Psychology: Module 4 - The Brain and Neuropsychology

Key Terms

Brain

The organ in your head made up of nerves that process information and controls behaviour

Hemisphere

Half of the brain; if we image a person facing forward and then look down on the brain from the top, the right hemisphere is on the right side of the brain, while the left hemisphere is on the left.

Cerebrum

The largest part of the brain where higher processing happens; it includes the cortex

Cortex

The outer layer of the brain

Brainstem

The part of the brain that connects the spinal cord to the upper brain

Reflexes

Actions that are automatic and do not require conscious thought

Frontal Lobe

The area at the front of the brain responsible for decision making and impulse control

Temporal Lobe

The area on the side of the brain that controls hearing and memory

Parietal Lobe

The area at the top of the brain that plays an important role in perception and sensations of touch

Occipital Lobe

The area at the back of the brain that controls vision

Cerebellum

The area of the brain near to the brainstem that controls motor movements

Spinal Cord

A pathway of nerves inside the spine, which connects the brain to the rest of the body through the peripheral nervous system

Lateralisation of Function

The different jobs that are done by each half of the brain; each hemisphere will have different specialists roles that it performs.

Asymmetrical

The two hemispheres of the brain are not equal in terms of what they do; each hemisphere controls different functions, or plays a larger or smaller role in a particular behaviour.

Corpus Callosum

A thick bundle of nerve fibres connecting the two hemispheres of the brain so they can communicate with each other with each other.

Broca’s Area

A part of the left hemisphere of the brain that controls speech production.

Spatial Awareness

The ability to negotiate space and navigate our way around the/our environment.

Central nervous system (CNS)

the brain and the spinal cord, which relays messages from the brain to the rest of the body.

Peripheral nervous system (PNS)

The system of nerves that connect the central nervous system (mainly the spinal cord) to the skin, muscles and organs in the body

Neurotransmitters

Chemicals found within the nervous system that pass messages from one neuron to another across a synapse.

Neuron

A nerve cell that transmits information.

Synaptic Transmission

The process by which neurotransmitters are released by a neuron, move across the synaptic gap and are then taken up by another neuron.

Synapse

A gap between two neurons that allows messages, in the form of neurotransmitters, to pass from one cell to another.

Axon

the long structure that connects he cell body of a neuron to the terminal button at the end of the cell.

Terminal Button

the end of a neuron.

Vesicles

small sacs containing neurotransmitter (chemical), molecules.

Receptors

Special sites on neurons that are designed to absorb neurotransmitter molecules.

Neurological damage

damage to the body's central and peripheral nervous system.

Visual Agnosia

an inability to recognize things that can be seen.

Prosopagnosia

‘face-blindness’ or an inability to recognize faces.

Pre-frontal cortex

the area of the brain ‘s cortex at the very front of the frontal lobe, immediately behind the forehead.

Agnosia

An inability to interpret sensations and thus to recognize things.

Fusiform face area (FFA)

Part of the temporal lobe, close to the occipital lobe, that is thought to help in face recognition.

White Matter

Brain and spinal cord tissue, consisting mainly of nerve fibres (axons).

Neuroscience

The scientific study of the brain and nervous system.

Post-Mortem

An examination of a body after death, often to work out how or why the person died.

EEG (Electroencephalograph)

A method of measuring brain activity using electrodes placed on the scalp.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

A method of studying the brain using electromagnetics.

PET (Position Emission Tomography)

Imagery showing the amount of energy being used throughout the brain.