Module #6 Vocab

Question 1

Hindbrain

Answer 1

consists of the medulla, pons, and cerebellum; directs essential survival functions, such as breathing, sleeping, and wakefulness, as well as coordination and balance

Question 2

Midbrain

Answer 2

found atop the brainstem; connects the hindbrain with the forebrain, controls some motor movement, and transmits auditory and visual information

Question 3

Forebrain

Answer 3

consists of the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus; manages complex cognitive activities, sensory and associative functions, and voluntary motor activities

Question 4

Brainstem

Answer 4

the 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 5

Medulla

Answer 5

the hindbrain structure that is the brainstem’s base; controls heartbeat and breathing

Question 6

Thalamus

Answer 6

the forebrain’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 7

Reticular formation

Answer 7

a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; filters information and plays an important role in controlling arousal

Question 8

Cerebellum

Answer 8

the hindbrain’s “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 9

LImbic system

Answer 9

neural system located mostly in the forebrain—below the cerebral hemispheres—that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, and hippocampus; associated with emotions and drives

Question 10

Amygdala

Answer 10

two almond-shaped neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

Question 11

Hypothalamus

Answer 11

a limbic system 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 12

Hippocampus

Answer 12

a neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit (conscious) memories—of facts and events—for storage

Question 13

Cerebral cortex

Answer 13

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

Question 14

Frontal lobes

Answer 14

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

Question 15

Parietal lobes

Answer 15

the 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 16

Occipital lobes

Answer 16

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

Question 17

Temporal lobes

Answer 17

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

Question 18

Motor cortex

Answer 18

a cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

Question 19

Somatosensory cortex

Answer 19

a cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

Question 20

Association areas

Answer 20

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