The Brain

Vocab taken from edX Ap course; How the Brain Works

Amygdala

Structure in the limbic system involved in processing emotions and connecting emotional significance to memories

Auditory cortex

Region in the temporal lobe responsible for processing auditory information

Broca’s Area

Essential region in the left hemisphere for language production

Cerebellum

Hindbrain structure controlling balance, coordination, movement, and certain types of memory processing

Cerebral cortex

Brain's outer layer linked to high mental functions

Computerized Tomography (CT) scan

Imaging method using multiple x-rays coordinated by a computer

Corpus callosum

Bundle of nerve fibers connecting the brain's two hemispheres

Electroencephalography (EEG)

Recording brain's electrical activity through scalp electrodes

Forebrain

Largest brain part housing the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and limbic system

Frontal lobe

Cerebral cortex part involved in reasoning, motor control, emotion, and language

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

MRI showing changes in metabolic activity over time

Gyrus

Ridge on the cerebral cortex

Hippocampus

Temporal lobe structure linked to learning and memory

Hypothalamus

Forebrain structure regulating various processes and serving as a link between the nervous and endocrine systems

Lateralization

Concept that each brain hemisphere has specialized functions

Limbic System

Brain structures involved in emotion and memory processing

Longitudinal fissure

Deep groove in the brain's cortex

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Imaging technique using magnetic fields to produce detailed tissue images

Medulla

Hindbrain structure controlling automatic processes like breathing and heart rate

Midbrain

Brain division between the forebrain and hindbrain containing the reticular formation

Motor cortex

Cortex strip involved in movement planning and coordination

Occipital lobe

Cortex part processing sensory and perceptual information, including the primary somatosensory cortex

Pons

Hindbrain structure connecting the brain and spinal cord, involved in sleep regulation

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan

Imaging method tracking changes in brain blood flow after injecting a mildly radioactive substance

Prefrontal cortex

Frontal lobe area responsible for higher cognitive functions

Reticular formation

Midbrain structure regulating sleep, arousal, alertness, and motor activity

Somatosensory Cortex

Essential for processing sensory information like touch, temperature, and pain

Substantia nigra

Midbrain structure producing dopamine and controlling movement

Sulcus

Grooves in the cerebral cortex

Temporal Lobe

Cortex part associated with hearing, memory, emotion, and language, housing the primary auditory cortex

Thalamus

Sensory relay center in the brain

Ventral tegmental area (VTA)

Midbrain region producing dopamine, linked to mood, reward, and addiction

Wernicke’s area

Crucial for speech comprehension