AP psychology brain parts

Pituitory gland

Regulates growth and controls the rest of the endocrine system: pea-sized, deep within the brain

Brainstem

Automatic survival functions

Medulla

Controls heartbeat and breathing

Pons

Movement and sleep

Thalamus

Sensory control center

Reticular formation

Filters out background noises. Controls consciousness.

Cerebellum

Nonverbal learning and skill memory

Amygdala

Fight or flight

Hypothalamus

Homeostasis, endocrine system oversight

Hippocampus

Create and store memories

Cerebral Cortex

Information processing center, outside covering of the brain

Frontal Lobe (location)

Behind the forehead

Frontal lobe (function)

Speaking, muscle movement, judgement

Parietal lobe (location)

Top of the head

Parietal lobe (function)

Sensory input

Occipital lobe (location)

Back of the head

Occipital lobe (function)

Vision

Temporal lobe (location)

Hearing

Motor Cortex (location)

Back of the frontal lobe

Somatosensory cortex (location)

Front of parietal lobe

Association areas

Areas that are involved in “higher mental function” rather than Motor/Sensory functions

Prefrontal Cortex (location, function)

Front of frontal lobe, judgement

Pruning

The brain getting rid of unused synapses

Brain Plasticity

The brain’s ability to change or reorganize

Homonculus

Map of somatosensory cortex (map of the entire body, but not in the usual format)

Mirror Box treatment

Treatment against phantom limbs

Corpus Callosum

Bundle of nerves. Connects hemispheres, sends messages between hemispheres.

CT/CAT scan

x-rays, helps find injuries. Cross sectional images

MRI

Magnetic fields/radio waves. Detailed images of the soft tissue and structure.

fMRI

Changes in blood oxygen/flow, tracks activity in the brain

PET scan

Radioactive tracer, shows metabolic activity

EEG

Measures electrical activity through neurons, helps find seizures/epilepsy, sleep, brain-wave patterns

MEG

Measures magnetic fields produced from neural activity. Very fast timing (exactly where and when a neural process happens)

Pituitary gland

Human Growth Hormone release, master gland

Oxytocin

Childbirth hormones

Thyroid

Regulates (increases) metabolism

Pancreas

Insulin to regulate blood sugar levels

Adrenal gland

Adrenaline (fight or flight)

Ghrelin

Hunger signalling

Leptin

Fullness signalling

Melatonin

Sleep + circadian rhythm