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Unit 3B Terms
The Brain
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Lesion/Ablation | Tissues and/or organs that have suffered damage. Destruction of brain tissue. |
| PET Scan | (Positron emissions tomography) a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain preforms a given task. |
| Brainstem | The oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival skills. |
| Thalamus | The brain's sensory switch board, located on top of the brainstem; directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla. |
| Amygdala | a bean sized neural cluster in the limbic system linked to emotion and responsible for agression and fear. |
| Electroencephalogram (EEG) | An amplified readout of brain waves. |
| Cerebellum | The "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance. |
| Reticular Formation | A nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal. |
| Medulla | Controls necessary functions for living; breathing & heartbeat. |
| CT Scan | A series of X-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body. |
| MRI | A technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. |
| FMRI | A technique for revealing blood-flow and, therefor, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function. |
| Reticular Formation | A nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal. |
| Limbic System | Doughnut-shaped neural system located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives. |
| Hypothalamus | A neural structure lying below the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities, helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward. |
| Cerebral Cortex | The intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center. |
| Glial Cells | Cells in the nervous system that support, nourish and protect neurons. |
| Frontal Lobes | Portion of the frontal cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgements. |
| Parietal Lobes | Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position. |
| Occipital Lobes | Portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields. |
| Temporal Lobes | Portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas,each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear. |
| Motor Cortex | An area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements. |
| Sensory Cortex | Area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations. |
| Corpus Callosum | The large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them. |
| Hippocampus | A neural center that is located in the limbic system; helps process explicit memories for storage. |
| Broca's Area | Controls language expression- an area, usually in the left frontal lobe, that directs the muscle movements in speech. |
| Wernicke's Area | Controls language reception- a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe. |
| Split Brain | A condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them. |
| Aphasia | Impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area or to Wernicke's area. |
| Plasticity | The brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience. |
| Neurogenesis | The formation of new neurons. |
| Consciousness | Our awareness of ourselves and our environment. |
| Biological Psychology | A branch of psychology concerned with the link between biology and behavior. |
| Cognitive Neuroscience | The interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition. |
| Duel Processing | The principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks. |
| Pons | Located above the medulla, controls alertness, ability to pay attention and helps regulate sleep. |
| Hindbrain | Contains the medulla, pons and cerebellum. |
| Midbrain | Contains the reticular formation. |
| Forebrain | Contains the thalamus and the limbic system. |
| Hemispheric Specialization (Lateralization) | Process whereby some functions are controlled or influenced more by one cerebral hemisphere than the other. |
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APPsychology
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