1.4- Brain structures and function

brain plasticity

the brain’s ability to change and adapt even after injury. rewire itself, form new connections, readjust for new experiences

Brain stem

at the base of the brain, which connects brain to spinal cord includes medulla, pons, midbrain.

Spinal cord

connects the brain to the rest of the body. Information highway.

Medulla

part of the brain that controls autonomic functions like heart rate, breathing, digestion, blood pressure

Pons

part that connects different parts of the nervous system. Also plays a role in sleep and dreaming

Cerebellum

structure located at the base of the brain at the back. Controls muscle movement, balance, and procedural learning. manages motor control

Procedural learning

a type of long term memory that involves learning how to perform tasks or actions through repetition

Reticular activating system

bundle of nerves that run through brainstem. regulates sleep-wake cycle and general awareness

Brain reward center

Part that makes an individual feel satisfaction or pleasure through neurotransmitters like dopamine

limbic system

system that plays an important role in emotion, memory, learning, motivation. Includes structures like thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala.

thalamus

part that receives sensory information except for smell, and sends it to the right areas of the brain for interpretation

hypothalamus

part that helps maintain homeostasis. controls hunger, thirst, temperature sexual behavior

pituitary gland

AKA master gland, that releases hormones that affect growth, metabolism, and other glands throughout the body

hippocampus

part that plays a key role in forming new long term memories, especially explicit memories. it forms, does not store memories

amygdala

part that is involved in emotion, especially fear and aggression. helps respond emotionally to stressful situations

cerebral cortex

outer layer of the brain that is divided into two hemispheres and is made up of the 4 lobes

Corpus callosum

part that connects left and right hemispheres

occipital lobes

located in the back of the brain. process and interpret visual information

temporal lobes

located above ears. process sounds and language

Wernicke’s area

part of temporal lobe that is responsible for language and comprehension.

Wernicke’s aphasia

condition where damage of the Wernicke’s area can result in the lost ability to comprehend language

parietal lobes

located near top and back of brain. organize and make sense of information, and somatosensory cortex that processes touch, pressure, pain, temperature

contralateral organization

the way brain is set up with each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body

sensory homunculus

a model that shows some parts of the body take up more space in the somatosensory complex than others

frontal lobes

are located behind forehead. responsible for higher level thinking and executive function. help organize speech, manage decision making, and impulse control

prefrontal cortex

part of the frontal lobes that are involved in judgement, planning, foresight, judgement, and executive thought.

motor cortex

located in the back of frontal lobes and controls voluntary muscle movement

broca’s area

part of frontal lobe involved in speech production. helps coordinate muscle movements needed to sleep

broca’s aphasia

a condition where damage to the broca’s area make an individual unable to produce speech

Phineas Gage

railroad worker who was injured in a famous accident where a rod went through his skull. he survived and remained conscious, but went through severe personality changes

split-brain research

procedure to treat people with severe epilepsy. involves cutting the corpus callosum, so two sides cannot communicate.

lesion studies

where doctors and researchers destroy specific parts of the brain to gain insight into different parts of the brain

autopsies

examination of an individual’s body who has died to disciver the cause of death

EEG

measures electrical activity in the brain by placing electrodes on an individual’s scalp. researchers record electrical signals fired by neurons

FMRI

shows which areas of the brain are active by measuring changes in blood flow.