BRAINSTEM

the central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord
swells as it enters the skull

responsible for automatic survival functions

MEDULLA

base of the brainstem

controls heartbeat and breathing

Brainstem, controls for heartbeat and breathingswell is called the medulla.

VITAL FUNCTIONS:

Breathing

Blood circulation

Swallowing

Urination

THALAMUS

Relays messages

CEREBELLUM

Coordination and balance

RETICULAR FORMATION

Widespread connections

Arousal of the brain as a whole

Reticular activating system (RAS)

Maintains consciousness and alertness

Functions in sleep and arousal from sleep

CEREBELLUM

helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance

little brain
helps involved in nonverbal learning and memory

LIMBIC SYSTEM is an older term for a group of subcortical structures

(Hypothalamus, pituitary, amygdala, and hippocampus) dealing with basic
drives, emotions and memory

Hippocampus Memory processing

Amygdala Aggression (fight) and fear (flight)

Hypothalamus Hunger, thirst, body temperature, pleasure; regulates

pituitary gland (hormones)

HYPOTHALAMUS

neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; directs several

maintenance activities

eating

drinking

body temperature

helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland

linked to emotion

AMYGDALA

two almond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the

limbic system and are linked to emotion and fear

THALAMUS

the brains 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

located on top of the brainstem, a joined pair of egg-shaped

structures.

Receives sensory info, routes it to higher brain regions that deal

with seeing, tasting, touching etc.

CEREBRAL CORTEX

FRONTAL LOBES

involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making

plans and judgments

the executive

PARIETAL LOBES

include the sensory cortex

OCCIPITAL LOBES

the bodys ultimate control and information processing center

include the visual areas, which receive visual information from

the opposite visual field

TEMPORAL LOBES

include the auditory areas, each of which receives auditory

information primarily from the opposite ear

Frontal (Forehead to top) Motor Cortex

Parietal (Top to rear) Sensory Cortex

Occipital (Back) Visual Cortex

Temporal (Above ears) Auditory Cortex

APHASIA

BROCAS AREA

impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere

damage either to Brocas area (impairing speaking) or to
Wernickes area (impairing understanding) see clips

an area of the left frontal lobe that directs the muscle

movements involved in speech

WERNICKES AREA

an area of the left temporal lobe involved in language

comprehension and expression

Broca Expression

Wernicke Comprehension and reception

Aphasias

CORPUS COLLOSUM large bundle of neural fibers (myelinated axons, or

white matter) connecting the two hemispheres

HEMISPHERIC SPECIALIZATION

LEFT
Symbolic thinking
(Language)
Detail
Literal meaning

RIGHT
Spatial perception
Overall picture
Context, metaphor

BRAIN PLASTICITY

The ability of the brain to reorganize neural pathways based on new

experiences

Persistent functional changes in the brain represent new knowledge

Age dependent component

Brain injuries

SENSATION

The process by which the central nervous system receives input from
the environment via sensory neurons

Bottom up processing

PERCEPTION

The process by which the brain interprets and organizes sensory

information

Top-down processing

THE PSYCHOPHYSICS OF SENSATION

Absolute threshold the minimum stimulation needed to detect a

stimulus with 50% accuracy

Subliminal stimulation below the absolute threshold for conscious

awareness

May affect behavior without conscious awareness

Sensory adaptation/habituation diminished sensitivity to an

unchanging stimulus

THE FIVE MAJOR SENSES

Vision electromagnetic

Hearing mechanical

Sensory cortex

Taste chemical

Temporal lobe

Touch mechanical

Occipital lobe

Gustatory insular cortex

Smell chemical

Olfactory bulb

Orbitofrontal cortex

Vomeronasal organ?

THE SIXTH SENSE

Vestibular balance and motion

Proprioceptive relative position of body parts

Parietal lobe

Temperature heat

Inner ear

Thermoreceptors throughout the body, sensory cortex

Nociception pain

Nociceptors throughout the body, sensory cortex

Thresholds of the five major senses