BIOL 1101: The Brain - Unit 4A

Flashcards for reviewing brain anatomy and function.

Nuclei (in the brain)

Collections of cell bodies in the CNS; nerves or clusters of brain cells with the same job or connecting to the same places; Part of gray matter.

Tracts (in the brain)

Pathways consisting of large groups of axons; Part of white matter; Connect CNS and spinal cord. In the PNS, these are referred to as nerves.

Ganglia

Groups of nerves or brain cells that are closely related in the PNS.

White Matter

Primarily composed of axons in the brain, appearing white due to myelination.

Brain Stem Function

Controls highly programmed, automatic functions needed for survival (heart rate, breathing, blood pressure).

Cerebellum Function

Coordination, posture, balance; Tends to control subconscious activity.

Cerebrum Function

Controls most mental and physical activity; Thinking, Movement and personality

Medulla Oblongata Function

Regulates automatic, highly programmed activities needed for survival. E.g. Heart rate, Blood pressure, breathing.

Diencephalon Parts

Thalamus, Hypothalamus, Epithalamus

Thalamus Function

Relays Sensory Info btw brain areas; relay station for all incoming sensory info (touch, pain, pressure, itch, temperature, etc., from skin, skeletal muscles, bones, and joints), EXCEPT for smell Crudely interprets incoming sensory info

Hypothalamus Function

Regulate secretion of some hormones from pituitary. Receives info (e.g. blood), but not sensory information; the 'Sexy' center of the brain; involved in joy, affection, enjoyment, fun, pleasure, sadness, sorrow, and anger.

Epithalamus Function

Contains Pineal Gland; Produces hormone melatonin which increases sleepiness and decreases happiness and libido.

Cerebrum

Largest part of the brain; responsible for most mental functions and physical activities.

Fissures

Deep grooves in the cerebrum, such as the longitudinal fissure that separates the cerebral hemispheres.

Sulci

Shallow grooves on the surface of the cerebrum.

Gyri

Thick folds on the surface of the cerebrum.

Frontal Lobe Function

Motor control (premotor cortex), Problem solving (prefrontal area), Speech production (Broca's area)

Temporal Lobe Function

Auditory processing (hearing), Language comprehension (Wernicke's area), Memory / information retrieval

Parietal Lobe Function

Touch perception (somatosensory cortex), Body orientation and sensory discrimination

Occipital Lobe Function

Sight (visual cortex), Visual reception and visual interpretation

Insula

Fifth lobe of the brain; processes intensity and quality, not visible from the brain surface, is where surface of brain folds inward.

Cerebral Cortex

Outer surface of the brain; made of GRAY MATTER; neuron cell bodies; controls most sensory and motor functions, personality, communication, etc.

Motor Areas

Regions of the cerebral cortex that control voluntary motor function/movement.

Sensory Areas

Regions of the cerebral cortex that are center for incoming sensory information; Each of five senses (sight, sound, touch, taste, and hearing) have different areas in this region.

Association Areas

Regions of the cerebral cortex involved with memories, learning, and receiving information from sensory areas and then integrating that sensory info to give it meaning.

Premotor Cortex

Anterior the primary motor cortex.

Broca's Area

Located on one side only -- typically left side of brain; Coordinates motor movements needed for speech.

Frontal Eye Field

Cerebral Cortex part with the function of voluntary eye movement.

Sensory Association Areas

Store memories of previous sensory events and allow the brain to interpret incoming sensory information based on those memories.

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

Located on the gyrus just posterior to the central sulcus; Receives & interprets incoming somatic sensory info from skin, skeletal muscles, bones & joints all over the body.

Somatosensory Association Cortex

Stores memories of previous somatic sensory events & allows you to make associations /give meaning to the incoming info.

Primary Visual Cortex

Located in the occipital lobe; Receives and interprets incoming visual info – color, pattern, shape, etc.

Visual Association Cortex

Stores memories of previous visual events & allows associations btw incoming info & memories; Gives meaning to incoming visual info.

Auditory Association Cortex

Stores memoires of previous auditory events, allows interpreting incoming info based on memories.

Primary Gustatory Cortex Function

Receives & interprets incoming taste info.

Primary Olfactory Cortex

Senses smell

Equilibrium Cortex

Provides a conscious awareness of balance & uprightness

Cerebrum Multimodal association areas

Receive info from MANY different senses and Associations from these various different senses. They receive information from various different sensory inputs, and then they interpret that information.

Wernicke’s Area

Language comprehension area; allows us to mentally formulate speech & understand spoken and written language

Affective Language Association Area

Emotional speech area – uses tone of voice & nonverbals to understand & convey emotional content of speech; Located on RIGHT Cerebral Hemisphere

Prefrontal Cortex Function

Associated w/ personality, reasoning, judgement, intelligence, persistence, abstract thinking, conscience, motivation, etc.

Posterior Association Area

Storage bank for complex sensory memories, makes decisions based on memory. Provides an awareness of self in surroundings. Recognizes body as "yours".

Cerebral Hemispheres-Left vs Right

Left = sensory & motor for RIGHT side of body. Math & Science skills, reasoning, logic, organization;
Right – sensory & motor for LEFT side of body. Your artsy, creative side. Artistic, musical abilities, imagination, etc.

Cerebellum Function

Evaluates present location to desired movement location and decides force, direction, and degree of muscle contraction needed to achieve desired movement, while maintaining balance & coordinated movements.

Ataxia

If the cerebellum is not working correctly; jerky, uncoordinated movements.

Meninges Function

Encloses cerebral spinal fluid(CSF), protects brain and vessels, form portions in the skull cavity

Dura Mater

Outer covering around the brain – Both layers are tough, dense CT & in most of brain they are fused together.

Arachnoid Mater

Middle layer of meninges – spider web apprence

Pia Mater

Innermost layer, transparent c.t., attached tightly to surface of bra

Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF)

Found in subarachnoid space around brain and spinal cord, central canal of spinal cord, and ventricles in brain; Functions as shock absorber, decreases effective brain weight- "floats" brain

Ventricles

Hollow spaces in the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).

Hydrocephalus

If CSF is still produced but cannot be re-absorbed (due to tumor or brain swelling), it can accumulate in ventricles & ventricles can get really full=water on the brain

Arteries to Brain Function

Function of the Circle of Willis: If one of the four major arteries to the brain (carotid or vertebral arteries) is blocked, all of the arteries to the cerebrum (white arrows) still get some blood (since the blood coming to the cerebrum all flows into the circle of Willis).

Veins

All deoxy blood from brain enters the dural sinuses (the spaces between the two layers of dura mater), then goes into the internal jugular veins to leave skull cavity

Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) Purposes

• protect against toxins or pathogens and allow only vital nutrients to reach brain