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The Brain

Terms in this set (20)

brainstem
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; It 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" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.
limbic system
doughnut-shaped 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 (hypo) 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.
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.
Broca's area
controls language expression—an area, usually in the left frontal lobe, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.
Wernicke's area
controls language reception—a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe.
plasticity
the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.
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.
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