Unit1.3H!Overview of Neuroanatomy and Brain Functions

Hindbrain

Evolutionarily oldest brain region; includes cerebellum, medulla oblongata, pons, and reticular activating system.

Cerebellum

Controls balance, muscle coordination, and learning.

Medulla Oblongata

Regulates breathing, heart rate, digestion, and swallowing (basic life functions).

Pons

Bridge between brain regions; involved in REM sleep and motor message coordination.

Reticular Activating System (RAS)

Also called reticular formation; regulates wakefulness, arousal, voluntary eye movement, and attention.

Limbic System

Emotional center; includes thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus.

Thalamus

Relay station for sensory info (except smell); sends it to appropriate brain regions.

Hippocampus

Forms new memories; damage leads to anterograde amnesia (can't form new memories).

Amygdala

Linked to fear, aggression, and emotional processing.

Hypothalamus

Regulates hunger, thirst, temperature, and the autonomic/endocrine systems.

Lateral Hypothalamus

Stimulates hunger ('on' switch for eating); lesion = starvation.

Ventromedial Hypothalamus

Inhibits hunger ('off' switch); lesion = obesity.

Cerebral Cortex

Wrinkled outer layer of the brain; responsible for higher cognitive functions.

Frontal Lobe

Higher thinking, decision-making, memory, movement, and personality.

Parietal Lobe

Processes somatosensory info like touch, pain, temperature, and pressure.

Temporal Lobe

Auditory input and music processing.

Occipital Lobe

Visual processing; info crosses at the optic chiasm.

Sensory Cortex

Receives sensory input.

Motor Cortex

Sends motor output.

Association Areas

Integrate sensory/motor info; involved in learning, thinking, language.

Apraxia

Movement planning issues.

Agnosia

Sensory misinterpretation.

Agraphia

Inability to write.

Corpus Callosum

Connects the left and right hemispheres.

Left Hemisphere

Language, logic, and analytical thinking.

Broca's Area

Speech production; damage = expressive aphasia (can't speak fluently).

Wernicke's Area

Language comprehension; damage = receptive aphasia (can't understand speech).

Right Hemisphere

Spatial and visual processing.

Roger Sperry / Split-Brain Research

Demonstrated hemispheric specialization by severing the corpus callosum.

Neuroplasticity

The brain's ability to reorganize neural pathways in response to learning or injury.

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

Measures electrical activity in the brain via scalp electrodes; commonly used in sleep studies.

CAT Scan (Computerized Axial Tomography)

Produces cross-sectional brain images using X-rays from various angles.

MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)

Uses strong magnets and radio waves to generate detailed 3D images of brain structure.

fMRI (Functional MRI)

Tracks real-time brain activity by measuring changes in blood flow during tasks.

PET Scan (Positron Emission Tomography)

Measures brain activity by detecting radioactive glucose usage—more glucose = more activity.