Brain Structures and Functions

Flashcards covering key vocabulary related to brain structures and their functions in AP Psychology.

Frontal Lobe

Controls motor function and higher-level thinking

Parietal Lobe

Processes touch and spatial awareness

Temporal Lobe

Handles hearing and language

Occipital Lobe

Deals with vision

Limbic System

Manages emotions and memory

Brainstem

Regulates basic life functions

Frontal Lobe

Involved in reasoning, planning, parts of speech, and controlling voluntary movements; houses the motor cortex and Broca's area.

Medulla Oblongata

Controls breathing and heart rate

Pons

Helps regulate sleep and arousal

Reticular Formation

Maintains consciousness and alertness

Thalamus

A relay station for sensory information on its way to the cortex

Cerebellum

Coordinates movement and balance

Cerebral Cortex

The outer layer of the cerebrum, responsible for higher-level cognitive functions

Broca's Area

Responsible for producing speech

Wernicke's Area

Responsible for understanding language

Parietal Lobe

Processes touch, pressure, temperature, and pain; includes the somatosensory cortex

Temporal Lobe

Handles auditory information, language comprehension, and memory; contains the auditory cortex and Wernicke's area

Amygdala

Plays a key role in processing emotions, particularly fear, and aggression

Hippocampus

Crucial for forming new memories

Hypothalamus

Regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and other basic functions