Brain functions

What are the miningies from outermost to innermost

dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater

What is the gray matter in the spinal cord?

cell bodies/soma

What is the white matter in the spinal cord?

Myelinated axons

What is the corpus callosum?

bundles of nerve fibers that connects the two hemispheres

What is the cerebral cortex?

gray matter that is the outer two mm of the brain and is where high level thinking occurs

What are gyri?

small bumps of cerebral cortex

What are sulci?

divits in cerebral cortex

What is the longitudinal fissure?

The fissure that runs down the middle of the brain and separates the two hemispheres

What is the cerebrum divided into?

Frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal

What are the functions of the frontal lobe?

Controls all voluntary movement, concentration, planning, problem solving, analysis

What are the functions of Broca’s area?

controls muscles that allow people to speak, in left hemisphere

What are the functions of the parietal lobe?

takes in and interprets touch, tase, pressure, and pain information

What are the functions of Wernicke’s Area?

gives ability to understand written and spoken language, in left hemisphere

What are the functions of the occipital lobe?

takes in and processes visual information, analyzes patterns by combining visual images with other information

What are the functions of the temporal lobe?

picks up smell and hearing information and processes it

What are the functions of the cerebellum?

balance, posture, coordination of skeletal muscles (muscle memory), rapid adjustments to unexpected events

What are the parts of the brainstem in order from closest to brain to furthest?

midbrain, pons, medulla oblangata

What are the functions of the midbrain?

visual and auditory reflex center

What are the functions of the pons

transfers never impulses between spinal cord and cerebellum

What are the functions of the medulla oblongata?

keeps you alive, cardiac center, coughing, sneezing, swallowing, vomiting, respiratory center

What are the parts of the diencephalon?

thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, pineal gland

What are the functions of the thalamus?

receives all sensory information except smell and relays it to the correct section of cerebrum

What are the functions of the hypothalamus?

maintains homeostasis

What are the functions of the pituitary gland?

releases hormones

What are the functions of the pineal gland?

releases hormones like melatonin and some sex hormones

What are the parts of the limbic system?

amygdala and hippocampus

What are the functions of the amygdala?

fear response

What are the functions of the hippocampus?

memories and emotions

What are the functions of dura mater?

contains drainage system that allows blood to leave your brain and allows cerebrospinal fluid to enter

What are the functions of arachnoid mater?

creates subarachnoid space that contains cerebrospinal fluid that cushions the brain

What are the functions of pia mater?

blood vessels pass through this layer and supply the brain with blood