AP Psych Brain Structures and Functions
Broca’s Area: An ares in the left frontal lobe that is associated with the ability to speak. Discovered by Paul Broca.
Broca’s Aphasia: the inability to speak after damage to the Broca’s area.
Wernicke’s Area: An area in the left temporal lobe that is associated with interpreting and creating language.
Wernicke’s Aphasia: the inability to understand sounds or create meaningful speech after damage to the Wernicke’s Area.
3 Major Regions
HindBrain
MidBrain
ForeBrain
HINDBRAIN
Medulla: Controls autonomic functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Pons: consists of bundles and nerves that help with voluntary movements and sleep/ dreams. (Pons=pillow located on top of the bed= brain stem)
Cerebellum: Manages coordination and balance. Helps your body remember how to “practice” actions
Brainstem: includes medulla, pons and midbrain. Overall function is autonomic activities.
Spinal Cord: A tubular structure of nerves that goes from the base of the brain to the lumbar section of the vertebral column. The nerves extend from the spinal cord to the rest of the body and allow the body and brain to communicate. (Attaches brain to the rest of your body)
MIDBRAIN
Reticular Formation: involved in arousal, alertness and sleep-wake cycles. Coordinates reflexive and autonomic vital functions.
Reticular Activating System: the reticular formation and the function of nerves that extend to the thalamus. Filters incoming stimuli and relay important information to higher centers of the brain.
FOREBRAIN
Cerebrum: 85% off the brain, including all four lobes, the two hemispheres and the cerebral cortex. All brain processes that aren’t just for survival.
Corpus Callosum: made up of nerve fibers that connect the two cerebral hemispheres.
Frontal Lobe: located behind the forehead, higher level thinking:
Prefrontal Cortex: the anterior portion of the frontal lobe, which specializes in foresight, judgment and memory.
Motor Cortex: voluntary movement, runs from ear to ear, back part of the frontal lobe.
Parietal Lobe: behind the frontal lobe, receives sensory information and processes all the senses.
Somatosensory Cortex: parallel to the motor cortex, registers touch and movement sensations.
Occipital Lobe: makes it possible for you to see, (they’ve got eyes in the back of their head= in the back)
Visual cortex: part of the occipital lobe, receives visual input and sends it to other visual areas in the cortex.
Temporal Lobe: right above your ears. Main function is hearing and it also has areas important for memory formation.
Angular Gyrus: Allows you to read words on paper and transfer that information as an auditory form. Allows you to process what you read.
Auditory Cortex: This is in the temporal lobe and processes what you hear.
Association Areas: allows the cerebral cortex top communicator with multiple parts.
Thalamus: egg shapes masses of grey matter that serve as a relay station for nerve impulses traveling between the body and the brain. Located on top of the brainstem.
Limbic System: emotions, learning and memories
Hippocampus: allows you to create memories, CREATED BUT NOT STORED
Amygdala: end of each arm of the hippocampus, emotional reactions: fear and anxiety and aggression.
Hypothalamus: Controls the pituitary gland: drives, thirst, hungers, temperature and sex.
Nucleus Accumbens: area in the forebrain that functions in the pleasure and reward circuit and motivation.
Basal Ganglia: involved in intentional bodily movement. Link thalamus with the motor cortex. Located in the midbrain and the forebrain.
AP Psych Brain Structures and Functions
Broca’s Area: An ares in the left frontal lobe that is associated with the ability to speak. Discovered by Paul Broca.
Broca’s Aphasia: the inability to speak after damage to the Broca’s area.
Wernicke’s Area: An area in the left temporal lobe that is associated with interpreting and creating language.
Wernicke’s Aphasia: the inability to understand sounds or create meaningful speech after damage to the Wernicke’s Area.
3 Major Regions
HindBrain
MidBrain
ForeBrain
HINDBRAIN
Medulla: Controls autonomic functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Pons: consists of bundles and nerves that help with voluntary movements and sleep/ dreams. (Pons=pillow located on top of the bed= brain stem)
Cerebellum: Manages coordination and balance. Helps your body remember how to “practice” actions
Brainstem: includes medulla, pons and midbrain. Overall function is autonomic activities.
Spinal Cord: A tubular structure of nerves that goes from the base of the brain to the lumbar section of the vertebral column. The nerves extend from the spinal cord to the rest of the body and allow the body and brain to communicate. (Attaches brain to the rest of your body)
MIDBRAIN
Reticular Formation: involved in arousal, alertness and sleep-wake cycles. Coordinates reflexive and autonomic vital functions.
Reticular Activating System: the reticular formation and the function of nerves that extend to the thalamus. Filters incoming stimuli and relay important information to higher centers of the brain.
FOREBRAIN
Cerebrum: 85% off the brain, including all four lobes, the two hemispheres and the cerebral cortex. All brain processes that aren’t just for survival.
Corpus Callosum: made up of nerve fibers that connect the two cerebral hemispheres.
Frontal Lobe: located behind the forehead, higher level thinking:
Prefrontal Cortex: the anterior portion of the frontal lobe, which specializes in foresight, judgment and memory.
Motor Cortex: voluntary movement, runs from ear to ear, back part of the frontal lobe.
Parietal Lobe: behind the frontal lobe, receives sensory information and processes all the senses.
Somatosensory Cortex: parallel to the motor cortex, registers touch and movement sensations.
Occipital Lobe: makes it possible for you to see, (they’ve got eyes in the back of their head= in the back)
Visual cortex: part of the occipital lobe, receives visual input and sends it to other visual areas in the cortex.
Temporal Lobe: right above your ears. Main function is hearing and it also has areas important for memory formation.
Angular Gyrus: Allows you to read words on paper and transfer that information as an auditory form. Allows you to process what you read.
Auditory Cortex: This is in the temporal lobe and processes what you hear.
Association Areas: allows the cerebral cortex top communicator with multiple parts.
Thalamus: egg shapes masses of grey matter that serve as a relay station for nerve impulses traveling between the body and the brain. Located on top of the brainstem.
Limbic System: emotions, learning and memories
Hippocampus: allows you to create memories, CREATED BUT NOT STORED
Amygdala: end of each arm of the hippocampus, emotional reactions: fear and anxiety and aggression.
Hypothalamus: Controls the pituitary gland: drives, thirst, hungers, temperature and sex.
Nucleus Accumbens: area in the forebrain that functions in the pleasure and reward circuit and motivation.
Basal Ganglia: involved in intentional bodily movement. Link thalamus with the motor cortex. Located in the midbrain and the forebrain.
