Parts of the Brain - AP Psych

Biological Bases of Behavior Unit

cerebral cortex

body’s info-processing center; originates distinctly human traits

thalamus

directs messages to sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and the medulla; receives info from all senses except smell; located at top of brainstem

corpus callosum

neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

hypothalamus

directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp) and helps govern endocrine system via the pituitary gland; also linked to emotion and reward

amygdala

linked to emotions like fear and anger and coordinates fight or flight

pituitary gland

master gland that secretes hormones that tell other glands to secrete their hormones; regulates growth

brainstem

reticular formation, pons, medulla

reticular formation

plays a role in controlling conscious arousal and helps filter out unnecessary stimuli

pons

plays a role in regulating sleep (sleeping, waking, REM) and coordinating facial expressions

medulla

controls heart beat and breathing

brainstem

responsible for automatic survival functions (breathing, swallowing, heart rate, blood pressure, consciousness)

spinal cord

how brain communicates with body

cerebellum

processes sensory input, coordinates movement output and balance, and nonverbal learning and memory

hippocampus

critical role in formation, organization, and storage of new memories (declarative memories)

hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus

limbic system

limbic system

associated with emotions, drives, and conscious memories

frontal lobe

involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements

prefrontal cortex

associated with planning and complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making, and moderating social behavior

motor cortex

controls voluntary movements; part of frontal lobe

somatosensory cortex

processes body touch and movement sensations; part of parietal lobe

parietal lobe

receives sensory input for touch and body position

occipital lobe

receive info from visual fields

temporal lobe

includes auditory areas

Broca’s Area

controls motor function and speech production; only in left hemisphere

Wernicke’s Area

language comprehension; only in left hemisphere

plasticity

brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

consciousness

our awareness of ourselves and our environment

dual processing

the principle that info is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks

cerebrum

largest part of the brain consisting of two hemispheres that enable perceiving, thinking, and speaking (left hemisphere controls right side of body); evolutionarily newest part of brain