The Subcortex --- At the Core of the Brain Matter Flashcards
Subcortex
All brain structures below the cerebral cortex.
Brainstem
The part of the brain that connects the cerebrum with the spinal cord. It includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata and is involved in the autonomic control of visceral activity, such as salivation, respiration, heartbeat, digestion, and other so called vegetative functions.
Medulla oblongata
The most inferior (lowest), or caudal (tailward), part of the hindbrain. It contains many nerve tracts that conduct impulses between the spinal cord and higher brain centers, as well as autonomic nuclei involved in the control of breathing, heartbeat, and blood pressure.
Pons
A part of the brainstem lying between the midbrain and the medulla oblongata, appearing as a swelling on the ventral surface of the brainstem. It consists of bundles of transverse, ascending, and descending nerve f ibers and nuclei, including facial nerve nuclei. It serves primarily as a bridge, or transmission structure, between different areas of the nervous system. It also works with the cerebellum in controlling equilibrium and with the cerebral cortex in smoothing and coordinating voluntary movements.
Cerebellum
A portion of the hindbrain dorsal to the rest of the brainstem, to which it is connected by the cerebellar peduncles. The cerebellum modulates muscular contractions to produce smooth, accurately timed ballistic movements; it helps maintain equilibrium by predicting body positions ahead of actual body movements, and it is required for some kinds of motor conditioning.
Reticular formation
An extensive network of nerve cell bodies and fibers within the brainstem, extending from the medulla oblongata to the upper part of the midbrain, that is widely connected to the spinal cord, cerebellum, thalamus, and cerebral cortex. It is most prominently involved in arousal, alertness, and sleep–wake cycles but also controls some aspects of action and posture.
Thalamus
A mass of gray matter, forming part of the diencephalon of the brain, whose two lobes form the walls of the third ventricle. It consists of a collection of sensory, motor, autonomic, and associational nuclei, serving as a relay for nerve impulses traveling between the spinal cord and brainstem and the cerebral cortex.
Forebrain
The part of the brain that develops from the anterior section of the neural tube in the embryo, containing the cerebrum and the diencephalon. The former comprises the cerebral hemispheres with their various regions (e.g., basal ganglia, amygdala, hippocampus); the latter comprises the thalamus and hypothalamus.
Hypothalamus
Part of the diencephalon of the brain, lying ventral to the thalamus, that contains nuclei with primary control of the autonomic (involuntary) functions of the body. It also helps integrate autonomic activity into appropriate responses to internal and external stimuli. Additionally, it is involved in appetite, thirst, sleep, and sexuality.
Limbic system
A loosely defined, widespread group of brain nuclei that innervate each other to form a network that is involved in autonomic and visceral processes and mechanisms of emotion, memory, and learning. It includes portions of the cerebral cortex (see limbic lobe), thalamus, and certain cortical and subcortical structures, such as the hippocampus, amygdala, and septal area.
Amygdala
An almond-shaped structure in the temporal lobe that is a component of the limbic system and considered part of the basal ganglia. It comprises two main groups of nuclei—the corticomedial group and the basolateral group—and through widespread connections with other brain areas has numerous viscerosensory and autonomic functions as well as an important role in memory, emotion, perception of threat, and fear learning.
Hippocampus
A seahorse-shaped part of the forebrain, in the basal medial region of the temporal lobe, that is important for declarative memory and learning.
