poopoo unit 1 exam 2

Hindbrain

Controls basic survival functions such as heart rate, breathing, and reflexes.

Medulla

Maintains basic life functions like heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, swallowing, sneezing, and vomiting.

Pons

Connects the brainstem and cerebellum; coordinates movement; controls sleep and arousal.

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

Regulates alertness and attention; filters sensory stimuli to remove irrelevant background input.

Cerebellum

Coordinates balance, equilibrium, and fine motor movement; involved in implicit (muscle) memory.

Implicit Memory

Memory for actions that can be performed without conscious recall, like walking.

Midbrain

Connects hindbrain with forebrain; relays information between ears, eyes, and brain.

Limbic System

Group of structures controlling emotion, memory, and motivation (PATTH – Parts include

Thalamus

Brain’s sensory switchboard that relays all sensory information (except smell) to the cortex.

Hypothalamus

Controls the endocrine system via the pituitary gland; regulates hunger, thirst, body temperature, and sexual behavior; activates fight or flight; reward center.

Amygdala

Involved in emotion, fear, and aggression; helps form strong emotional memories.

Hippocampus

Converts short-term memories into long-term memories; processes spatial memory; affected in Alzheimer’s and anterograde amnesia.

Fissure

Deep grooves or “wrinkles” in the brain that increase surface area for more neurons.

Forebrain (Cerebrum)

Responsible for higher-level thinking, reasoning, perception, and speech.

Cerebral Cortex

Outer layer of the brain that processes complex thoughts; divided into two hemispheres and four lobes.

Frontal Lobe

Controls decision-making, planning, reasoning, and voluntary movement.

Prefrontal Cortex

Handles higher cognitive functions such as thinking, planning, and impulse control.

Motor Cortex

Controls voluntary body movements; operates contralaterally (left brain controls right body).

Olfactory Cortex

Processes the sense of smell.

Parietal Lobe

Processes touch and body sensations through the somatosensory cortex.

Somatosensory Cortex

Receives sensory input from skin; more sensitive areas have larger brain representation.

Association Area

Integrates information and handles executive functions.

Gustatory Cortex

Processes the sense of taste.

Occipital Lobe

Processes visual information in the primary visual cortex.

Temporal Lobe

Processes auditory information in the primary auditory cortex.

Auditory Association Cortex

Interprets and identifies sounds.

Broca’s Area

Produces speech and helps express thoughts verbally; located in the left frontal lobe.

Broca’s Aphasia

Inability to express language clearly while understanding remains intact.

Wernicke’s Area

Comprehends spoken language; located in the left temporal lobe.

Wernicke’s Aphasia

Fluent but nonsensical speech with poor understanding.

Hemispherectomy

Surgical removal of one hemisphere of the brain.

Corpus Callosum

Nerve fibers connecting both hemispheres, enabling them to work together.

Split-Brain Research

Studies of patients with severed corpus callosum; show hemisphere specialization.

Brain Lateralization

Idea that certain functions are more dominant in one hemisphere than the other.

Left Hemisphere

Controls language, logic, and analytical thinking.

Right Hemisphere

Recognizes emotions, patterns, and facial expressions.

Neuroplasticity

Brain’s ability to reorganize and form new neural connections after learning or injury.

Neurogenesis

Formation of new neurons in the brain.

Long-Term Potentiation

Strengthening of neural pathways through repeated activation.

Self-Directed Neuroplasticity

Intentionally rewiring the brain to form positive habits.

Contralateral Organization

Each brain hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body.

Brainstem

Connects brain to spinal cord; crossover point for body control.

Case Study

Observes effects of brain injury or disease to understand brain function.

Phrenology

Debunked theory that bumps on the skull reveal mental traits.

Brain Lesions

Study of damaged brain tissue to examine changes in behavior.

Electrical Stimulation

Using electrodes to stimulate brain areas to observe responses.

Split-Brain Patient

Person with severed corpus callosum used to study hemisphere functions.

Clinical Observation

Studying diseased or deceased brains for abnormalities.

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

Measures brain’s electrical activity; used for sleep and epilepsy research.

fMRI (Functional MRI)

Measures blood flow and oxygen levels to show brain structure and activity.

CT (CAT Scan)

X-ray imaging showing brain structure and damage.

PET Scan

Measures brain activity by tracking glucose metabolism.

MRI

Uses magnetic fields to show brain structure and anatomy.

Structure Scans

CT, MRI.

Function Scans

EEG, PET.

Both Structure & Function Scans

fMRI.

Sleep

Periodic, natural loss of consciousness essential for restoration and memory.

Circadian Rhythm

24-hour biological clock controlling sleep and wake cycles.

Jet Lag

Disruption of circadian rhythm due to time zone changes.

EEG (Sleep)

Measures brain waves during different sleep stages.

NREM 1

Light sleep with alpha waves and falling sensation.

NREM 2

Deeper sleep with slower brain waves.

NREM 3

Deep sleep (slow-wave sleep) important for body restoration; decreases through the night.

REM Sleep

Stage with rapid eye movement, vivid dreams, and brain activity like wakefulness.

Hypnagogic Sensation

Feeling sensations without external stimuli while falling asleep.

Paradoxical Sleep

REM sleep where brain is active but body is paralyzed.

REM Rebound

Increased REM after deprivation.

Older Adults

Spend less time in deep sleep (NREM 3).

Restoration Theory

Sleep restores resources, repairs tissues, and supports growth.

Memory Consolidation Theory

Sleep helps store and strengthen new memories.

Energy Conservation Theory

Sleep conserves energy and protects from danger at night.

Lucid Dreaming

Awareness and control within a dream.

Activation-Synthesis Theory

Dreams are the brain’s interpretation of random neural activity.

Memory Consolidation Theory of Dreaming

Dreams integrate new memories with old ones.

Insomnia

Difficulty falling or staying asleep; caused by stress or poor schedule; treated with sleep hygiene or medication.

Narcolepsy

Sudden sleep attacks and muscle paralysis triggered by emotions; treated with medication.

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Acting out dreams due to lack of paralysis; treated with therapy.

Sleep Apnea

Breathing stops during sleep; causes snoring and fatigue; treated with weight loss or CPAP.

Somnambulism (Sleepwalking)

Walking or performing actions while asleep; caused by stress or genetics; treated with medication or therapy.