Brain parts and functions

Cerebrum

Outer part of the brain- Divided into two hemispheres-each hemisphere divided into lobes

Occipital Lobe

Processes, integrates, and interprets vision.

-Primary Visual Cortex

-Primary area/site for vision;

-recognizes shape, color, light, motions, and dimensions. -The Visual Association Area

-interprets info from the primary visual cortex

Frontal lobe

§ The most developmental part of the brain

§ Memory, Emotions, Decision Making and Reasoning, Personality

§ Primary Motor Cortex

□ Body movement

§ Broca's Area

□ speech and facial movement

§ Orbital frontal Cortex

□ Behavior

§ Olfactory Bulb

□ Sense of smell

Temporal Lobe

§ Hearing, Organization/Comprehension of language/ information Retrieval (Memory and memory formation)

§ Primary Auditory Cortex

□ Process the hearing

§ Primary Olfactory Cortex

□ Interprets the sense of smell once it reaches the cortex via the olfactory bulbs.

§ Wernicke's Area (left temporal lobe)

□ Language Comprehension

Parietal Lobe

§ Integration of sensory information

§ Sense of boundary, sense of awareness of spatial experience, sense of perception

§ Primary Somatosensory Cortex/ Postcentral Gyrus

□ Sense of position of body parts, and location in relation to each other

§ Somatosensory Association Cortex

□ Integration and interpretation of the senses in relation to body position and orientation space

§ Primary Gustatory Cortex

□ Interpretations Sense of taste and smell

Midsagittal Sections

divides the brain vertically down the central fissure between the two hemispheres-divides through the corpus callosum, which connects the two hemispheres.

Spinal Cord

○ Messages between nerves and brain

□ Ascending-senses go to the brain

□ Descending -brain sends messages to motor cortex

○ Rhythmic movements

○ Reflexes

Medulla Oblongata

○ In lower half of brainstem,

○ Controls heart beat, respiration and circulation

functions respiratory, cardiovascular, control reflex centers for vomiting, coughing and sneezing

Pons

○ Located on the brainstem

○ Provides inputs to other structures in the brainstem

○ Regulation of motor messages ==> Cerebellum

Nuclei regulate respiration

Cerebellum

○ Balance and posture

○ Rapid sequence movements

Thalamus

Channels sensory information and directs to appropriate area of cerebral cortex

Reticular Formations

Basic functions; alertness, sleeping patterns, wakefulness

Midbrain

○ initial orientation to sound, vision, sight, light

§ Superior colliculus - Blind sight -sense something that's happening; eyes

Inferior colliculus -orientation to loud noises

Corpus Callosum

connects the two hemispheres

Hypothalamus

Regulates with body temp and blood sugar's level (homeostasis)

Limbic system

forms the inner border of the cortex. Functions: emotion formation, processing, leaning and memory.

Amygdala

Primary role in memory of emotional reactions.

Pineal Gland

§ Sleep/wakefulness cycle

§ Produces melatonin-hormones to help sleep

Master gland: secretes long and short term hormones

Pituitary gland

Releases hormones related to endocrine system

Central Nervous system

Brain and Spinal Cord

Peripheral Nervous system

Somatic Nervous system- the actions we do ourselves

Autonomic Nervous System-the actions we do naturally

-Sympathetic Division (energy consuming)

-Parasympathetic Division (rest and digest)

-Enteric Division (rest and digest)

synapse

space between the axon of one neuron and the dendrite or cell body of the next.

neural transmitters

how messages travels across synapses; neural transmitters are chemical messages;Neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and bind to receptors in the next neuron.

receptors

cause the next neuron to send the electrical signal on

gyri

Elevated ridges "winding" around the brain

sulci

Small grooves dividing the gyri

Fissures

Deep grooves, generally dividing large regions/lobes of the brain

Longitudinal

Divides the two Cerebral Hemispheres

Transverse

Separates the Cerebrum from the Cerebellum

Lateral fissure

Divides the Temporal Lobe from the Frontal and Parietal Lobes

Brain Plasticity

the brain can repair itself and create/repair neural pathways that have been damaged. the brain is not set in stone.

dorsal

of, pertaining to, or situated at the back

ventral

on or toward the lower, abdominal plane of the body; equivalent to the front, or anterior, in humans.

anterior

front

posterior

back

Ipisilateral

same side as reference point/

contra-lateral

opposite side of reference point

medial

closer to the middle point

Lateral

outside of the injury

Distal

further from the mid-line

Proximal

closer to the mid-line

Synaptic cleft

space between neurons or dendrite and a cell-where the gaba or dopamine is sent from the dendrites down to the other nerve where the receptors either receive or push it away-resting to action potential process

cerebral cortex

The outermost layer of gray matter making up the superficial aspect of the cerebrum. 2-4mm thick

transverse fissure

divides the occipital lobe and the cerebellum