The Brain

Question 1

Brainstem

Answer 1

The brainstem supports life-sustaining bodily functions

Question 2

Pons

Answer 2

Helps control/regulate sleep, respiration, swallowing, bladder function, hearing, equilibrium, taste, eye movement, facial expressions, facial sensation, and posture

Question 3

Medulla

Answer 3

Controls heartbeat and breathing

Question 4

Reticular Formation

Answer 4

Regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal

Question 5

Cerebellum

Answer 5

Enables nonverbal learning coordinates voluntary movements

Question 6

Thalamus

Answer 6

The “sensory switchboard” or “router”: All sensory messages, except smell, are routed through the thalamus on the way to the cortex

These messages cross over from one side of the body to the opposite side of the brain

Question 7

Basal Ganglia

Answer 7

Directs intentional movement

Receives input from the cerebral cortex

Sends output to motor centers in the brainstem

Striatum involves control of posture and movemen

Question 8

Limbic System

Answer 8

The hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala are involved in motivation, emotion, learning, and memory

Question 9

Hypothalamus

Answer 9

Located below the thalamus

Regulates body temperature

Helps govern the endocrine system

Houses “reward centers”

Part of it uses light cues to regulate sleep-wake cycles

Controls maintenance functions, such as eating and drinking

Question 10

The Pituitary Gland

Answer 10

Master gland of the body’s endocrine system

Receives hormone signals from the hypothalamus

Sends hormone signals to other glands to control stress, digestive activities and reproductive activities

Question 11

Hippocampus

Answer 11

Creates new memories

Integrates memories into a network of knowledge

Consolidates and stores memories

Question 12

Amygdala

Answer 12

Located at the tip of each side of the hippocampus

Plays central role in emotional processes

Plays a significant role in the formation of emotional memories

Attaches significance to events associated with fear, punishment or reward

Question 13

Cerebral Cortex

Answer 13

Outer covering of two hemispheres of the brain

Cortex is from the Greek word for “bark”

Contains 20-23 billion neurons

Highest level of the brain

Responsible for the most complex aspects of perception, emotion, movement, and thought

Question 14

Occipital Lobe

Answer 14

Visual information (visual cortex)

Question 15

Parietal Lobe

Answer 15

Information about touch (sensory cortex),

Question 16

Temporal Lobe

Answer 16

Hearing (auditory cortex), language (Wernicke’s area)

Question 17

Frontal Lobe

Answer 17

Planning, judgment, memory, reasoning, abstract thinking, movement (motor cortex)

Question 18

Cerebral Hemispheres

Answer 18

Control the opposite sides of the body (contralateral control)

Are connected by corpus callosum

Have specialized abilities

Question 19

Left Brain Hemisphere Specialization

Answer 19

Grammar
Language
Math
Logic

Question 20

Right Brain Hemisphere Specialization

Answer 20

Interpretation of art and music
Perceptual tasks
Face recognition
Emotional expression
Spatial abilities

Question 21

Sensory (Somatosensory) Cortex

Answer 21

Located at the front end of the parietal lobe

Part of the brain which excels in receiving information from the skin and movement of body parts

Question 22

Motor Cortex

Answer 22

Located at the back of the frontal lobe, next to the parietal lobe

Controls movements of specific body parts on opposite sides of the body

Question 23

Visual Cortex

Answer 23

Located at the back of the brain

Receives visual information

Question 24

Auditory Cortex

Answer 24

Located behind the ear

Sounds are processed by the auditory cortex

Question 25

Broca’s Area

Answer 25

Controls language expression

Question 26

Wernicke’s Area

Answer 26

Involved in language comprehension, processing, and expression