Unit 2B: More Biology

limbic system

Controls emotions, thinking, learning, and drives. Contains the hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and the pituitary gland.

motor cortex

Voluntary movement, in the frontal lobe.

parietal lobe

Touch sensitivity + controls association areas which organize information.

somatosensory cortex

Touch sensitivity.

aphasia

Impairment of language caused by damage in the left hemisphere.

association areas

Areas of cerebral cortex not involved with movement or senses, makes up largest portion of cortex involved in learning, memory, thinking, and speaking.

Broca's area

Area of the left hemisphere in the motor cortex involved in movements needed for speech.

Wernicke's area

Area of left hemisphere in the temporal cortex involved in language comprehension.

plasticity

The brain's ability to change, reorganize, or grow neural networks.

cerebral cortex

The ultimate control and info processing center, contains the lobes.

corpus callosum

Allows 2 sides of the brain to communicate.

pituitary gland

Controlled by hypothalamus, regulates growth and releases hormones.

hippocampus

Memories are formed here.

brainstem

Connects spinal cord and brain, responsible for automatic survival functions, oldest part of the brain.

medulla

Control heart rate and breathing, at the bottom of the brainstem.

reticular activating system

Network of neurons in the brainstem that regulates arousal, sleep and wakefulness.

cerebellum

The 'little brain' responsible for balance and movement.

left vs. right hemisphere function

Left: language, Right: perception of spatial relationships.

thalamus

Directs information throughout the brain.

NREM 1 Sleep characteristics

Light sleep, theta waves, jerks, and feeling of falling.

NREM 2 Sleep characteristics

Fully asleep, theta waves, sleep spindles.

NREM 3 Sleep characteristics

Deep sleep, delta waves, night terrors and somnambulism.

Alpha Waves

Active during relaxation.

Beta Waves

Active during normal wakefulness.

Theta Waves

Active during light sleep in NREM 1 and 2.

Sleep Spindles

Rapid bursts of neural activity in NREM 2.

Delta Waves

Active during deep sleep in NREM 3.

REM Sleep

Paradoxical sleep, where the brain is active but body is paralyzed.

REM Rebound

When people enter directly into REM sleep after being deprived of it.

Night Terrors

Overactive sympathetic nervous activity (screaming and flailing).

Somnambulism

When people walk or do weird activities while asleep.

Insomnia

Unable to fall asleep.

Narcolepsy

Uncontrollable 'sleep attacks.'

Sleep Apnea

When breathing stops during sleep.