Regulation and Integration of the Body

Flashcards covering key anatomical and functional terms related to the regulation and integration of the body.

Frontal lobe

Part of the brain involved in cognitive functions such as impulse control, reasoning, and problem-solving.

Pons

The bulging region of the brain stem located between the midbrain and the medulla oblongata, involved in relaying messages between the cerebellum and the cerebrum.

Medulla Oblongata

The most inferior part of the brain stem, which controls autonomic functions like breathing and heart rate.

Cerebellum

A brain structure that coordinates voluntary movements and maintains posture and balance.

Substantia nigra

A brain region involved in the control of movement and contains neurons that release dopamine.

Decussation

The crossing over of nerve fibers from one side of the brain to the opposite side of the body.

Arbor vitae

The tree-like pattern of white matter within the cerebellum.

Limbic system

A set of brain structures that deal with emotions and memory.

Hypothalamus

A brain region controlling functions like hunger, thirst, and the autonomic nervous system.

Cerebral peduncles

Fiber tracts in the brain that connect the cerebellum to the brain stem, facilitating communication.

Olfactory bulb

The neural structure responsible for the sense of smell, located at the base of the brain.

Fourth ventricle

A cavity in the brain filled with cerebrospinal fluid, located between the cerebellum and the brain stem.

Cerebellar peduncles

Three paired fiber tracts that connect the cerebellum to the brain stem.

Vestibular nuclei

Nuclei in the brain stem that are involved in maintaining equilibrium.

Purkinje cells

Large neurons in the cerebellar cortex responsible for sending inhibitory signals to the cerebellar nuclei.

Cingulate gyrus

Part of the limbic system that plays a role in emotion formation and processing.

Amygdaloid body

A key structure in the limbic system associated with processing emotions such as fear and aggression.

Homunculi

Representations of the body in the brain that illustrate the relative amount of cortical area devoted to different body parts.

Proprioceptors

Sensory receptors that provide information about body position and movement.