The brain :2 Flashcards
What is the Hindbrain?
It includes the cerebellum & 2 structures in the lower part of the brainstem: the medulla & the pons.
What’s the Cerebellum
The cerebellum (literally “little brain”) is a large & deeply folded structure located adjacent to the back surface of the brainstem. It’s critical to movement coordination & sense of physical balance. The cerebellum is one of the structures first depressed by alcohol.
what’s the cerebral cortex??
The cerebral cortex is the convoluted outer layer of the cerebrum that is folded & bent.
What is the cerebellum divided into
The cerebrum is divided into two halves called hemispheres; right & left halves of the cerebrum.
What are the hemispheres separated into?
The hemispheres are separated in the centre of the brain by a fissure. This fissure descends to a thick band of fibres called the corpus callosum, which connects the two cerebral hemispheres. Each hemisphere is divided into 4 lobes:
hemisphere lobes:
Parietal Lobe: Includes the area that registers the sense of touch, called the primary somatosensory cortex.
hemisphere lobes:
Temporal Lobe: Includes an area devoted to auditory processing, called the primary auditory cortex.
hemisphere lobes:
Frontal Lobe: Largest lobe & contains areas that control muscle movement, called the primary motor cortex
hemisphere lobes:
Occipital Lobe: At the back of the head, includes the cortical area, where most visual signals are sent & visual processing is begun. This area is called the primary visual cortex.
prefrontal cortex
The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is the cerebral cortex covering the front part of the frontal lobe.
This brain region is responsible for planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making, and moderating social behaviour.
What is the Thalamus?
The thalamus is the egg-shaped structure above the brainstem that processes and transmits movement and sensory information. It is essentially a sensory relay for the brain. All of our senses, with the exception of smell, are routed through the thalamus before being directed to other areas of the brain for processing.
What is the Hypothalamus?
A structure found near the base of the forebrain that help regulates of basic biological needs. Hypo means under, making it lie under the thalamus. It contains various clusters of cells that have many key functions such as controlling the autonomic nervous system, serving a vital link between the brain & the endocrine system.
It plays a major role in the regulation of basic biological drives related to survival, including the so-called “four Fs”: fighting, fleeing, feeding & mating.
What is the Limbic System?
The limbic system is involved in processing both emotion and memory. Interestingly, the sense of smell projects directly to the limbic system; therefore, not surprisingly, smell can evoke emotional responses in ways that other sensory modalities cannot.
The limbic system is made up of a number of different structures, but three of the most important are the hippocampus the amygdala and the phyothalmaus.
What is the hippocampus
The hippocampus is a small, curved formation in the brain that is involved in the formation of new memories and is also associated with learning and emotions.
What is the amygdala?
The amygdala consists of two “almond-shaped” clusters and is primarily responsible for regulating our perceptions of, and reactions to, aggression and fear.
