Psychology Module 4 The Brain
Terms
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- an amplified recording of waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp
- electroencephalogram
- a series of x-ray photos taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body
- CT(computed tomography)scan; aka cat scan
- a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task
- PET (positron emission tomography) scan
- tissue destruction. A brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction or brain tissue
- lesion
- a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue; allow us to see structures within the brain
- MRI (magnetic resonance imaging
- the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; it is responsible for automatic survival functions.
- brainstem
- the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
- medulla
- a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
- reticular formation
- the brain's sensory switchboard, 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
- thalamus
- the "little brian" attached to the rear of the brainstem; it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance
- cerebellum
- a doughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerbral hemispheres; associated with emotions such as fear and aggression and drives such as those for food and sex. Includes the hippocampus, amydala, and hypothalamus.
- limbic system
- two almond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion
- amygdala
- a neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion
- hypothalamus
- the intericate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate controal and information-processing center.
- cerebral cortex
- cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.
- glial cells
- the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements
- frontal lobes
- the portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; includes the sensory cortex
- parietal lobes
- the portion of the cerebral cortex lyuing at the back of the head; includes the visual areas, which receive visual info. from the opposite visual field
- occipital lobes
- the portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each of which recieves auditory information primarily from the opposite ear
- temporal lobes
- an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
- motor cortex
- the area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body sensations
- sensory cortex
- areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remebering, thinking, and speaking.
- association areas
- impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding)
- aphasia
- controls language experssion - an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
- Broca's area
- controls language reception- a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe
- Wernicke's area
- the brain's capacity for modification, as evident in brain reorganization following damage and in experiments on the effects of experinece on brain development
- plasticity
- the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carring messages between them
- corpus callosum
- a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers between them
- split brain