Psych Brain Terms

Hindbrain

coordinates infro coming into/out of spinal cord

cerebellum

receives info from muscles and ear to control balance….

medulla

regulates heart rate, circulation, breathing, digestion

reticular formation

regulates sleep, wakefulness and arousal

pons

relays info from cerebellum to the rest of the brain

Midbrain

relay station between sensory and motor areas

tectum

receives info from eyes, ears, and skin and orients us toward the stimulus

tementum

involved in movement and arousal, also helps us orient toward sensory stimuli

Forebrain

cerebral cortex and subcortical structures

thalamus

receives and transmits info from senses to the cortex (except smell goes to olfactory bulbs above nose)

hypothalamus

regulates body temp, hunger, thirst, blood sugar levels, metabolism, survival drives

amygdala

role in emotional processes, formation of emotional memories, active when we feel threatened

hippocampus

critical for creating/integrating/storing new memories with existing knowledge

subcortical structures

directs intentional movement, plays a role in reward processing

cerebral cortex

responsible for the most complex thought, emotion, perception, and movement

somatosensory cortex

receives info about touch. if a body area is more sensitive, a large part of the ______ is devoted to it

Frontal lobe

speech, thinking, planning, language

motor cortex

initiates voluntary movement and controls movement (turns our thoughts into actions)