Neuroscience and Brain Structures: Key Concepts and Functions

Frontal Lobe

The part of the brain located at the front, responsible for reasoning, planning, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and controlling behavior.

Occipital Lobe

The part of the brain located at the back, primarily responsible for visual processing and interpreting visual information.

Parietal Lobe

The part of the brain located near the top and back, involved in processing sensory information such as touch, temperature, and pain.

Temporal Lobe

The part of the brain located on the sides, responsible for processing auditory information and is also important for memory and emotion.

Nature

The genetic or hereditary factors that influence behavior and traits.

Nurture

The environmental factors and experiences that shape behavior and traits.

Natural Selection

The process by which organisms better adapted to their environment tend to survive and produce more offspring.

Eugenics

A controversial social philosophy advocating for the improvement of human genetic traits through selective breeding.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The part of the nervous system that connects the CNS to the rest of the body.

Autonomic Nervous System

The division of the PNS that controls involuntary bodily functions.

Somatic Nervous System

The division of the PNS that controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for 'fight or flight' responses.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The part of the autonomic nervous system that conserves energy and restores the body to a calm state.

Neuron

A nerve cell that transmits electrical impulses in the nervous system.

Glial Cells

Supportive cells in the nervous system that assist neurons and maintain homeostasis.

Reflex Arc

The neural pathway that controls a reflex action.

Sensory Neuron

A neuron that carries sensory information from the body to the CNS.

Motor Neuron

A neuron that transmits impulses from the CNS to muscles or glands.

Interneuron

A neuron that connects sensory and motor neurons within the CNS.

All-or-Nothing Principle

The principle stating that a neuron either fires completely or does not fire at all.

Depolarization

The process by which a neuron's membrane potential becomes more positive, leading to the generation of an action potential.

Refractory Period

The time following an action potential during which a neuron is unable to fire again.

Resting Potential

The electrical potential of a neuron when it is not actively firing.

Reuptake

The process by which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron after transmitting a signal.

Neurotransmitters

Chemical messengers that transmit signals across synapses between neurons.

Endorphins

Neurotransmitters that act as natural painkillers and are involved in pleasure and reward.

Acetylcholine

A neurotransmitter involved in muscle movement and memory.

Dopamine

A neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, reward, and motor control.

Serotonin

A neurotransmitter that regulates mood, appetite, and sleep.

Norepinephrine

A neurotransmitter involved in arousal and alertness.

Glutamate

The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, involved in learning and memory.

GABA

The main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, which helps to regulate anxiety.

Endocrine System

The system of glands that produce hormones to regulate various bodily functions.

Pituitary Gland

The 'master gland' that controls other endocrine glands and regulates growth and metabolism.

Hormones

Chemical substances produced by glands that regulate various physiological processes.

Adrenaline

A hormone released in response to stress that increases heart rate and energy availability.

Addiction

A chronic condition characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite harmful consequences.

Tolerance

A condition in which a person requires more of a substance to achieve the same effect.

Withdrawal

The physical and mental symptoms that occur after stopping or reducing intake of a substance.

Brain Stem

The part of the brain that controls basic life functions such as breathing and heart rate.

Cerebellum

The part of the brain that coordinates voluntary movements and balance.

Cerebral Cortex

The outer layer of the brain involved in complex functions such as thought and action.

Limbic System

A set of brain structures involved in emotion, memory, and motivation.

Thalamus

The brain's relay station for sensory information.

Hypothalamus

A brain region that regulates homeostasis, including hunger, thirst, and temperature.

Amygdala

A brain structure involved in emotion regulation, particularly fear and pleasure.

Corpus Callosum

The bundle of nerve fibers connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Prefrontal Cortex

The part of the frontal lobe involved in complex cognitive behavior and decision making.

Motor Cortex

The area of the cerebral cortex that controls voluntary movements.

fMRI

Functional magnetic resonance imaging, a technique for measuring brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow.

Lesioning

The process of damaging a specific area of the brain to study its function.

Broca's Area

The region of the frontal lobe linked to speech production.

Wernicke's Area

The region of the brain associated with language comprehension.

Aphasia

A language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate.

Brain Plasticity

The brain's ability to reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.

Sleep

A natural state of rest characterized by altered consciousness and reduced sensory activity.

REM Sleep

A sleep stage characterized by rapid eye movement and vivid dreaming.

Insomnia

A sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep.

Narcolepsy

A sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep.

Somnambulism

Also known as sleepwalking, a behavior disorder that originates during deep sleep.

Sensation

The process of receiving and interpreting sensory stimuli from the environment.

Absolute Threshold

The minimum intensity of a stimulus that can be detected 50% of the time.

Just-Noticeable Difference

The smallest difference in stimulation that can be detected 50% of the time.

Sensory Adaptation

The process by which sensory receptors become less sensitive to constant stimuli.

Weber's Law

The principle that the just-noticeable difference of a stimulus is a constant proportion of the original stimulus.

Visual Sensory System

The part of the sensory system responsible for processing visual information.

Retina

The light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye that converts light into neural signals.

Photoreceptors

Cells in the retina that detect light and convert it into electrical signals.

Rods

Photoreceptors in the retina that are sensitive to low light levels and are responsible for night vision.

Cones

Photoreceptors in the retina that detect color and are responsible for daylight vision.

Auditory Sensory System

The part of the sensory system responsible for processing sound.

Sound Localization

The ability to determine the location of a sound source.

Olfactory System

The sensory system responsible for the sense of smell.

Gustation

The sense of taste, which detects flavors through taste buds.

Gate Control Theory

The theory that the perception of pain is controlled by a gate mechanism in the spinal cord.

Vestibular System

The sensory system that contributes to balance and spatial orientation.

Kinesthesis

The sense that provides information about the position and movement of body parts.