the brain

Question 1

what parts make up the hindbrain?

Answer 1

the brain stem (medulla and pons) and the cerebellum

Question 2

what is the function of the brain stem?

Answer 2

input point for signals that are travelling through the spine

Question 3

what is the function of the medulla?

Answer 3

regulating heartrate and respiration, and a routing point for sensory/motor neuronal travelling

Question 4

what is the function of the pons?

Answer 4

regulate sleep, dreaming and respiration

Question 5

what is the function of the cerebellum?

Answer 5

higher level muscular movement (coordination, learning, memory, reflex)

Question 6

what is the midbrain used for?

Answer 6

a sensory relay station, consciousness

Question 7

what is the main part of the midbrain?

Answer 7

reticular formation

Question 8

what is the function of reticular formation?

Answer 8

ascending portion sends input to the higher regions, and the descending portion admits or blocks signals

Question 9

what is the reticular formation a relay center for?

Answer 9

vision and audition (motor neurons that control eye movement)

Question 10

what is the forebrain used for?

Answer 10

sensory, motor, and biological drives

Question 11

what are the three parts of the forebrain?

Answer 11

thalamus, basal ganglia, and hypothalamus

Question 12

what is the function of the thalamus?

Answer 12

routes sensory information, like a ‘sensory switchboard’

Question 13

what is the thalamus important for?

Answer 13

sensory processing (signals that leave your eye head to the visual cortex)

Question 14

what does the basal ganglia control? what is another role?

Answer 14

voluntary muscle movement and learning/reward

Question 15

what does the basal ganglia produce?

Answer 15

dopamine, which is why it is associated with motor control

Question 16

what is the hypothalamus important for?

Answer 16

controlling biological drives like eating, drinking, sexual behavior, temperature, aggression

Question 17

what does the forebrain affect?

Answer 17

hormones through the connection with the pituitary gland

Question 18

in the forebrain, the ____________ or ____________ of various parts can ____________ motivated behavior

Answer 18

destruction, stimulation, modulate

Question 19

what is the limbic system used for?

Answer 19

memory, emotion, and goal-directed behavior

Question 20

what are the parts of the limbic system?

Answer 20

hippocampus, amygdala, nucleus accumbens

Question 21

what is the function of the hippocampus? (2)

Answer 21

forming/retrieving memories
navigate our environment

Question 22

what does the amygdala do?

Answer 22

organize emotion response patterns, usually fear and aggression

Question 23

what is the nucleus accumbens important for ?

Answer 23

behaviors associated with reward and motivation

Question 24

what is the nucleus accumbens associated with?

Answer 24

motor control and feelings the effects of rewards (involved with dopamine release)

Question 25

the cerebral cortex relates to?

Answer 25

conscious thought process

Question 26

what are the four lobes of the cerebral cortex?

Answer 26

frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital

Question 27

what is the frontal lobe in charge of? (5)

Answer 27

1. executive function (planning, attention, reasoning, judgement 2. self-awareness 3. speech 4. skeletal motor function 5. emotional regulation

Question 28

what is one of the last parts of the brain to develop?

Answer 28

the frontal lobe

Question 29

what does the occipital lobe contain?

Answer 29

the primary visual cortex (basic visual functioning)

Question 30

how does the occipital lobe get information to the visual cortex?

Answer 30

the initial signal from the retina sends information to the visual cortex

Question 31

what is the role of the temporal lobe?

Answer 31

complex visual processing, memory and language

Question 32

what does the temporal lobe contain?

Answer 32

the primary auditory cortex (auditory processing)

Question 33

what are the functions of the parietal lobe? (3)

Answer 33

body sensations integration of sensory information (touch, pain, pressure) multi-modal processing (where scent/sound is coming from)

Question 34

what is broca's area ?

Answer 34

language production and speech formation

Question 35

what is wernicke's area?

Answer 35

the comprehension of language

Question 36

what is the cerebral cortex divided into?

Answer 36

the primary motor and somatic sensory cortex

Question 37

what is the function of the primary motor cortex?

Answer 37

controls voluntary movement of lots of muscles

Question 38

what is the function of the somatic sensory cortex?

Answer 38

receive sensory input from various regions of the body

Question 39

what is contralateral wiring?

Answer 39

the right and left brain hemisphere controls the opposite side of your body (right hemisphere, left side)

Question 40

the amount of the cortex that is devoted to each part of the body is directly proportionate to what?

Answer 40

the sensitivity of the area (higher at fingertips, less on your back)

Question 41

what senses have specialized areas in the cerebral cortex?

Answer 41

auditory, vision and touch