brain 3 1/2 of the terms
Terms
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- Hindbrain
- the rear division of the brain, includes the cerebellum, ponds, and medulla (also called the rhombencephalon)
- Dorsal
- anatomical term referring to structures toward the back of the body or top of the brain
- Diencephalon
- part of the midbrain; consists of the thalamus and hypothalamus
- Brain
- a multi-layered structure containing billions of neurons and countless numbers of neuronal connections, thousands of specialized regions
- Hippocampus
- the portion of the cerebral hemisphers in basal medial part of the temporal lobe. This part of the brain is important for learning and memory . . . for converting short term memory to more permanent memory, and for recalling spatial relationships in the world about us
- Metencephalon
- subdivision of the hindbrain, which includes the cerebellum and pons
- MRI
- magnetic resonance imaging; noninvasive technique that uses magnetic energy to generate images that reveal some of the structural details in the living brain
- Hypothalamus
- part of the diencephalon, ventral to the thalamus. The structure is involved in functions including homeostasis, emotion, thirst, hunger, circadian rhythms, and control of the autonomic nervous system. In addition, it controls the pituitary.
- Myelencephalon
- caudal part of the hindbrain, includes the medulla oblongata
- Cerebral hemispheres
- right and left halves of the forebrain
- Forebrain
- the frontal division of the brain which contains cerebral hemispheres, the thalamus, and the hypothalamus
- Frontal lobe
- the most anterior portion of the cerebral cortex (in front of the central sulcus); it is involved in reasoning, planning, parts of speech, movement, emotions, and problem-solving
- Midbrain/ Mesencephalon
- middle division of the brain, which includes the tectum and tegmentum; involved in functions such as vision, hearing, eye movement, and body movement
- Basal ganglia
- group of structures which coordinate movement; located in the forebrain (telencephalon)
- Motor cortex
- a region of the cerebral cortex that sends impulses to motor neurons; involved in coordination of movement; found in the frontal lobe
- Gyrus
- raised portion of convuluted brain surface
- Gyrencephalic
- when the cerebral cortex is highly folded and convuluted (due to gyri and sulci)
- Gray matter
- areas of the brain that are dominated by cell bodies and have no myelin covering (in contrast to white matter)
- Lateral
- anatomical term meaning toward the side (versus medial)
- Encephalization factor
- - a measure of brain size relative to body size
- Glial cells
- nonneuronal brain cells that provide structural, nutritional, and other supports to the brain
- Lissencephalic
- when the telencephalic hemispheres (i.e. cerebral cortex) are relatively smooth (as opposed to "gyrencephalic" when the cortex is highly folded); for example, the difference is apparent when comparing a human brain with a squirrel brain
- Amygdala
- part of the telencephalon, located in the temporal lobe. It is involved in memory, emotion, and fear, essentially acting as the brain's warning center. The fight-or-flight response originates with the amygdala. The amygdala is just beneath the surface of the front, medial part of the temporal lobe where it causes the bulge on the surface called the uncus. This is a component of the limbic system.
- Autonomic nervous system
- part of the peripheral nervous system that supplies neural connection to glands and smooth muscles of internal organs; made of two divisions (sympathetic and parasympathetic) and sometimes is considered to have a third division called the enteric system
- Brainstem
- also known as the hindbrain; region of the brain that consists of the midbrain (tectum, tegmentum), ponds, and medulla; responsible for functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure
- Axon
- extension from the cell that carries nerve impulses from the cell body to other neurons
- Central sulcus
- major groove which divides the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe
- Cerebral cortex
- the outer covering of the cerebral hemispheres consisting mostly of nerve cell bodies and branches; involved in functions such as thought, voluntary movement, language, reasoning, and perception; the right and left sides of the cerebral cortex are connected by a thick band of nerve fibers (corpus callosum); highly grooved or "gyrencephalic" in mammals
- Cerebellum
- - structure located in the back of the brain (dorsal to the pons) involved in central regulation of movement, such as basic movement, balance, and posture; comes from the latin word meaning "little brain"; is divided into two hemispheres and has a cortex
- Medulla Oblongata/ Myelencephalon
- this structure is the caudal-most part of the brain stem, between the pons and spinal cord. It is responsible for maintaining vital body functions, such as breathing and heartrate
- Central nervous system (CNS)
- portion of the nervous system that includes the brain and the spinal cord
- Corpus callosum
- the large bundle of axons which connect the two cerebral hemispheres. It disseminates information from the cerebral cortex on one side of the brain to the same region on the other side .
- Dendrite
- one of the extensions of the cell body that are reception surfaces of the neuron
- Cell Body
- region of the neuron defined by the presence of a nucleus
- Limbic system
- a group of structures including the amygdala and hippocampus (and others); important for controlling emotions and memory