KA2 - The Cerebral Cortex Flashcards
What is the brain?
The brain controls complex behaviour. It is made of billions of interconnected neurons and has different regions that carry out different functions
What are the 4 main areas of the brain?
Cerebrum
Cerebellum
Medulla
Hypothalamus
What is the function of the cerebrum
The cerebrum is split into two hemispheres and is highly folded. This gives a large surface area and allows an increased number of interconnections between neurons.
It controls intelligence, personality, concious thoight and high level functions, such as language and verbal memory.
What is the funtion of the cerebellum?
To control balance, coordination of movement and muscular activity
What is the funtion of the medulla?
To control unconscious activities sich as heart rate and breathing rate
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
The regulating centre for temperature and water balance within the body
What is the cerebral cortex?
The cerebral cortex is the thin, outer layer of the cerebrum.
What is the function of the cerebral cortex?
It is the centre of conscious thought.
It also recalls memories and alters behaviour in the light of experience.
There is localisation of brain functions in the cerebral cortex, which has many distinct regions.
It contains sensory areas, motor areas and assoxiation areas involved in language processing, personality, imagination and intelligence.
What is an electroencephalogram?
Records electrical activity in the brain
