Neuroanatomy and Functions of the Brain

A collection of vocabulary flashcards summarizing key terms and definitions related to the structure and function of the brain.

Cerebellum

Part of the brain that adjusts postural muscles and fine-tunes movements.

Folia

Highly folded neural cortex of the cerebellum.

Purkinje cells

Large, branched cells in the cerebellar cortex that receive numerous synaptic inputs.

Arbor vitae

The highly branched, internal white matter of the cerebellum.

Ataxia

A disorder caused by damage to the cerebellum, resulting in disturbed muscle coordination.

Thalamus

Part of the diencephalon that filters sensory information for the primary sensory cortex.

Hypothalamus

Region of the diencephalon responsible for regulating autonomic functions and hormone secretion.

Limbic system

Functional grouping that establishes emotional states and facilitates memory storage and retrieval.

Basal nuclei

Masses of gray matter embedded in white matter, involved in subconscious activities.

Motor areas

Regions in the cerebral cortex responsible for directing voluntary movements.

Sensory areas

Regions in the cerebral cortex that receive and process sensory information.

Hemispheric lateralization

Functional differences between the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

Left Hemisphere

The dominant hemisphere that controls language, reading, and analytical tasks.

Right Hemisphere

The hemisphere associated with recognizing sensory information and spatial abilities.