August 20th- Chapter 3

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering brain regions, hemispheric functions, and notable case studies discussed in the lecture notes.

Brain stem (reptilian brain)

The innermost, oldest part of the brain (includes the brainstem and medulla) responsible for basic survival functions such as heart rate, breathing, and temperature regulation.

Medulla oblongata

Lower part of the brainstem that helps regulate autonomic functions like heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure.

Frontal lobe

Front part of the cerebral cortex involved in reasoning, emotional control, personality, decision-making, and planning.

Parietal lobe

Cerebral cortex region responsible for processing touch, temperature, pain, and proprioception (somatosensory processing).

Temporal lobe

Lobe located near the ears; associated with hearing and language processing.

Occipital lobe

Posterior cerebral cortex region responsible for processing visual information and basic visual perception.

Corpus callosum

Thick band of nerve fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres, enabling communication and coordination between them.

Left hemisphere

Typically dominates language and controls the right side of the body; communicates with the right hemisphere via the corpus callosum.

Right hemisphere

Contributes to spatial processing and some aspects of emotion; controls the left side of the body; collaborates with the left hemisphere through the corpus callosum.

Hemispheric specialization (lateralization)

The idea that certain cognitive functions are more dominant in one hemisphere, with both hemispheres usually working together through the corpus callosum.

Phineas Gage

19th-century railroad worker whose frontal lobe damage dramatically changed his personality, illustrating the frontal lobe’s role in behavior and self-control.

Prosopagnosia

Inability to recognize faces, often due to damage in the occipito-temporal regions; makes distinguishing people by faces difficult.

Aphasia

Language impairment where internal language processing and verbal output are disrupted, leading to difficulties in understanding or speaking.

Neuroplasticity

The brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections, especially after injury or learning.

Jody Miller case

Case of a young girl who had the right hemisphere removed due to seizures; the left hemisphere reorganized to take over functions, illustrating extreme neuroplasticity.