated blood pressure.
Ventral: Decreases blood pressure and increases heart rate variability.
Superior & inferior colliculus
S: Processes visual information
I: Processes auditory information
Substantia Nigra & Dopamine
-Midbrain
-Part of basal ganglia
-Helps control movements
-Plays a part in the chemical signaling of your brain
Cerebral Cortex
-Gray matter of the brain
-Breaks into 4 lobes
Corpus Callosum
Connects both hemispheres of the brain and allows for communication between both sides.
Frontal Lobe
-Motor Tasks
-Regulating emotions, social interactions, and personality
-Difficult decisions
-Concentration, judgement, orientation
Temporal Lobe
-Processes sensory input
-Emotions, visual memory, language comprehension
-Processing sound
Parietal Lobe
-Perception, sensation, and integrating sensory input with the visual system.
-Receives contralateral sensory information
Occipital Lobe
-Processing of visual input in humans
Hypothalamus
-Helps manage body temperature
-Hunger, thirst, mood, sex drive, sleep, & blood pressure
Pituitary Gland
-Major endocrine gland
-Produces and releases hormones that regulate many bodily functions
Thalamus
-Relays motor and sensory signals to the cerebral cortex
Basal Ganglia
Group of subcortical nuclei responsible primarily for motor control
-Motor learning
-Executive functions
-Behaviors
-Emotions
Amygdala
Rapid evaluation of sensory input
-emotional responses to external stimuli
Hippocampus
Spatial navigation & episodic memory
