The Brain: Brain Regions and Structures

Question 1

Hindbrain

Answer 1

consists of the medulla, pons, & cerebellum; directs essential survival functions, such as breathing, sleeping, & wakefulness, as well as coordination & balance
○ Located at the base & very back of the brain, near or connected to the spinal cord

Question 2

Midbrain

Answer 2

found atop the brainstem; connects the hindbrain with the forebrain, controls some
motor movement, & transmits auditory & visual information

Question 3

Forebrain

Answer 3

consists of the cerebral cortex, thalamus, & hypothalamus; manages complex cognitive activities, sensory & associative functions, & voluntary motor functions

Question 4

Brainstem

Answer 4

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; also the crossover point for nerves (contralateral hemispheric organization)

Question 5

Medulla

Answer 5

hindbrain structure at the brainstem base; controls heartbeat & breathing ■ Pons sits on top of the medulla - helps coordinate movements & control sleep

Question 6

Thalamus

Answer 6

located at top of the brainstem, in the forebrain; directs messages to the sensory cortex & transmits replies to the cerebellum & medulla
■ Sensory “switchboard” or “hub”

Question 7

Reticular formation

Answer 7

nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; filters information & plays an
important role in controlling arousal (alertness) ■ Damage can cause you go into a coma

Question 8

Cerebellum

Answer 8

hindbrain’s “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output & balance, & enabling nonverbal learning & memory
○ Operates just outside of conscious awareness

Question 9

Limbic system

Answer 9

neural system located mostly in the forebrain - below the cerebral hemispheres - that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, thalamus, & pituitary gland; associated with emotions & drives

Question 10

Amygdala

Answer 10

two lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion
■ Electrically stimulating the amygdala of a cat can make it prepare to attack or cower in fear

Question 11

Hypothalamus

Answer 11

neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system, & is linked to emotion & reward
■ Helps maintain homeostasis
■ On a feedback loop with the endocrine system - influences the endocrine system, & endocrine system influences the
brain
■ Reward pathway - nucleus accumbens (produces dopamine)

Question 12

Hippocampus

Answer 12

helps process explicit (conscious) memories - of facts & events - for storage
■ Damage can lead to inability to form new memories (HM)

Question 13

Cerebrum

Answer 13

two cerebral hemispheres that makes up 85% of the brain

Question 14

Cerebral cortex

Answer 14

intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the forebrain’s cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate
control & information-processing center
○ Covers cerebrum like bark on a tree

Question 15

Frontal lobes

Answer 15

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; enable linguistic processing, muscle movements, higher-order thinking, & executive functions (such as making plans & judgments)

Question 16

Parietal lobes

Answer 16

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head & toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch & body position

Question 17

Occipital lobes

Answer 17

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields

Question 18

Temporal lobes

Answer 18

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes auditory areas, each of which receives information primarily from the opposite ear; also enable language processing

Question 19

Motor cortex

Answer 19

cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements ● Body mapped out on the brain - stimulation can cause limbs to move

Question 20

Somatosensory cortex

Answer 20

cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers & processes body touch &
movement sensations
● Body mapped out on sensory cortex - stimulation of areas can cause touch sensations in that part of the body
● More sensitive the area of the body = more area devoted to it in the somatosensory cortex

Question 21

Association areas

Answer 21

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions, but rather are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, & speaking
■ Prefrontal cortex (judgment, planning, personality); fusiform facial area (facial recognition); Wernicke’s area (language comprehension)