Physio Pysch Exam #1 (Unit 3)

central nervous system

main half of nervous system; controls brain and spinal cord; processes information and controls body

peripheral nervous system

main half of nervous system; all nerves outside the brain and spinal cord; carries messages between CNS and rest of body

somatic nervous system

half of PNS; controls voluntary movements; also carries sensory information

autonomic nervous system

half of PNS; controls automatic functions, such as heartbeat, digestion, and breathing

sympathetic nervous system

half of autonomic NS; activates body during stress or danger; “fight-or-flight” response by increasing heart-rate and breathing

parasympathetic nervous system

half of autonomic NS; calms body after stress; supports “rest and digest” activities such as slowing hear relate and aiding digestion

occipital lobe

major lobe of brain; located in the back of the brain; visual information

parietal lobe

major lobe of brain; locatied at the top of the brain (between frontal and occipital & above temporal) spatial awareness and touch, pressure, pain, temperature and body position

temporal lobe

major lobe of brain; located near temples; auditory, hearing, language, memory, and emotions

frontal lobe

major lobe of brain; located at the front of the brain; voluntary movement, decision making, higher reasoning

postcentral gyrus

ridge in parietal lobe; primary somatosensory cortex (sensation)

precentral gyrus

ridge in frontal lobe; primary motor cortex (movement)

superior temporal gyrus

ridge found in uppermost part of temporal lobe; primary auditory cortex

primary visual cortex

located in the very back of the occipital lobe

central sulcus

a deep groove on the surface of the brain that separates the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe

lateral (Sylvian) fissure

the deepest and most prominent groove on the surface of the human brain that separates the temporal lobe from the frontal and parietal lobes

blood-brain barrier

a specialized, highly selective border of cells that lines the blood vessels in your brain and acts as a gatekeeper between your blood and your central nervous system

3 things that protect nervous system

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), menigues, and blood-brain barrier

cerebrospinal fluid

a clear, watery liquid that circulates through the cavities of the brain and around the outside of the brain and spinal cord

choroid plexus

produces cerebrospinal fluid in the brain ventricles

ventricles

fluid filled cavities in the brain

meninges

dura matter, arachnoid membrane, pia matter
three protective layers of membrane that cover and support your brain and spinal cord

gyrus

bump on the surface of the brain

sulcus

fold or groove that separates one gyrus from another on the surface of the brain

fissure

a long, deep sulcus

phrenology

Franz Gall created the idea of localization of function in the brain/connects skull anatomy to behavior

corpus callosum

the two hemispheres of the brain are connected by this large bundle of axons

forebrain structures

cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system, thalamus, hypothalamus, pituitary gland

cortex

found in the forebrain; involved in sensory, motor, and cognitive function

basal ganglia

found in the forebrain; circuits with the cortex to modulate motor and cognitive functions (has the following structures: caudate + putamen = striatum, globus pallidus)

limbic system

found in the forebrain; involved in learning and emotion (has the following structures: cingulate cortex, hippocampus, amygdala, fornix)

cingulate cortex

found in the limbic system in the forebrain; helps process emotions

hippocampus

found in limbic system in the forebrain; helps with learning & creating/storing new memories

amygdala

found in the limbic system in the forebrain; helps process emotions like fear and threats

fornix

found in the limbic system in the forebrain; fibers that build an arch/pathway to carry signals from hippocampus to other memory related areas

thalamus

found in forebrain; relay station for sensory information

hypothalamus

found in forebrain; controls autonomic NS & pituitary gland, involved in drinking & temperature regulation; Four F’s (fight, flight, feeding, and fornication)

Four F’s in hypothalamus

fight (responding aggresively to danger), flight (escaping from danger), feeding (eating & controlling hunger), fornication (sexual behaviors & reproduction)

pituitary gland

found in forebrain controlled by hypothalamus; releases hormones

midbrain structures

tectum (superior and inferior colliculus) and tegmentum (ventral tegmental area, reticular formation, substantia nigra)

tectum

found in the midbrain; back portion/roof of midbrain; helps process sensory information

superior colliculus

found in tectum of midbrain; gets information from the visual system; important for automatic reaction to visual stimuli

inferior colliculus

found in tectum of midbrain; gets information from the auditory system; important for automatic reaction to auditory stimuli

tegmentum

found in the midbrain; front part of midbrain

ventral tegmental area

found in the tegmentum area of the midbrain; (VTA)

recticular formation

found in the tegmentum area of the midbrain; arousal, temperature regulation, and sleep

substantia nigra

found in tegmentum of midbrain; produces dopamine/damage with this is associated with Parkinson’s

hindbrain structures

cerebellum, pons, medulla

cerebellum

found in hindbrain; means little brain and has more neurons than the cortex; motor, sensory, and cognitive function

pons

found in hindbrain; continuation of reticular formation/acts as bridge between brain regions

medulla

found in hindbrain; vital reflexes (respiration, coughing, vomiting, etc.)

dorsal root ganglia

clusters outside the spinal cord that contain cell bodies of sensory neurons

dorsal side

because of the positioning of the dorsal root ganglia, sensory information enters the spinal cord from this side

ventral roots

cell bodies of motor neurons are found in the spinal cord and they send out their axons which form this

ventral side

because of positioning of the ventral roots, motor information travels from this side of the spinal cord

gray matter

areas of nervous system that are densely packed with cell bodies and dendrites

white matter

areas of nervous system consisting of myelinated axons

white and gray matter

neurons from gray matter send axons to brain or other parts of the spinal cord via white matter