AP Psych Unit One Part 2

Brainstem

Area of the brain responsible for automatic survival functions

Medulla

Part of the brainstem that regulates autonomic functions (ex. heart rate, respiration)

Reticular Formation (RAS)

part of the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling alertness, arousal, and multitasking

Thalamus

Sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem. Controls stimuli by directing messages to the brain for processing

Cerebellum

Controls balance, muscle/procedural memory, skill and learning. Impacted by drinking

Reward center

An area of the hypothalamus that, when stimulated, produces feelings of pleasure

cerebral cortex

The part of the brain where information processing takes place. Divided into four lobes.

left hemisphere

controls the right side of the body, language, calculation, literal interpretation

right hemisphere

controls the left side of the body, inferences, modulation of speech, visual perception, emotional recognition

Limbic system

part of the brain involved with emotions, memory formation, and drives

Hypothalamus

maintains homeostasis, monitors/regulates drives, and communicates with the endocrine system

pituitary gland

The endocrine system's most influential gland. Regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands.

Amygdala

involved in memory and emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

Hippocampus

processes conscious memories

corpus callosum

the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

frontal lobe

The lobe at the front of the brain associated with judgement, movement, speech, and impulse control.

motor cortex

an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

Broca's area

part of the frontal lobe that controls language expression

occipital lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information

prefrontal cortex

part of frontal lobe responsible for thinking, planning, and language. Not fully developed until 25

temporal lobe

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language.

Wernicke's area

part of the temporal lobe involved in understanding speech

parietal lobe

An association area linked to mathematical and spatial reasoning. Receives sensory input for touch and body position

somatosensory cortex

area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

split brain research

study of patients with severed corpus callosum to demonstrate the specialization of the left and right hemispheres

aphasia

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding).

contralateral organization

activity of neurons in one side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body

Plasticity

the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

EEG (electroencephalogram)

shows brain's electrical activity by positioning electrodes over the scalp (often used for sleep studies)

fMRI (functional MRI)

A technique revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity to show activation of certain areas of the brain.

case studies

a research method that involves the intensive examination of unusual people or organizations (ex. Phineas Gage)

Lesioning

removal or damage to part of the brain that reveals its function

NREM-1

light sleep, theta waves, slowed breathing, hallucinations, relaxed muscles, hypnagogic sensations

NREM-2

deeper into sleep, theta waves, bursts of brain activity (sleep spindles), slowed heart rate

N-REM 3

deep sleep, delta waves, somnambulism, physical restoration, growth hormone production

REM

paradoxical sleep (appears alert on EEG), beta waves, vivid dreams, memory consolidation, irregular heart rate

Sleep-wake cycle

a 24-hour-cycle that is made up of time spent sleeping and time spent awake and alert

hypnagogic sensation

jerking or a feeling of falling/floating weightlessly, while transitioning to sleep

Circadian rhythm

the biological clock

regular bodily rhythms (for example, of temperature and wakefulness) that occur on a 24-hour cycle

REM rebound

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation

Memory Consolidation Theory

sleeping strengthens and stabilizes memories from the day

Restoration Theory

sleep allows the brain and boy to recover, repair itself, and strengthen the immune system

insomnia

Difficulty in falling asleep or staying asleep

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.

REM sleep behavior disorder

a neurological disorder in which the person does not become paralyzed during REM sleep and thus acts out dreams (ex. kicking, shouting, punching)

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder characterized by temporary cessations of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings

Somnambulism

occurs when a person arises and walks around while asleep

activation-synthesis theory

dreams are caused by widespread, random activation of neural circuitry

dream consolidation theory

dreams reflect the dreamer's level of cognitive development. simulate real-life thinking and problem solving

suprachiasmatic nucleus

influences the circadian rhythm by responding to light (decrease melatonin during the night, increase during the day)