The Brain Flashcards
pituitary glands
a small, pea-sized endocrine gland located at the base of your brain below your hypothalamus; It releases several important hormones and controls the function of many other endocrine system glands
brainstem
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
medulla
uh] the hindbrain structure that is the brainstem’s base; controls heartbeat and breathing
corpus callosum
a large bundle of more than 200 million myelinated nerve fibers that connect the two brain hemispheres, permitting communication between the right and left sides of the brain. Abnormalities within the corpus callosum have been identified in maltreated children
thalamus
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
cerebellum
the hindbrain’s “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; its functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory
limbic system
neural system located mostly in the forebrain — below the cerebral hemispheres — that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, thalamus, and pituitary gland; associated with emotions and drives
amygdala
two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion
hypothalamus
a limbic system neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion and reward
frontal lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead. They enable linguistic processing, muscle movements, higher-order thinking, and executive functioning (such as making plans and judgments)
parietal lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; it receives sensory input for touch and body position
occipital lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; it includes areas that receive information from the visual fields
temporal lobe
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; it includes the auditory areas, each of which receives information primarily from the opposite ear. They also enable language processing
Broca’s area
a frontal lobe brain area, usually in the left hemisphere, that helps control language expression by directing the muscle movements involved in speech
Wernicke’s area
a brain area, usually in the left temporal lobe, involved in language comprehension and expression