Brain Anatomy and Functions

Vocabulary flashcards reviewing major brain structures, lobes, hindbrain components, and specialized language areas from psychology lecture notes.

Thalamus

The sensory control center that routes incoming messages from all senses except smell.

Hypothalamus

Acts as a 'blood lab' that monitors and regulates hunger, thirst, and body temperature, while communicating with the endocrine system.

Pituitary Gland

Regulates growth and controls other glands throughout the endocrine system.

Hippocampus

Helps process explicit memories (facts and events) for storage.

Amygdala

A brain structure linked to emotion, specifically anger, fear, and aggression.

Corpus callosum

The structure that connects the two hemispheres of the brain.

Frontal lobe

Located at the front of the head; serves as the center of judgment (logic), muscle movement, and speaking.

Motor cortex

A region of the cerebral cortex that controls voluntary muscle movement.

Parietal lobe

Located at the side-back of the head; largely an association area for mathematical and spatial processing that receives sensory input for touch and body position.

Somatosensory cortex

Registers and processes all incoming sensations of touch and movement.

Occipital lobe

Located at the back of the head; receives and processes sensory information related to vision.

Temporal lobe

Located at the side of the brain; receives and processes sensory information related to hearing, speech, and understanding language.

Hindbrain

A lower brain region that controls basic survival functions such as heart rate and breathing.

Medulla

A hindbrain structure responsible for controlling heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration.

Pons

Regulates the sleep cycle, helps coordinate movement, and controls facial expressions (such as yawning).

Cerebellum

Maintains balance, coordinates movement systems, and supports non-verbal learning and memory.

Reticular Formation

Regulates arousal and filters incoming stimuli based on importance (e.g., detecting a tickle).

Reward system

A neural circuit composed of the striatum and the ventral tegmental area (VTA).

Broca's Area

Controls the production of speech; damage to this area leaves individuals unable to produce speech.

Wernicke's Area

Responsible for understanding both written and spoken language; damage prevents individuals from understanding others and producing meaningful sentences.