AP Psych: Brain Parts

amygdala

amygdala

part of the limbic system, related to fear and rage

association areas

cortical areas involved in higher order functions like learning

broca's area

in the left frontal lobe, specializes in language production

cerebellum

little brain, coordinates muscle movement and balance

cerebral cortex

covering of the brain, responsible for information processing

cingulate gyrus

coordinates emotions, sensory input; attending to own thoughts

convolution

one of several folds of the cerebral cortex

corpus callosum

band of nerve fibers that connects the two hemispheres

frontal lobes

involved in speaking, making plans, decision-making

fusiform gyrus

face and number recognition

glial cells

cells that nourish, protect, and support neurons

gyrus

a folding out of the cerebral cortex

hippocampus

part of the limbic system, related to long term memory formation

hypothalamus

part of the limbic system; contains hunger, thirst, pleasure centers

lateral hypothalamus

part of the hypothalamus known as the hunger center

medulla (oblongata)

base of the brainstem controlling heart and breathing rates

motor cortex

back of the front lobe, responsible for voluntary movement

nucleus accumbens

part of the hypothalamus known as the pleasure center

occipital lobes

include the visual processing centers

olfactory bulb

processes information related to taste and smell

parietal lobes

includes the sensory cortex; responsible for tactile-processing

pineal gland

endocrine gland that produces melatonin, related to sleep

pituitary gland

regulates growth of the individual

pons

connects forebrain to midbrain; controls facial expressions

reticular formation

neural network of the pons regulating wakefulness, arousal

sensory cortex

front of the parietal lobe; processes bodily sensations

sulcus

a folding in of the cerebral cortex

temporal lobes

includes the auditory processing center

thalamus

brain's switchboard; sends messages to proper areas of the cortex

ventromedial hypothal

part of the hypothalamus known as the satiety center

wernicke's area

located in left hemisphere, interprets language, auditory information

acetylcholine

(nt) related to motor movement, associated with Alzheimer's disease

dopamine

(nt) related to alertness, motor movement, associated with schizophrenia and Parkinson's disease

endorphins

(nt) related to pain control; involved in addictions

gaba

(nt) inhibitory, associated with Huntington's, seizures

glutamate

(nt) involved in ltm and pain perception

norepinephrine

(nt) affects arousal, wakefulness, learning, memory, and mood

serotonin

(nt) related to arousal, mood, sleep, associated with anxiety, depression