ch 9 thru 11 brain and behavior

What is the main control center for temperature, thirst, hunger, and satiety?

Hypothalamus

Which area integrates temperature input and drives autonomic responses?

Preoptic area / anterior hypothalamus (POA/AH)

What structure carries out autonomic output for temperature regulation?

Hindbrain raphe nucleus

Which structures detect osmotic pressure and sodium-related thirst signals?

OVLT and subfornical organ (SFO)

What is the major thirst-initiation site in the brain?

Lateral preoptic area (LPO)

What produces vasopressin for water retention?

Supraoptic nucleus (SON)

Which nucleus integrates thirst signals and helps drive vasopressin release?

Paraventricular nucleus (PVN)

What nucleus contains hunger-sensitive and satiety-sensitive neurons?

Arcuate nucleus (ARC)

Which hypothalamic area promotes feeding and arousal?

Lateral hypothalamus (LH)

What inhibits feeding in the brain?

Ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH)

What receives feeding-related input and helps with taste and ingestion?

Nucleus of the tractus solitarius (NTS)

Which medulla detects low blood glucose and contributes to hunger responses?

Dorsomedial medulla

What is the pathway for temperature regulation?

Skin and organ receptors -> POA/AH -> raphe nucleus -> shivering, sweating, blood-flow changes, and metabolic changes.

What triggers osmotic thirst?

OVLT/SFO detect high osmotic pressure or sodium -> hypothalamus -> LPO drinking response + SON/PVN vasopressin release.

What is the role of leptin, insulin, CCK, and blood glucose in satiety signaling?

They signal to ARC satiety neurons -> PVN -> melanocortins -> reduced feeding.

What is the pathway for hunger signaling?

Ghrelin -> ARC hunger neurons -> LH -> orexin -> arousal, attention to food cues, and eating behavior.

What initiates the stress response in the HPA axis?

Stress -> hypothalamus releases CRH -> pituitary releases ACTH -> adrenal cortex releases cortisol.

Which brain area is key for emotional processing?

Amygdala

What is the role of the insula in emotional behavior?

It is especially linked to disgust.

Which part of the brain is involved in moral decision-making?

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC)

What does the sympathetic nervous system do during emotional arousal?

Increases heart rate, dilates pupils and bronchi, and raises glucose availability.

What is the function of the parasympathetic nervous system?

Decreases heart rate, constricts pupils and bronchi, and increases digestion.

What is the significance of the HPA axis in stress response?

It regulates cortisol levels and feedback suppression of CRH/ACTH.

What is the pathway for moral decision-making?

Emotional response + utilitarian reasoning -> VMPFC -> cingulate/prefrontal networks -> moral choice.

What is the role of the arcuate nucleus (ARC) in hunger and satiety?

It acts as a switchboard for hunger-sensitive and satiety-sensitive neurons.

What hormones are involved in the female hypothalamic cycle?

Cyclic hormone release regulated by the hypothalamus.

What is the function of the medial preoptic area (MPOA)?

It regulates reproductive hormone patterns and shows sexual dimorphism.

What does the INAH-3 relate to in terms of sexual orientation?

It has been studied as a brain-anatomy difference related to sexual orientation.

What is the effect of prenatal testosterone on brain differentiation?

It leads to long-lasting organizing effects on hypothalamus and related circuits.