PSYCH260 - Brain, Behavior, & Neuroanatomy

True or False: The relationship between the brain and our behavior is reciprocal

True

Central Nervous System

The CNS includes the brain and the spinal cord, which connects the brain to the rest of the body

What is included in the peripheral nervous system?

The somatic and autonomic nervous systems

What does the somatic nervous system do?

Nerves convey sensory information to the CNS and transmit messages for motor movement from the CNS to the body. Somatic = sensory (somatosensation = touch)

What does the autonomic nervous system do?

Regulates automatic behaviors such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, digestion, etc

What are the two systems that make up the autonomic nervous system?

Sympathetic (prepares organs for vigorous activity such as fight/flight) and parasympathetic (facilitates vegetative, nonemergency responses by the organs and decreases functions made by the sympathetic nervous system)

Sagittal plane

Vertical plane that divides the body into left and right sections

Medial

Closer to the middle or center line of the body

Lateral

Farther away from the middle/toward the side of the body

Coronal (frontal) plane

Divides the body into front (anterior, rostral) and back (posterior, caudal) sections

Horizontal (transverse) plane

Divides the body into top (dorsal) and bottom (ventral) halves

Superior & Inferior

located above/below a body part

Proximal & Distal

Closer/farther away from the trunk (torso) or point of origin

Ipsilateral & Contralateral

Same/opposite side of the body

Afferent & Efferent

Arriving/exiting the central nervous system

Gyrus (gyri)

Folds on the surface of the brain’s cerebral cortex

Sulcus (sulci)

Valleys or grooves between the gyri

Gray matter

Processes incoming sensory and outgoing motor information

White matter

Transmits signals between the body and the brain

What are the three distinct parts of a neuron?

Dendrites, axon, & axon terminal

Hindbrain

Includes medulla (vital functions), pons (arousal, fight/flight), cerebellum (movement, balance, coordination, & timing)