AP Psych Parts of the Brain

Neuroplasticity

Changing and building new pathways as your brain learns from experiences

3 main divisions of the brain

1) Hindbrain
2) Midbrain
3) Forebrain

What does the hindbrain manage? (5 examples)

Survival functions (ie breathing, sleeping, arousal, coordination, balance)

Midbrain

Connects hindbrain to forebrain

What does the midbrain do?

Controls some movement, moves info enabling sight/hearing

Forebrain

Manages our complex cognitive activities

What does the forebrain do?

Sensory/associative function, voluntary motor activities

Brainstem base?

Medulla

Medulla functions?

Heartbeat, breathing.

Brain stem location?

Innermost region; base of neck

Pons function?

coordinate movements; control sleep

The brainstem is a ______ point.

Crossover

Thalamus location (out of 3 main divisions)

Forebrain

Thalamus function?

receives sensory info + sends it to coordinating brain regions.

The thalamus receives sensory info for all senses but _____.

smell

Reticular Formation location

In brainstem between ears

Function of Reticular Formation?

Filters stimuli coming in + sends important info to other brain locations

The reticular formation also controls _______.

arousal (state of alertness)

Cerebellum location

rear of brainstem

Cerebellum is invoved in ________ and ______________.

Nonverbal and procedural learning

Basal ganglia deal with _____________.

Motor movement

Cerebellum + pons coordinate __________.

voluntary movement

The brain processes most info ______ of awareness. (inside or outside?)

outside.

Limbic system includes these 5 parts:

1) Amygdala- aggression and fear
2) Hypothalamus- homeostatic internal state
3) Hippocampus- conscious, explicit memories
4) Thalamus- Messages between lower brain and cerebral cortex
5) Pituitary gland- Master gland

Amygdala controls these two emotions

Aggression and fear

Hypothalamus maintains _________.

Homeostasis

Specifics of things done in the hypothalamus include these four things:

1: Influence hunger
2: Regulate thirst
3: Regulate body temp
4: Regulate sexual behavior

Hippocampus helps ________.

Process conscious (explicit) memories (ie facts, events, etc) to be stored.

Hippocampus size/function decreases as we age. True or false?

True

The cerebral cortex is ____________.

Control/info-processing center

The corpus callosum is made out of ______ that connect the two _______.

1) axon fibers
2) hemispheres

These three things are in our brainstem:

1) Reticular formation- control arousal
2) Pons- coordinate movement and control sleep
3) Medulla- heartbeat/breathing