Brain Structure, Function, and Plasticity Overview

Hindbrain

Includes medulla, pons, cerebellum. Controls vital functions (breathing, heart rate).

Midbrain

Connects upper/lower brain. Involved in movement, sensory processing, sleep and arousal.

Forebrain

Includes cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus. Responsible for thinking, memory, emotions, learning, and personality.

Cerebral Cortex

Wrinkly outer layer of the cerebrum; enables complex thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making.

Left Hemisphere

Specializes in language and logic.

Right Hemisphere

Specializes in creativity and spatial awareness.

Corpus Callosum

Allows communication between the left and right hemispheres.

Contralateral Functioning

Left brain controls right side of body and vice versa.

Frontal Lobe

Responsible for high-level mental functions (planning, problem-solving).

Primary Motor Cortex

Controls voluntary movement (more cortex = finer movement e.g., hands/lips).

Broca's Area

Involved in speech production (left hemisphere only).

Parietal Lobe

Responsible for touch, body position, and spatial reasoning.

Primary Somatosensory Cortex

Receives sensory input (larger area = more sensitivity e.g., lips/hands).

Occipital Lobe

Responsible for vision.

Primary Visual Cortex

Processes visual input from retina.

Temporal Lobe

Responsible for hearing, language comprehension, and memory.

Primary Auditory Cortex

Processes sound (pitch, tempo).

Wernicke's Area

Involved in understanding spoken/written language (left hemisphere).

Neuroplasticity

Brain's ability to change through experience or injury.

Long-term potentiation (LTP)

Strengthens synaptic connections.

Long-term depression (LTD)

Weakens unused connections.

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

Damage to brain after birth (e.g., stroke, accident).

Broca's Aphasia

Trouble speaking (left frontal lobe).

Wernicke's Aphasia

Nonsense speech, poor understanding (left temporal lobe).

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

Progressive, fatal brain disease caused by repeated head trauma.

CT

Examples: X-Rays

Provides structural images

Image Quality" Moderate

MRI

Provides detailed structural images

Magnetic fields and radio waves

Image Quality" High

PET

Measures brain activity/metabolism

Detects radioactive tracer in blood (structure-limited)

Image Quality" Lower detail (but functional info) High

fMRI

Measures brain activity (blood flow)

Same as MRI + detects oxygenated blood flow

Image Quality" High