Ap psych vocab quiz 3

cerebral cortex

• the outermost layer of the brain, made up of gray matter

• intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres. 

• It is the body’s ultimate control and information processing center.

frontal lobes

It is concerned with motor and higher order executive functions (thinking, reasoning, planning, forethought)

parietal lobes

Parts of the parietal lobe participate in somatosensory activities, such as the discrimination of size, shape, and texture of objects.

occipital lobes

Contains the primary  visual cortex. It  contains several visual areas that receive and process visual stimuli, and it is involved in basic visual functions, as well as higher level ones.

temporal lobes

Contains the auditory cortex. It contains the auditory projection and auditory association areas and also areas for higher order visual processing. The lobe contains regions important for memory formation.

motor cortex

he area at the rear of the frontal lobes that control voluntary movements.

association areas

Areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, thinking, and speaking

plasticity

the ability to change or adapt in response to external forces or stimuli. brain's ability to change and adapt its structure and function throughout life in response to experiences, learning, or environmental stimuli

corpus callousum

is a bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two hemispheres of the brain, allowing communication between them.

• Fibers that connect the two hemispheres

• Allow close communication between left and right hemisphere

split brain

A procedure in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) between them.

lesion

brain tissue is destroyed (naturally through injury, or surgically) and researchers study the impact on functioning

EEG

• A recording of the waves of electrical activity across the brain’s surface measured by electrodes placed on the scalp. 

• Used to get a picture of overall activity in the brain

• Helpful for researching and identifying sleep disorders 

CT scan

• Uses X-rays to create a 3-dimensional image of the brain, more sensitive than our average x-ray

• can often show the size and locations of brain abnormalities caused by tumors, blood vessel defects, blood clots, strokes and other problems. 

PET scan

A visual display of brain activity that detects where a harmless amount of radioactive form of glucose (radiotracers) is used in mental activities

MRI

• Uses a magnetic field and radio waves to produce computer-generated images 

• They distinguish among different tissue. Because of this they usually create the clearest pictures of brain abnormalities 

• More detailed than a CT scan

• Long, tube shape can be problematic for claustrophobic individuals

• Also patients with implanted medical devices/metal in their body may not be able to have an MRI

fMRI

• Shows function and structure by measuring movement of blood molecules within the brain

• Compares successive MRI scans to track where the blood moves. Blood movement = Activity

• All the benefits and faults of a normal MRI