cerebral cortex and hippocampus

where is the hippocampus located

in the medial temporal lobe of cerebral cortex

what is the function of hippocampus

• consolidates info from short term memory into long term memory

• spatial navigation

what is associated with damage of the hippocampus

• memory impairment

• disorientation

which disorders develop from damage of hippocampus

• Alzheimer’s disease

• depression

• bipolar 

what happens in the cerebral cortex

information is processed

what are the 2 parts of cerebral cortex

• neocortex (larger)

• allocortex (smaller)

true or false: areas of cerebral cortex are primary sites of seizures and epilepsy

true

• [neocortex / allocortex] is mature part with 6 distinct layers of neuronal cells

• [neocortex / allocortex] has less than 6 layers of neuronal cells and includes olfactory cortex and hippocampus

• [neocortex / allocortex] is mature part with 6 distinct layers of neuronal cells

• [neocortex / allocortex] has less than 6 layers of neuronal cells and includes olfactory cortex and hippocampus

what occurs in the neocortex

• experience reaches conscious

• many memories are stored

• complex responses are planned

what 4 layers are the neocortex divided into

• frontal lobe

• parietal lobe

• temporal lobe

• occipital lobe

where is the frontal lobe located

front-most region of the cerebral cortex, behind the forehead

main functions of frontal lobe

• movement 

• decision making

• planning

• problem solving

• personality expression

main regions of frontal lobe

• prefrontal cortex

• promotor area

• motor area

what does the prefrontal cortex do

manages personality, complex thinking, planning, and social behavior

what is the role of the premotor and motor areas

control and execute voluntary movements

what happens if the frontal lobe is damaged

problems with movement, speech, learning motor skills, and altered body image

which cognitive disorders are linked to the frontal lobe

• autism

• ADHD

• depression

main function of parietal lobe

• processing sensory info from skin, muscle, joints and internal organs

• spatial awareness

• understanding where things are in space

what important area does parietal lobe contain

Somatosensory Area, which receives signals from the Somatosensory Thalamus

what can damage to the parietal lobe cause

• difficulty recognising or locating objects body parts or events

which cognitive disorders are associated with parietal lobe dysfunction

• ADHD

• Alzheimer’s disease

what does temporal lobe contain

Auditory Area, which processes sounds from the Auditory Thalamus

main functions of temporal lobe

• processing sound

• understanding lang

• supporting memory and learning

what happens when the temporal lobe is damaged

problems with speech comprehension, memory, recognition, and perception

which disorders are linked to temporal lobe dysfunction

schizophrenia, early Alzheimer’s disease, and autism

where is the occipital lobe located

back of the brain, behind the parietal and temporal lobes

main function of occipital lobe

processing visual information from the Visual Cortex, which receives input from the Visual Thalamus

what happens if the occipital lobe is damaged

• vision problems like blindness or colour confusion

• motion perception issues

which disorders are associated with occipital lobe abnormalities

schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, autism, and depression

what are association areas of cortex

• regions that are not primary sensory regions (they do not receive direct input from the sensory thalamus), nor are they primary motor regions

main role of association area

to link sensory and motor information and support higher cognitive functions like planning, memory, and understanding the environment

which association area is involved in motivation

frontal cortex

what is the role of the premotor cortex (association area)

helps to plan movements before they are carried out

which area helps us understand our body’s relationship with the world

parietal cortex

which brain region helps generate new episodic memories (events and places)

temporal lobes

what is the limbic system

network of interconnected brain regions involved in emotion, motivation, and memory

which structures make up the limbic system

Cingulate Gyrus, Amygdala, Hippocampus, and Nucleus Accumbens

main function of limbic system

to regulate emotional responses and feelings, linking emotion to memory and motivation

which brain regions are mainly involved in movement control

Motor Cortex (Precentral Gyrus), Basal Ganglia, and Cerebellum

how do these movement control regions communicate with the body

they send instructions to motoneurones in the spinal cord (for limbs and trunk) and motor nuclei in the brainstem (for head and neck movements like speech and swallowing)

what do motoneurones do

activate muscle contractions that produce movement

what is the corticospinal tract

main output pathway from the motor cortex to the spinal cord that carries motor commands

where do corticospinal tract fibers cross over (decussate)

in the brainstem just before entering the cervical spinal cord, causing the left cortex to control the right side of the body and vice versa

why is the corticospinal tract important

fastest descending motor system, essential for fine, precise movements

what is the function of cerebral white matter

allows extensive communication between cortical areas, and between the cortex, brainstem, and spinal cord via myelinated axon fibers

what are the four main types of white matter fibers

• Tracts – connect distant brain/spinal areas.

• Commissures – connect right and left hemispheres (e.g., Corpus Callosum).

• Association fibers – connect areas within the same hemisphere.

• Projection fibers – connect cortex with lower brain regions and spinal cord.

what does cerebral gray matter consist of

• Cerebral cortex

• Basal ganglia nuclei

• Basal forebrain nuclei

• Other nuclei (clusters of neuronal cell bodies)

what’s the main difference between gray and white matter

• Gray matter = neuron cell bodies (processing areas)

• White matter = myelinated axon fibers (communication pathways)