Brain structures and functions

Heredity

Is the passing of traits from parents to their offspring through genes.

Nature

Refers to the traits and characteristics a person in born with, inherited through heredity (genes)

Nurture

Refers to the traits and characteristics shaped by a person’s environment and experiences, such as upbringing, education, and lifestyle.

Epigenetics

The study of how the environment can alter gene activity without altering DNA sequence.

Mutation

Is a change in an organism’s DNA that can affect how a gene works.

Cerebellum

Regulates walking, balance & coordination.

Cerebral Cortex

Processes rational thought, information processing & decision making.

Limbic system

Is a group of brain structures involved in emotions, memory, behavior, and motivation.

Pituitary Gland

Is a small gland in the brain that releases hormones and controls other endocrine glands in the the body.

Hippocampus

Processes short- term memory.

Amygdala

Processes the emotions of fear & aggression and controls our fight or flight response.

Occipital lobes

Processes visual Information in the Primary Visual Cortex & memories

Temporal Lobes

Ability to Process sound, understand & communicate Language in the Auditory Cortex.

Parietal Lobes

Processes sensory Information (pain,touch, pleasure), received from the Somatosensory Cortex.

Frontal Lobes

Emotional (Hypothalamus), Motor Skills (Motor Cortex), & Ability to express language, Judgement, personality, planning & creativity (Prefrontal Cortex).

Motor Cortex

Controls all voluntary movement, found at the back of the frontal lobe.

Left- brain

Is the side of the brain mainly responsible for logic, language, math, and analytical thinking.

Right brain

Is the side of the brain mainly responsible for creativity, emotions, imagination, and artistic abilities.

Plasticity

Is the brain’s ability to change and adapt by forming new connections, especially through learning or experience.

Functional Plasticity

is the brain’s ability to move functions from damaged areas to healthy areas of the brain.

Structural Plasticity

is the brain’s ability to physically change its structure by forming new neurons or new connections between neurons.

Hypothalamus

is a small brain structure that regulates hunger, thirst, body temperature, emotions, and hormone release.

Wernicke’s area

Processes written & spoken language and comprehension.

Thalamus

Processes sensory inputs (excluding sight & sound) and sedans sensory & motor messages to other parts of the brain.

Auditory cortex

Processes sound.

Sensory cortex

is the part of the brain that receives and processes information from the senses, such as touch, temperature, pain, and body position.

Somatosensory Cortex

Part of the parietal lobe that processes touch & movement sensations.

Primary Visual Cortex

Receives inputs from your retina & processes/ reconstructs that information.

Broca’s Area

Allows someone to express language (speech production) 7 aids in language comprehension.

Corpus Callosum

Thick nerve fibers that connect the two brain hemispheres and allow for communication between both sides of the brain.

Split brain

Refers to a condition in which the connection between the brain’s two hemispheres (the corpus callosum) is severed, so the left and right sides of the brain cannot communicate directly.

Contralateral control

Means that each side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body. For example, the left hemisphere controls the right hand, and the right hemisphere controls the left hand.

Forebrain

• Covers the brain’s central cire

• Responsible for higher level thinking is housed here

What is the forebrain made up of?

• thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, & hippocampus

• regulates emotions & motivation

Hinbrain

• At the skull’s base

• Responsible for aiding basic life functions & movement

Pons

rely station that coordinates movement & communicates messages; involved with sleep & arousal.

Medulla

Regulates vital functions (necessary life functions).

Midbrain location

small area above pons

Midbrain

Integrate sensory information & relay it upward into the brain

Reticular Formation

alerts the brain to incoming signals