The Brain Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

lesion

A

tissue destruction

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2
Q

electroencephalogram (eeg)

A

amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity in the brain; mesured by electrodes placed on the scalp

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3
Q

computed tomography (ct) scan

A

x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slide through the body

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4
Q

positron emission tomography (pet) scan

A

visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucos goes while the brain performs a given task

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5
Q

magnetic resonance imaging (mri)

A

uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue; show brain anatomy

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6
Q

functional mri (fmri)

A

revealing bloodflow and brain activity by comparing successive mri scans

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7
Q

brainstem

A

oldest part of the central core of the brain; responsible for automatic survival functions

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8
Q

medulla

A

base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

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9
Q

reticular formation

A

nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal

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10
Q

thalamus

A

brain’s sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstep; directs messages to the sensory receiving areas on the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

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11
Q

cerebellum

A

processes sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance

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12
Q

limbic system

A

neural system located below the hemispheres, associated with emotions and drives

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13
Q

amygdala

A

lime bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

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14
Q

hypothalamus

A

directs maintenance activities, governs endocrine system; linked to emotion and reward

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15
Q

cerebral cortex

A

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

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16
Q

glial cells

A

cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons

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17
Q

frontal lobes

A

just behind the forehead, involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements

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18
Q

parietal lobes

A

near the top of the head, receives sensory input for touch and body position

19
Q

occipital lobes

A

includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

20
Q

temporal lobes

A

lies roughly above the ears, includes the auditory areas, receives information primarily from the opposite ear

21
Q

motor cortex

A

registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

22
Q

association areas

A

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking

23
Q

aphasia

A

impairment of language (caused by damage to Broca’s or Wernicke’s areas)

24
Q

Broca’s area

A

controls language expression that directs the muscle movements involved in speech

25
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

controls language reception- a brain area invovled in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe

26
Q

plasticity

A

brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

27
Q

neurogenesis

A

formation of new neurons

28
Q

corpus callosum

A

large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

29
Q

split brain

A

condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s hemispheres

30
Q

consciousness

A

awareness of one’s self and the environment

31
Q

cognitive neuroscience

A

study of the brain activity linked with cognition (perception, thinking, memory, and language)

32
Q

dual processing

A

principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

33
Q

medulla

A
  • heart and lungs
  • digestion and swallowing
34
Q

pons

A
  • sleep, dreaming, waking, relaxation
  • relays info to other parts of brain
35
Q

reticular formation

A
  • controls arousal and alertness
  • reticular activating system (ras)
  • regulates sleep/wake cycle
36
Q

hippocampus

A

memory processing center

37
Q

amygdala

A

agression & fear

38
Q

somatosensory cortex

A

receives and processes sensory information across the body (touch, temperature, and pain)

39
Q

angular gyrus

A

transforms visual representations into an auditory code

40
Q

brain lateralization

A

certain cognitive processes seem to be focused in one hemisphere or the other

41
Q

where do images in the left visual field go in the brain ?

A

right visual cortex (brain is cross-wired)

42
Q

wagner preference inventory

A

discovers a person’s brain dominance through a short test

43
Q

two-track mind alludes to..

A

conscious vs unconscious decisions

44
Q

what does a moral dilemma do to our brain processes ?

A

our reasoning processes conflict with our basic emotional processes and the decision takes longer