AP Psych Brain Project Notes

Brain Stem - the central core of the brain, beginning when the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the Brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions

Medulla - the hindbrain structure that is the brainstem’s base; controls heartbeat and breathing

Reticular Activating System - a nerve network that travels through the brainstem into the thalamus; it filters information and plays an important role in controlling arousal

Brain’s Reward Center - meso-limbic system, also known as the reward system, is composed of brain structures that are responsible for mediating the physiological and cognitive processing of reward

Cerebellum - the hind brain’s ‘lizard brain’ at the rear of the brainstem; it’s functions include processing sensory input, coordinating movement output and balance, and enabling nonverbal learning and memory

Cerebral Cortex - the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the forebrain’s cerebral hemisphere, the body’s ultimate control and information processing center

Limbic System (in general) - the neural system located mostly in the forebrain below the cerebral hemispheres that includes the amygdala, hypothalamus, etc; associated with emotions and drives

Thalamus - the forebrain’s sensory control center, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla

Hypothalamus - a limbic system neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities; helps govern the endocrine system, and is linked to emotion and reward

Pituitary Gland - a pea-sized structure located in the core of the brain, where it is controlled by an adjacent brain area. Among the hormones released by the pituitary is a growth hormone that stimulates physical development

Hippocampus - a neural center in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories - of faces and events - for storage

Amygdala - the two-lima-bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion

Corpus Callosum -the large brand of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them

Somatosensory Cortex - a cerebral cortex area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations

Motor cortex - a cerebral cortex area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements

Broca's Area - a frontal lobe brain area, usually in the left hemisphere, that helps control language expression by directing muscle movements involved in speech

Werenicke's Area - a brain area, usually in the left temporal lobe, involved in language comprehension and expression