Unit 2: Brain and Sensations

Medulla

Regulates heart rate, bloodline, breathing, digestion

Pons

Controls Focus and bodily arousal

Cerebellum

Motor function and muscle memory

Reticular Formation

Regulates attention arousal and sleep

Thalamus

Sensory relay station

Hypothalamus

Links nervous system to endocrine system

Hippocampus

Long term memory and processing

Amygdala

Forms Sensory memories and coordinates fight/flight/emotions

Limbic System

Regulates emotions, behavior, memories (includes hypothalamus, thalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus)

Sperry and Gazzinga

Researchers who studied laterization of brain

Association Area

Part of cerebral cortex active in complex/sophisticated thought

Broca’s area

Part of frontal lobe which controls muscle movements needed to talk

Parietal Lobes

revives/interprets bodily sensations

Wernicke’s area

interpreted grammar and syntax

EEG

Electrodes which show FUNCTION

CAT

X-Ray which shows STRUCTURE

MRI

Magnets which show STRUCTURE

PET

Bloodflow monitor which shows FUNCTION

fMRI

Most recent scan showing STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

Webers Law

Difference threshold increases in proportion to size of stimulus

Signal Detection Theory

Absolute threshold is not true

Fovea

Cones in retina which actually see

Bipolar Cells

Connects rods and cones

Ganglion Cells

Connect eye to optic nerve

Pinna

Visual portion of ear

cochlea

turns vibrations into neural impulses

Somatosensation

skin sensations