Parts of the Brain and their Functions Flashcards
What is the cortex?
A thin layer of interconnected neurons (cell bodies, grey matter)
What is the cerebrum?
Has two hemispheres and each hemisphere has 4 lobes:
Frontal
Parietal
Occipital
Temporal
What does the frontal lobe do?
Speaking, muscle movements, planning, judgement
What does the parietal lobe do?
Sensory input for touch and body position
What does the occipital lobe do?
Receives information from visual fields (vision)
What does the temporal lobe do?
Receives information from ears (language, music, hearing)
What are the older brain structures?
Less complex brain in primitive vertebrates handles basic survival functions.
What is the function of the medulla?
Located at the base of the brainstem
Controls heartbeat, breathing and swallowing
What is the function of the pons?
Located above the medulla
The bridge between upper and lower structures
Helps regulate arousal
Coordinates sensory information with information from the cerebellum
What is the reticular activating system?
A nerve network running through the medulla and pons
Involved in the ability to focus on the task at hand
Filters irrelevant stimuli
What is the limbic system?
Contains a loop of connected structures and pathways
Regulates our endocrine (hormone) systems
Regulates emotions
Part of memory functions
What terms are in the limbic system?
Hypothalamic nuclei
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Thalamus
Cingulate gyrus
What does the amygdala do?
Linked to emotion, fight/flight system
Emotional memory
Overactivity associated with anxiety
Damage here leads to inappropriate behaviour in emotional situations
What does the hippocampus do?
Neurons are activated when we are forming memories
New memories and imagination
Spatial navigation
Connected to the amygdala for memory of emotionally important events
What does the hypothalamus do?
Directs several maintenance activities (hunger, sex)
Helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland
What does the cingulate gyrus do?
Ventral to the neocortex
Increased activity in this area in response to pain and social exclusion
Activated when experiencing physical pain
What does the thalamus do?
Your thalamus serves as the main relay station for your brain. All motor and sensory signals (except smell) pass through this structure in the center of your brain.
What is the basal ganglia?
These structures receive information from cells in the midbrain
Responsible for voluntary movement (starting and stopping)
Learning to make complex movements automatic
Receives a lot of information from other areas concerning the internal state, external environment, and memory movements.
What does the basal ganglia consist of?
Caudate nucleus
Global pallidum
Putamen
What is the cerebellum?
‘Little brain’
Coordinates with different brain areas via the pons
Function is the adjustments of timing, planning, and rhythm of movement
Coordinates sensory input with ongoing movement
Posture and balance
