Organization of the Nervous System and Structure of the Brain

This set of flashcards provides key vocabulary and definitions related to the organization of the nervous system and various structures of the brain.

Central Nervous System

Brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System

Somatic (voluntary control) and autonomic (involuntary control) systems.

Somatic Nervous System

Part of the peripheral nervous system

Voluntary and conscious control.

Autonomic Nervous System

Part of the peripheral nervous system

Involuntary/automatic control of blood vessels, organs, and glands.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Prepares the body for action against a threat.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Returns the body to normal resting state.

Hindbrain

Connected to the spinal cord

Controls basic life functions and motor skills.

Medulla

HB: heart rate, circulation, and respiration.

Cerebellum

HB: fine motor skills/balance

Ipsilateral control on outer hemispheres

Middle (vermis) controls trunk and balance

Pons

HB: Functions as a relay station in the hindbrain.

Midbrain

Located above the hindbrain

Orientation towards pleasure and away from threats.

Forebrain

The highest level of brain structure

Complex tasks: cognition and emotions.

Cerebral Cortex

Outermost layer of the forebrain

Two hemispheres controlled contralaterally.

Frontal Lobe

Future and past thinking, planning, memory, and judgement. (Higher order ideas)

Broca's Area

Located near the motor cortex on left side

Responsible for forming full sentences

Wernicke's Area

Located near the temporal lobe on left side

Responsible for understanding language

Thalamus

FB: Major relay center for sensory information (excluding smell).

Hypothalamus

FB: temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behavior.

Hippocampus

FB: forming short-term memories and integrating them into long-term memories.

Amygdala

FB: emotional processes and memories.

Basal Ganglia

FB: reflexive and gross movements.

Pituitary Gland

FB: 'master gland' that controls hormone production in the body

Prosopagnosia

Inability to recognize faces, associated with temporal lobe

Anterograde Amnesia

Inability to form new memories after a certain event, associated with hippocampus

PTSD

Condition related to emotional memories, often triggered by stress, associated with amygdala

Parkinson's Disease

Movement disorder associated with deficits in the basal ganglia

Tectum

MB: Orientation towards stimuli

Tegmentum

MB: movement and arousal, orientation towards sensory stimuli

Corpsus callosum

Largest connective commissure between brain hemispheres

Prefrontal lobe

Problem solving and impulse inhibition (executive function)

Motor cortex

Strip of tissue in front of somatosensory cortex

Planning, controlling, and executing voluntary movements

Parietal lobe

In front of occipital lobe

Touch, spatial navigation relating to attention/memory

Somatosensory cortex

Strip of tissue behind motor cortex

Sensory information from the body, including touch, temperature, and pain

Homuncularly organized: more sensitive area of body = larger portion of tissue dedicated to that area.

Occipital/visual lobe

Back of cortex

Visual information

Temporal lobe

Lower side

Hearing and language facial/object recognition — putting visual information together

Reticular formation

HB: sleep, wakefulness, arousal

Retrograde amnesia

Cannot recall events that occurred before the onset of amnesia

Associated with cortex damage (where we store long term memories)

Dopamine

Neurotransmitter related to motivation, reward seeking, motor function, attention, and cognition

Schizophrenia

Disturbances in thought, perception, and behavior (hallucinations)

Associated with thalamus

Acetylcholine

Motor function and memory related neurotransmitter

GABA

Neurotransmitter reducing likelihood of AP

Glutamate

Neurotransmitter increasing likelihood of AP