Module 11-13

Question 1

electroencephalogram (EEG)

Answer 1

an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity sweeping across the brain’s surface. These waves are measured by electrodes
placed on the scalp.

Question 2

position emission tomography (PET)

Answer 2

a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.

Question 3

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Answer 3

a technique that uses
magnetic fields and radio waves
to produce computer-generated
images of soft tissue. MRI scans
show brain anatomy.

Question 4

functional MRI (fMRI)

Answer 4

a technique for revealing bloodflow
and, therefore, brain activity by
comparing successive MRI scans.
fMRI scans show brain function as
well as its structure.

Question 5

brainstem

Answer 5

the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it
enters the skull; the brainstem is
responsible for automatic survival
functions.

Question 6

medulla

Answer 6

the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat
and breathing

Question 7

pons

Answer 7

helps coordinate movement

Question 8

reticular formation

Answer 8

a nerve network that travels through the
brainstem and thalamus and plays
an important role in controlling
arousal.

Question 9

thalamus

Answer 9

the brain’s sensory control center,
located on top of the brainstem;
it directs messages to the sensory
receiving areas in the cortex and
transmits replies to the cerebellum
and medulla.

Question 10

cerebellum

Answer 10

the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input,
coordinating movement output and
balance, and enabling nonverbal
learning and memory.

Question 11

limbic system

Answer 11

neural system (including the hippocampus,
amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with
emotions and drives.

Question 12

amygdala

Answer 12

two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in
the limbic system; linked to emotion.

Question 13

hypothalamus

Answer 13

a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps
govern the endocrine system via
the pituitary gland, and is linked to
emotion and reward.

Question 14

hippocampus

Answer 14

processes conscious memories

Question 15

cerebral cortex

Answer 15

the intricate fabric of interconnected
neural cells covering the cerebral
hemispheres; the body’s ultimate
control and information-processing
center.

Question 16

frontal lobes

Answer 16

portion of the
cerebral cortex lying just behind the
forehead; involved in speaking and
muscle movements and in making
plans and judgments.

Question 17

parietal lobes

Answer 17

portion of the cerebral cortex lying
at the top of the head and toward
the rear; receives sensory input for
touch and body position.

Question 18

occipital lobes

Answer 18

portion of the cerebral cortex lying
at the back of the head; includes
areas that receive information from
the visual fields.

Question 19

temporal lobes

Answer 19

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above
the ears; includes the auditory
areas, each receiving information
primarily from the opposite ear.

Question 20

motor cortex

Answer 20

an area at the rear
of the frontal lobes that controls
voluntary movements.

Question 21

somatosensory cortex

Answer 21

area at the front of the parietal lobes that
registers and processes body touch
and movement sensations.

Question 22

association areas

Answer 22

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved
in primary motor or sensory
functions; rather, they are involved
in higher mental functions such as
learning, remembering, thinking,
and speaking.

Question 23

corpus callosum

Answer 23

the large band of
neural fibers connecting the two
brain hemispheres and carrying
messages between them.

Question 24

split brain

Answer 24

a condition resulting
from surgery that isolates the brain’s
two hemispheres by cutting the
fibers (mainly those of the corpus
callosum) connecting them.

Question 25

brain plasticity (neuroplasticity)

Answer 25

the brain’s ability
to change, especially during
childhood, by reorganizing after
damage or by building new
pathways based on experience.

Question 26

neurogenesis

Answer 26

the formation of new neurons