Cambridge Psychology, Brain Test

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lesion

brain tissue is destroyed and researchers study the impact on functioning

stimulation

brain regions are stimulated electrically, chemically, or magnetically, researchers study the impact of functioning

eeg

recording of the waves of electrical activity across the brain’s surface measured by electrodes placed on the scalp

meg

brain imaging technique that measures magnetic fields from the brain’s natural electrical activity.

CT/CAT

photographs combined by computer to show a slice of brain’s structure, shows a structural damage by photographs from different angles

PET

a visual display of brain activity that detects where radioactive glucose goes while brain performs a given task and it shows activity.

MRI

a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer generated images of brain anatomy (more detailed than CT)

FMRI

measure of blood flow and brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans to show brain function or as well as structure. Shows damage.

medulla

controls the heartbeat and the breathing

pons

control sleep and helps coordinate movements.

reticular formation

controls arousal and filters incoming stimuli

brainstem

responsible for keeping the body moving

thalamus

at the top of the brainstem. relay station for incoming and outgoing sensory information, (except for smell).

cerebellum

the rear of the brainstem processing sensory input, coordinating movement and balance, non-verbal learning memory.

amygdala

linked to emotions, including fear and aggression.

hypothalamus

directs eating, drinking and the body temp. helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, linked to emotion and reward.

pituitary gland

linked to emotion and reward

hippocampus

helps process for storage explicit (conscious) memories of facts and vents

what do CT and MRI show?

anatomy

EEG and PET, MEG and FMRI reveals

brain function

limbic system

emotion, memory, and sex drive

reticular formation

formation us a bundle of nerves that are near the brainstem

cerebral cortex

covers the cerebral hemisphere, body’s ultimate control and information processing center.

frontal lobes

involved in speaking, motor movement, judgement and decision making.

parietal lobes

receives and processes sensory input for touch and body position

occipital lobes

receives visual info

temporal lobes

receives auditory info from opposite ear

motor cortex

controls voluntary movements

somatosensory cortex

registers information from skin sense and body movement.

association areas

area of cerebral cortex that functions in linking, coordinating the sensory and motor areas.

neuroplasticity

when the brain is rewired to function in some way that differs from how it previously functioned

nervous system

reception of general info, receiving and perceiving special sensations. integration of sensory info from different body parts and response generation. includes the brain, spinal cord, and a complex network of nerves.

brainstem age

youngest

cerebellum

“little brain”, oldest

limbic system

middle