Nerves

medulla oblongata

Part of the brainstem that controls vital life-sustaining functions such as heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, and digestion.

Pons

the part of the brainstem that links the medulla oblongata and the thalamus.

Cerebellum

Balance and coordination

Thalmus

sensory perception and regulation of motor functions

Hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

Hippocampus

A neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

Amygdala

A limbic system structure involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

occipital lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information

temporal lobe

An area on each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex near the temples that is the primary receiving area for auditory information

parietal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch.

frontal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement

primary motor cortex

the section of the frontal lobe responsible for voluntary movement

sensory cortex

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

left hemisphere of brain

The left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for control of the right side of the body, and is the more academic and logical side of the brain.

right hemisphere of brain

The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for control of the left side of the body, and is the more artistic and creative side of the brain.

Broca's area

Controls language expression - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

Wernicke's area

a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe

peripheral nervous system

the sensory and motor neurons that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body

cranial nerves

12 pairs of nerves that carry messages to and from the brain

efferent nerves

Also called motor nerves; nerves that carry information out of the brain and spinal cord to other areas of the body.

afferent nerves

Also called sensory nerves; nerves that carry information about the external environment to the brain and spinal cord via sensory receptors.

Associative nerves

"internuncial nerves" carry both sensory and motor messages.

spinal nerves

31 pairs of nerves arising from the spinal cord

somatic nervous system

the division of the peripheral nervous system that controls the body's skeletal muscles

autonomic nervous system

the part of the peripheral nervous system that controls the glands and the muscles of the internal organs (such as the heart). Its sympathetic division arouses; its parasympathetic division calms.

sympathetic nervous system

a set of nerves that prepares the body for action in challenging or threatening situations; fight or flight

parasympathetic nervous system

the division of the autonomic nervous system that calms the body, conserving its energy; rest and digest

Ansomnia

loss of smell, olfactory nerve not working

Gustation

sense of taste

Satiation

body blocks a smell that you are used to.

smell can trigger a memory because it connects the olfactory system with the

cerebral cortex

conduction impairment

blocking of sound waves; hearing loss occurs when the passage of sound is blocked in either the ear canal or in the middle ear

nerve impairment

insensitivity to sound due to nerve damage; Damage to the nerve pathway between the internal cochlea on up to the acoustic areas of the brain

Weber test

hearing test using a tuning fork; distinguishes between conductive and sensorineural hearing loss

olfactory bulb

a brain structure located above the nasal cavity beneath the frontal lobes

olfactory nerve

the nerve that carries smell impulses from the nose to the brain

thermoception

temperature perception

spatial threshold

the difference between two tactile stimuli

Proprioception

The ability to tell where one's body is in space.

disease that affect the optic nerve

glaucoma

papillae

bumps on tongue, contains taste buds

optic nerve

the nerve that carries neural impulses from the eye to the brain

Central Nervous System (CNS)

brain and spinal cord

The cervical and sacral parts of the spinal cord control which body functions

parasympathetic

vagus nerve

both sensory and motor