Module 3 - The Brain Flashcards
The __________ system consists of all the nerves and cells throughout the body whose job it is to receive and transmit information from one part of the body to the other.
Nervous
It is very likely that the brain has gyru and sulci because they_________.
A. Have specific functions to perform
B. Increase the surface area that can fit in the skull
C. Help blood flow
D. Help migration of neurons to their proper location during development
B. Increase the surface area that can fir in the skull
The cortex is divided up into four distinct lobes separated by deep ____________ and fissures.
Sulci
The idea that specific parts of the cortex do different jobs is known as ___________.
A. Functional localization
B. Specific localization
C. Functional processing
D. Distributed processing
Functional localization
The right hemisphere of the brain is dominant for what kind of processing?
Spatial
People with damage to their left hemisphere are likely to have trouble with ________.
A. Memory
B. Spatial processing
C. Control of their left hand
D. Language
D. Language
To say two functions are doubly dissociated indicates that those two functions __________.
A. Involve the same mechanisms
B. Involve different mechanisms
C. Interact with each other
D. Cannot function alone
B. Involve different mechanisms
If a split-brain patient is presented with a triangle in their left visual field and a circle in their right visual field, which object will they verbally name?
A. Neither the circle nor the triangle
B. Both the circle and the triangle
C. The triangle
D. The circle
D. The circle
An EEG measures ___________.
A. The flow of blood in the brain
B. The electrical activity of an active brain
C. The electrical activity of a single neuron
D. The BOLD response
B. The electrical activity of an active brain
Which of these is not one of the basic goals of the nervous system?
A. Gather information from sensory systems
B. send information to the brain
C. Secrete hormones into the bloodstream
D. direct the movement of muscles
C. Secrete hormones into the bloodstream
What are the two subsystems of the nervous system in humans?
- Central nervous system
- Peripheral nervous system
What does the central nervous system consist of?
The brain, spinal cord
Technically it also includes the retina of the eye
What does the peripheral nervous system consist of?
All the neurons, glial cells and nerves that are not part of the central nervous system.
What is the role of the peripheral nervous system?
It provides the input by bringing in information from the external senses and passing it to the central nervous system for processing
What is the role of the central nervous system?
It sends behavioural decisions as output back to the peripheral nervous system in order to control muscles to generate a behaviour
What are some involuntary behaviours that can have an effect on cognition?
Emotions for examples. Emotions are involuntary but can affect cognitive processes like decision making
What is the autonomic nervous system?
A portion of the peripheral nervous system that connects to most organs in the body and regulates certain unconscious bodily functions
What are some of the bodily functions taken care of by the autonomic nervous system?
Heart rate
Digestion
Respiration
Sexual arousal
Etc
Which two subsystems does the autonomic nervous system engage?
The sympathetic nervous system
- stress reaction
- Prepares body for action
- Fight or flight response
- lowering priority bodily functions like digestion and sexual arousal
- higher heart rate, respiration etc
parasympathethic nervous system
- relaxed state
- eating and digestion, arousal etc
Which structure heavily regulates the autonomic nervous system?
The brainstem
What is the brainstem?
Structure at the base of the brain that connects it to the spinal cord
Regulates involuntary functions like heart rate and breathing
A small but highly complex cluster of neurons that lies in the center of the brain that regulates multiple involuntary behavioural functions.
Hypothalamus
Which involuntary functions does the hypothalamus take care of?
Body temperature
Hunger
Thirst
Fatigue
Certain sexual behaviours
What is a reflex action?
The simplest form of autonomic behavioural responses in which the spinal cord generates the behavioural signal without the brain
What takes up the largest portion of the human brain?
Cerebrum
What is the role of the cerebrum?
It is mostly devoted to controlling and regulating voluntary behaviour
Is the cerebrum one structure?
No
It’s a group of connected structures that sit on the top of the brain
Which part of the cerebrum is considered the most important?
Cerebral cortex
What is the cerebrsl cortex?
A folded, layered structure that is the largest single structure snd the most superficial portion of the human brain (closest to the skull)
What is the outer layer of the cerebral cortex made of?
gray matter
- neuron cell bodies
What is white matter made of?
Made of nerve tracts that connect neurons to each other.