AP Psychology: Biological Bases of Behavior - The Brain
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Created by:
briogorman11 on October 4, 2011
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Chapter 2, Chapter 4
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30 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 lesion | tissue destruction; a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue |
| EEG | an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface; these waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp |
| PET scan | a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task |
| MRI | a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue; shows brain anatomy |
| fMRI | a technique for revealing bloodflow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans; shows brain function |
| brainstem | the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; responsible for automatic survival functions |
| medulla | the base of the brainstem; controls heart-beat 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" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance |
| limbic system | neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives |
| amygdala | two lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion |
| hypothalamus | a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward |
| cerebral cortex | the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center |
| glial cells | cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons |
| frontal lobes | portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments |
| parietal lobes | portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position |
| occipital lobes | portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields |
| temporal lobes | portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear |
| motor cortex | an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements |
| sensory cortex | 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 |
| plasticity | the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience |
| neurogenesis | the formation of new neurons |
| corpus callosum | the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them |
| split brain | a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them |
| hippocampus | a neural center that is located in the limbic system and helps process explicit memories for storage |
| pons | a part lying between the medulla and the midbrain; helps coordinate movements |
| Wernicke's area | an area involved in the understanding of written and spoken language, located in the left temporal lobe |
| Broca's area | an area of the brain responsible for speech production, language processing, and language comprehension; it is located in the frontal lobe |
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