Addiction: Disease Model, Dopamine, and Environmental Factors in Neuroscience

function of the pons

Connects lower and higher regions of the brain. Plays a role in sleep and arousal.

function of the Reticular formation

A group of nerve cells that help control sleep, arousal, and attention.

function of the medulla

Controls vital involuntary functions like swallowing and breathing.

function of the cerebellum

Plays a role in learning and memory. Big role in balance and coordination.

function of the hypothalamus

Maintains homeostasis, regulates emotions, and is involved in basic drives. Associated with feelings of pleasure.

function of the hippocampus

Formation of new memories.

function of the amygdala 

Learning, memory, and experiences of both positive and negative emotions. Linked to aggression.

function of the thalamus

Directs neural traffic between the senses and the cerebral cortex. Senses are directed by the thalamus to the cerebral cortex.

function of the somatosensory cortex

Receives sensory information of touch from receptors on the skin

function of Motor Cortex

Sends impulses to voluntary muscles.

function of Broca’s area

Directs muscle movements in the production of speech.

function of Wernicke’s Area

Comprehension of language. 

What is the Corpus Callosum

large bundle of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing them to communicate and coordinate functions

Functions of the Left Hemisphere

language processing, logical reasoning, and analytical tasks

Functions of the Right Hemisphere

creativity, intuition, emotional processing, and holistic thinking