*Central Nervous System

These flashcards cover key concepts related to the central nervous system, brain structures, and their functions.

Central Nervous System

Processes all information received from our sense organs and reacts.

Brain

Interprets, initiates, and regulates behavior; coordinates movement and supports mental processing.

Spinal Cord

Carries messages from the brain to the rest of the body, including motor commands and sensory information.

Brainstem

An ancient part of the brain that controls essential automatic functions such as breathing, sleeping, and moving.

Hindbrain

Regulates automatic activities like breathing, heart pumping, and digestion.

Midbrain

Coordinates movement with sensory input.

Forebrain

Includes structures such as the thalamus and hypothalamus that regulate emotions and behavior.

Thalamus

Regulates emotions and acts as a bridge between the forebrain and brainstem.

Hypothalamus

Regulates behavior related to emotions, drives, and homeostasis.

Limbic System

Regulates emotional experiences, expressions, impulse control, and basic drives.

Basal Ganglia

Controls motor activity.

Cerebral Cortex

Contains 80% of neurons in the CNS; has two hemispheres responsible for different functions.

Frontal Lobe

Involved in thinking, reasoning, and memory/image creation.

Parietal Lobe

Recognizes sensations and touch.

Temporal Lobe

Recognizes various sights, sounds, and is involved in long-term memory.

Occipital Lobe

Integrates and makes sense of visual stimuli.