P68 Brain Structures Flashcards
Pons
Includes portion of reticular activating system critical for arousal
Theoretical bridge between cerebral hemispheres and both medulla and cerebellum
Medulla oblongata
Regulates heart rhythm, blood flow, breathing rate, digestion, vomiting
Cerebellum
Coordinates motor function, integrating motion and positional information from the inner ear and muscles
Helps maintain balance
Basil ganglia
Or basal nuclei
- Links the thalamus with the motor cortex and other motor areas
- Regulates initiation of movements, balance, eye movements, and posture
- Involved in reward/punishment learning and focus
Thalamus
Relay station for sensory pathways carrying visual, auditory, taste, somatosensory information to/from appropriate areas of cerebral cortex
Hypothalamus
- Controls the sympathetic and parasympathetic centers in the medulla
- thirst, hunger, and sex drives
- sets emotional states, such as rage, with the limbus system
- integrates with the endocrine system by secretion of hormones that regulate hormones from pituitary
Amygdala
- Influences aggression and fear. Coordinates fight-or-flight response
- Important in formation of sensory memory
Hippocampus
Enables formation of new long-term memories
Cerebral cortex
- receives and processes sensory information and directs movement
- center for higher order processes such as thinking, planning, judgement
- Divided into eight lobes, four in reach hemisphere
Occipital lobes
Information from left half of visual field of both eyes is processed in right occipital lobe, from right visual field in left occipital lobe
Parietal lobes
Somatosensory cortex is the front strip
Frontal lobes
Motor cortex
Broca’s area is in LEFT frontal lobe
Interpret and control emotional behaviors, make decisions, carry out plans
