AP Psych: Brain Parts
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28 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 Brainstem | The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions. |
| Medulla | The base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing. |
| Reticular Formation | A nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal. |
| Thalamus | The brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla. |
| Cerebellum | The "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem; its functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance. |
| Limbic System | A doughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex. Includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus. |
| Hippocampus | A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage. |
| Amygdala | Two lima bean-sized neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion. |
| Pons | Part of the brain involved in sleep regulation also connects a cerebellum to the cerebral cortex; deals with dreams. |
| Cerebral Cortex | The fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's control and information-processing center. |
| Frontal Lobe | The lobe at the front of the brain associated with movement, speech, judgement, and impulsive behavior. |
| Parietal Lobe | Portion behind to the frontal lobe, responsible for sensations such as pain, temperature, and touch. |
| Occipital Lobe | Part of the cerebral hemisphere that receives and interprets visual information. |
| Temporal Lobe | The portion of the cerebral cortex that is just above the ears and that is involved in hearing, language processing, and memory. |
| Hypothalamus | A neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion. |
| Motor Cortex | An area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements. |
| Sensory Cortex | The area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations. |
| Association Areas | Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking. |
| Aphasia | Impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to wernicke's area (impairing understanding). |
| Broca's Area | Controls language expression-an aread of the frontal, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech. |
| Wernicke's Area | Controls language reception a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression. Located in left temporal lobe. |
| Glial Cells | Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons. |
| Plasticity | The brain's ability to adapt. |
| Corpus Callosum | The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them. |
| Endocrine System | The body's "slow" chemical communication system; a set of glands that secrete hormones into the bloodstream. |
| Hormones | Chemical messengers, mostly those manufactured by the endocrine glands, that are produced in one tissue and affect another. |
| Adrenal Glands | A pair of endocrine glands just above the kidneys. The adrenals secrete the hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which help to arouse the body in times of stress |
| Pituitary Glands | The endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands. |
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