LA

BP_Exam_1_Study_Guide_

Brain Structures to Know

Cerebral Cortex Lobes:

  • Frontal Lobe: Involved in reasoning, planning, problem-solving, emotional regulation, and movement control. Houses the primary motor cortex.

  • Parietal Lobe: Processes sensory information such as touch, temperature, and pain. Contains the somatosensory cortex, which is essential for spatial awareness and navigation.

  • Temporal Lobe: Important for auditory processing and language comprehension. Contains structures such as the hippocampus and amygdala, critical for memory and emotional responses.

  • Occipital Lobe: The primary visual processing area of the brain that interprets visual signals from the eyes.

Limbic System Areas:

  • Amygdala: Associated with emotions, particularly fear and pleasure. Plays a role in emotional memory.

  • Hippocampus: Critical for the formation of new memories and spatial navigation. It also plays a role in learning and emotion regulation.

  • Cingulate Gyrus: Involved in processing emotions and regulating behavior. It connects the emotional brain to the cognitive brain.

Basal Ganglia Areas:

  • Caudate Nucleus and Putamen: Involved in movement regulation, injury response, and play a role in reward and reinforcement learning.

Thalamus & Hypothalamus:

  • Thalamus: Acts as a relay station for sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex; plays a role in regulating sleep and alertness.

  • Hypothalamus: Essential for homeostatic regulation, controlling functions such as temperature, hunger, thirst, and circadian rhythms. Also regulates the endocrine system via the pituitary gland.

  • Pituitary Gland: Known as the master gland of the endocrine system; it secretes hormones that regulate growth, metabolism, and reproductive functions.

Midbrain Structures:

  • Tectum: Involved in visual and auditory reflexes.

  • Tegmentum: Involved in several functions, including movement and arousal.

  • Substantia Nigra: Associated with reward and movement; degeneration in this area is linked to Parkinson’s disease.

  • VTA (Ventral Tegmental Area): Plays a crucial role in the reward circuit and dopamine production.

  • Cerebral Aqueduct: A channel connecting the third and fourth ventricles, important for the flow of cerebrospinal fluid.

Cerebellum:

Coordinates voluntary movement and balance. It is involved in motor control and can also influence cognitive functions like attention and language.

Spinal Cord:

Comprised of sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons, essential for reflex actions and communication between the brain and the body. It facilitates motor commands and sensory input.

Peripheral Nervous System:

Includes cranial and spinal nerves that connect the central nervous system to limbs and organs.

  • Vagus Nerve: Regulates involuntary actions like heart rate and digestion, demonstrating the link between the brain and various bodily functions.

Sympathetic vs. Parasympathetic Nervous Systems:

  • Sympathetic: Prepares the body for stress responses by increasing heart rate and redirecting blood flow to muscles (fight or flight).

  • Parasympathetic: Promotes rest and digest functions, conserving energy and restoring the body to a state of calm.