Chapter 4 & 5 Unit 1 (definitions) - Role Of The Brain In Mental Processes And Behaviour

aphasia

a language disorder resulting from a brain injury to an area responsible for language production or processing

Brain ablation

the destruction or removal of parts of the brain

Brain lesioning

disruption or damaging the normal structure or function of part of the brain

Broca’s area

has a crucial role in the production of clear and fluent speech by coordinating messages to your lips, jaw, tounge and vocal chords

Cerebellum

it is the largest part of the brain with the cerebral cortex as its outer layer and is involved in balance and coordination of fine muscle movements

Cerebral cortex

It is the outer layer of neural tissue that covers the cerebrum. It is involved in mental abilities, sensory processing and voluntary movements; has roles in diverser range of activities

Cerebral Cortex - Association Areas

surrounds sensory and motor areas and deals with more complex functions that require interrogation of inputs of information from different areas.

Cerebral Cortex - Motor Areas

related to initiating and excluding voluntary movements made of motor neurons

Cerebral Cortex - Sensory Areas

receives and processes information from the five senses made of sensory neurons

Cerebrum

neurons form connections with each other and receive and process incoming and outgoing information

Computerised Tomography - CT

a neuroimaging technique that uses X-ray equipment to scan the brain at different angles and build up a picture of the brain

experience dependent plasticity

involves brain change the modifies some parts of its neural structure that is already present. It depends on exposure to various environmental experiences that are unique to each individual and may occur at any time during the lifespan

experiencing expectant plasticity

involves brain change in response to environmental experience that is ordinarily expected

fluent aphasia

speech is easily produced and flows sentences don’t make sense and the person often has difficulty understanding what is heard or read

Forebrain

regulates complex cognitive processes such as thinking, learning, memory, perception and various aspects of emotion and personality

Frontal Lobe - areas involved

• prefrontal cortex

• primary cortex

• primary motor cortex

• broca’s area

Frontal Lobe - function

Frontal Lobe - location

It is one of four critical lobes, located in the upper forward half of cerebral hemisphere

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging - fMRI

a neuroimaging technique that detects and produces images of brain activity by measuring oxygen consumption across the brain

Functional neuroimaging

produces images showing some aspect of brain function; highlights parts of the brain that are ‘at work’

Grey matter

it enables individuals to control movement, memory and emotions.

Hindbrain

a collection of structures at the base of the brain that includes the cerebellum, modular and pons

Hypothalamus

has a vital role in maintaining the body’s internal environment by regulating the release of hormones, it also influences various other behaviours

Magnetic Resonance Imaging - MRI

it uses harmless magnetic fields to vibrate atoms in the brains neurons and generate a computer image of the brain

Medulla

a hind brain structure that is the continuation of the spinal chord connecting to the brain; it controls vital bodily functions required for survival such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure, etc.

Midbrain

connects upper and lower brain areas and houses structure involved with movement, processing of visual, auditory and tactile sensory information, sleep and arousal

neurogenesis

neurogenesis is a life long process of the production or birth of new neurons

Neuroplasticity

refers to the ability of the brain and parts of the nervous system to change in response to experiences

non-fluent aphasia

difficulties speaking clearly and often short sentences; speech is effortful and includes only keywords necessary for communication, no difficulties understanding what is said or heard

Occipital lobes - location

It is one of the four critical lobes, located in the rear most area of each cerebral hemisphere

Occtipical Lobe - function

receives and processes information from the five senses made of sensory neurons

Parietal lobe - location

It is one of the four critical lobes, located in the upper back area of the brain between the frontal and occipital lobes

Parietal Lobe - function

receives and processes bodily or ‘somatosensory’ information; attention and spatial reasoning; judging position of our body in space)

PET scan

it enables individuals to control movement, memory and emotions.

Pons

a hind brain structure involved in sleep, dreaming, arousal from sleep, and control of breathing and coordination of some muscle movements

Prefrontal cortex

responsible for reasoning, planning, problem solving, decision making, regulation & expression of emotion, attention, self-awareness & aspects of personality

Primary Auditory Cortex

received and processes sounds from both ears

Primary Motor Cortex

a strip of cortex in the back of each frontal lobe that initiates and controls voluntary movements of each specific body part through its control of skeletal muscles

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

it is a strip of cortex in the back of each parietal lobe that receives and processes sensory information

Primary Visual Cortex

it receives and processes information from the eyes

Recticular Formation

a brain area the helps screen incoming information, alerts higher brains centres to important information, helps maintain consciousness and regulates arousal and muscle tone.

Structural neuroimaging

produces images showing the brain’s structure and anatomy

Temporal lobe -

a language disorder resulting from a brain injury to an area responsible for language production or processing