ap psych - topic 1.4B

the brain: regions, structures, & functions

brain stem

the oldest part & central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull

medulla

the base of the brain stem; controls heartbeat & breathing

reticular activating system

a bundle of nerves that sit in your brain stem - they transmit sensory messages to different areas of the cerebral cortex through the thalamus

reward center

a complex network of neural circuits that help regulate motivation, reinforcement, & pleasure responses

cerebellum

the ‘little brain’ at the rear of the brain stem; functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output & balance, & enabling nonverbal learning & memory

cerebral cortex

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

limbic system

neural system (including the amygdala, hypothalamus, & hippocampus), located below the cerebral hemisphere’s associated with emotions & drives

thalamus

the brain’s sensory control center, located on top of the brain stem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex & transmits replies to the cerebellum & medulla

hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland & is linked to emotion & reward

pituitary gland

a small pea-sized gland located at the base of your brain, controls other glands in your body, regulates vital bodily functions/general well being

hippocampus

a neural center located in the limbis system, helps process for storage explicit (conscious) memories of facts & events

amygdala

2 lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system, linked to emotion

corpus callosum

a large bundle of more than 200 million myelinated nerve fibers that connect the 2 brain hemispheres, permitting communication between the right & left sides of the brain

occipital lobe

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

temporal lobe

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

parietal lobe

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

association areas

areas of the cerebral cortex that aren’t involved in primary motor or sensory functions, rather, they’re involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, & speaking

somatosensory cortex

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

frontal lobe

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

linguistic processing

the cognitive activities involved in understanding & producing language

higher order thinking

when neutral stimulus becomes linked to a conditioned stimulus

executive functioning

the set of neurocognitive skills involved in goal-directed problem solving, including working memory, inhibitory control, & set shifting/flexibility

prefrontal cortex

located at the very front of the frontal lobe, controls the executive functions or a set of abilities that are needed to control cognitive behaviors including attention, inhibition, working memory, problem solving, & planning

motor cortex

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