final brain vocab

amygdala

two-lima brain-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus, it directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion & reward.

hippocampus

linked to memory; a complex brain structure embedded deep into temporal lobe

cerebral cortex

the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body’s ultimate control & information-processing center.

frontal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking & muscle movements & in making plans & judgements

parietal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head & toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch & body position.

occipital lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; include areas that receive information from the visual fields.

temporal lobes

portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information, primarily from the opposite ear.

motor cortex

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.

somasensory cortex

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

association areas

areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, & speaking.

plasticity

the brain’s ability to change, especially during childhood, by recognizing after damage or by building new pathways based an experience.

neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres & carrying messages between them.

split brain

a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain’s two hemispheres by cutting the fibers connecting them.

broca’s area

control’s language expression— an area, usually in the left frontal lobe, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.

wernicke’s area

controls language reception — a brain area involved in language comprehension & expression; usually in the left temporal lobe

bilateralism

denoting or relating to both sides of the body or an organ

consciousness

our awareness of ourselves & our environment

aphasia

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to broca’s area (impairing speaking) or to wernicke’s area (impairing understanding)