Unit 3: Brain Structure Flashcards
What is the autonomic nervous system?
The autonomic nervous system consists of the parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the nervous system and is responsible for the communication between the body’s nonskeletal (visceral) muscles and the internal organs.
What does the central nervous system consist of?
Brain and spinal cord
What is the cerebral cortex?
The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of brain. Location of higher mental processes and complex behaviours.
What is the corpus callosum?
The corpus callosum in the thick band of about 200 million nerve fibres connecting the left and right hemispheres.
What is the frontal lobe?
The frontal lobe is the largest love of the brain. It has several functions, including initiating movement of the body, language, planning, judgement, problem solving, aspects of personality and emotions. It is extremely well developed in higher mammals. It contains the primary motor cortex and Broca’s area.
What is the occipital lobe?
The occipital lobe is the section of the cerebral cortex at the rear of the brain.nit is the location of the primary visual cortex and association areas involved with integration of visual stimuli.
What is the parasympathetic nervous system?
The parasympathetic nervous system is a branch of the autonomic nervous system, responsible for maintaining our day-to-day functioning and for most of the automatic functions of the body such as digestion, heart rate, breathing and some glandular functions.
What is the parietal lobe?
The parietal lobe is the location of the primary somatosensory cortex in the brain. The parietal lobes enable a person to perceive their own body and to perceive where things are located in their immediate environment.
What is the peripheral nervous system?
The peripheral nervous system communicates information from the body to the central nervous system (for example aches and pains) and to the body’s organs, glands and muscles.
What is the primary auditory cortex?
The primary auditory cortex is located in the upper part of the temporal lobe and receives sounds from the ears.
What is the primary motor cortex?
The primary motor cortex is located at the rear of each frontal lobe and is responsible for movement of the skeletal muscles of the body.
What is the primary somatosensory cortex?
The primary somatosensory cortex is located at the front of each parietal lobe and processes sensations such as touch, pressure, temperature and pain from the body.
What is the primary visual cortex?
The primary visual cortex is located in the occipital lobe and processes information from the eyes.
What is the somatic nervous system?
The somatic nervous system is the division of the peripheral nervous system the carries sensory information into the central nervous system, and also carries motor commands from the central nervous system to the skeletal muscles.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
The sympathetic nervous system is a branch of the autonomic nervous system that activates the fight-or-flight response.
What is the temporal lobe?
The temporal lobe is the part of the forebrain beneath the temporal plate of the skull, at the side of the head above the ears. Contains Wernicke’s area and the primary auditory cortex.
What is the hippocampus responsible for?
Long-term memory and spatial orientation
What is the amygdala responsible for?
Aggression, fear and emotional memory
What is the midbrain responsible for?
Coordination of movement, sleep and arousal
What I the hypothalamus responsible for?
Regulation of emotions and ‘instinctive’ drives
What is the pons responsible for?
Control of movement, breathing, sleeping, dreams and waking
What is the cerebellum responsible for?
Perception, cognition, balance and fine muscle control
What is the medulla oblongata responsible for?
Heartbeat, breathing and other vital bodily functions
What are the components of the forebrain?
Cerebrum
Cerebral cortex
Hypothalamus
Thalamus
What are the components of the midbrain?
Reticular formation
What are the components of the hindbrain?
Cerebellum
Pons
Medulla Oblongata
What are the components of the limbic system?
Hippocampus
Amygdala
What hormones are released during the flight, flight or freeze response?
Adrenaline
Cortisol
What are the bulges of the brain called?
Gyri (singular: gyrus)
What are the valleys of the brain called?
Sulci (singular: sulcus)
What is the deep groove that separates the anterior (front) and posterior (back) of the brain called?
Central fissure
What is the deep groove that separates the two hemispheres of the brain called?
Longitudinal fissure
What is the left hemisphere of the brain responsible for?
Logical reasoning
Voluntary movement on RHS of body
Processing sensations from the RHS of body
Speech production and reading
Speech comprehension and writing
Analysis (eg. Evaluating, maths, sequential tasks)
Attention to detail (focus on ‘bits’ of info)
What is the right hemisphere of the brain responsible for?
Creativity and fantasy
Voluntary movement on LHS of body
Processing sensations from the LHS of body
Appreciation for music and art
Spatial and visual thinking (eg. Reading maps)
Recognition of faces and emotions
Holistic info processing (seeing things as a ‘whole’)
Understanding abstract concepts (eg. Metaphors)
After his stroke, a patient was unable to recognise his parents’ faces although he could identify their voices.
A scan of the patient’s brain would most likely indicate damage to which lobe?
Temporal lobe
What is the spinal cord responsible for?
Relay of information between the brain and body and some simple reflexes
What is the forebrain responsible for?
Higher order thinking processes (eg. Problem solving and planning)
What is the reticular formation responsible for?
Important in the control of arousal in the sleep/wake cycle. Part of both the midbrain and hindbrain
What is the pineal gland responsible for?
Production of melatonin, which helps maintain circadian rhythm and regulate reproductive hormones
What is the thalamus responsible for?
Relay of motor and sensory signals to the cerebral cortex and regulation of sleep and alertness
How does the sympathetic nervous system affect the body?
Dilates pupils Accelerates heart rate Dilates bronchi (increasing breathing rate) Inhibits stomach and pancreas Relaxes bladder Stimulates ejaculation
How does the parasympathetic nervous system affect the body?
Constricts pupils Stimulates tear glands Strong stimulation of salivary glands Slows heart rate Constricts bronchi Stimulates stomach and pancreas Constricts bladder Stimulates erection
