AP Psych Vocab - Unit 3 - Parts of the Brain

old brain

old brain

evolutionarily older structures in the brain that regulate unconscious efforts (hunger, sleep, breathing, etc.)

new brain

evolutionarily newer structures in the brain that allow for perception, thought, and speaking

brainstem

oldest and innermost region at the base of the brain connected to the spinal cord; regulates automatic survival functions

medulla

at the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing

pons

above the medulla; helps coordinate movement and controls sleep

reticular formation

a nerve network that travels from the spinal cord through the thalamus and controls arousal (e.g. alert vs. coma)

thalamus

two egg-shaped structures that sit atop the brainstem; function as the brain’s sensory hub (“grand central station” for sensory input) and redirects signals to the cortexes of the brain; transmits the reply to the cerebellum and medulla

cerebellum

the “little brain” at the rear of the brainstem; plays a role in implicit memory, understand passing of time, modulate emotions, distinguish sensory inputs, coordinates voluntary movement and balance

limbic system

the neural system that lies between the old brain and the new brain; contains the AHH (amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus), associated with emotions (fear, anger), and drives (hunger, sex)

amygdala

two lima-bean sized clusters in the limbic system; control fear and aggression

hypothalamus

neural structure below the thalamus; directs maintenance activities to maintain homeostasis (eating, drinking, body temperature), controls the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, linked to emotion and operates as a reward system

hippocampus

a neural center in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage (“save button”), one of the evolutionarily younger parts of the old brain

cross-wiring

the idea that nerves from the left side of the brain are linked to the right side of the body, and that the nerves from the right side of the body are linked to the left

cerebrum

the largest component of the brain, composed of two hemispheres filled with axons, covered by a cerebral cortex

corpus callosum

a c-shaped structure of nerve pathways between the hemispheres that allows the left and right hemispheres of the brain to communicate

cerebral cortex

thin, folded surface layer of interconnected nerve cells in the new brain; function as an information-processing center

frontal lobes

front area of the new brain involved in speaking, muscle movements, planning, and judgement

motor cortex

at the back of the frontal lobes; sends messages to body to operate voluntary movements; William Penfield stimulated this area with electrical currents which caused the movement of various body parts

parietal lobes

top area of the new brain involved in receiving sensory input for touch and body position

occipital lobes

back area of the new brain involved in receiving and processing visual information

temporal lobes

the bottom of the new brain involved in receiving and processing auditory information

somatosensory cortex

at the front of the parietal lobes, receives information from skin senses (touch); William Penfield stimulated this area with electrical currents which caused a feeling of touch or pressure on different areas of skin

visual cortex

at the back of the occipital lobes, receives visual information (input from eyes)

auditory cortex

at the sides of the temporal lobes, receives auditory information (input from ears)

association areas

areas of the cerebral cortex in all four lobes that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; instead, they deal with higher mental functions (learning, remembering, thinking, speaking); no uniform response triggered by electrically stimulating these areas

prefrontal cortex

at the forward part of the frontal lobes; involved in judgement, planning, processing new memories, personality expression, morality

broca’s area

an association area that deals with the speaking and expression of language

wernicke’s area

an association area that deals with the reception and understanding of language

plasticity

the brain’s ability to change, especially in childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new neural pathways based on experience

neurogenesis

the formation of new neurons (rarer the neuroplasticity)