AP Psych Unit 2: Functions of the Brain + Endocrine System

hypothalamus

controls the endocrine system, which regulates hunger, thirst, body temperature, and sexual behavior

pituitary gland

gland that secretes hormones that regulate the rest of the endocrine system

adrenal glands

release epinephrine and norepinephrine as a reaction to stress; regulate stress in general

thalamus

sensory relay system that receives all sensory info from the body except smell and receives outputs from the brain

reticular formation

network of neurons that control arousal and consciousness

pons

carries sensory info to the brain and outputs out

medulla

basic life functions (heart rate + breathing); origin of preganglionic neurons

cerebellum

coordinates movements, posture, balance, fine motor movement, and motor learning

amygdala

manages emotions, but especially aggression and fear

corpus callosum

axon fibers that connect the two hemispheres

hippocampus

formation of explicit memories

frontal lobe

lobe that controls most voluntary actions

prefrontal cortex

controls executive function (planning, decision making, etc)

primary motor cortex

controls most movement; each body part has it’s own area and the more precision in movement, the more space it has

premotor cortex

plans movement

broca’s area

production of speech

parietal lobe

lobe that control touch and that sensory info

primary somatosensory cortex

the area in the parietal lobe that processes touch; the more surface area a body part has, the more sensitive it is

wernike’s area

speech comprehension

temporal lobe

processes and comprehends sound

occipital lobe

includes primary visual cortex and processes visual stimuli

left brain

speech/speech comprehension; analysis/calculations; timing; recognition of words and numbers

right brain

creativity, spatial ability, recognition of objects