Parts of the Brain

lesions

• destruction of brain tissue

• accidental or purposeful

• lets us know the function of that part of the brain

electroencephalography (EEG)

• created images of brain wave activity by eliciting evoked potentials

• shows function only

positron emission tomography (PET)

• creates images which looks at glucose metabolism in the brain after injection of radioactive form of glucose

• shows function only

computerized axial tomography (CAT/CT)

• provides image of brain structure including soft tissues and bones (specialized type of z-ray)

• shows structure only

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

• uses magnetic fields in order to examine structure of brain tissues

• shows structure only

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

• reveals blood flow and therefore brain activity by comparing successive scans

• brain imaging technique which provides information about both structure and function

hindbrain

contains brain stem (medulla, pons, reticular formation)

medulla

in charge of respiration, blood pressure, heart rate

pons

• helps relay sensory information

• role in arousal and dreaming

forebrain

contains limbic system (thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala)

limibic system

brainstem

central core of the brain (begins where spinal cord swells at entrance to skull

• responsible for autonomic survival functions

thalamus

• forebrain sensory control center —> located atop brainstem

• directs messages to sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to cerebellum + medulla

reticular formation

• nerve network that travels through the brainstem to thalamus

• filters information and plays a role in controlling arousal

cerebellum

• processes sensory input

• coordinates movement output and balance

• enables nonverbal (procedural) learning and memory

limbic system

• neural system located mostly in the forebrain (below cerebral hemispheres)

• associated with emotions and drives

amygdala

• 2 bean sized neural clusters in the limbic system

• linked to emotion (aggression and fear)

hypothalamus

• structure of limbic system

• directs maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temp), endocrine system, linked to emotion and rewards

• maintains homeostatic internal state

hippocampus

• neural center of the limbic system

• processes explicit conscious memories of facts and events for storage

• size and function decreases with time

cerebrum

• 2 cerebral hemispheres of the brain

• ultimate information processing center

cerebral cortex

• intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering forebrains cerebral hemisphere

• high capacity for learning + thinking → adapt to changing environments

frontal lobe

• behind forehead

• enables linguistic processing, muscle movement, high order thinking, executive functioning

parietal lobe

• located at top/rear

• receives sensory input for touch + body position

occipital lobe

• located at back of head

• receive information from visual fields

temporal lobe

• located above ears

• language processing + auditory areas which receive information from opposite ears

motor cortex

• controls voluntary movements

• location: rear of frontal lobes

somatosensory cortex

• registers +processes body touch + movement sensations

• location: front of parietal lobes

association areas

• areas of cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions but involved in high mental functioning such as learning, thinking, remembering, speaking