BIOLOGICAL: BRAIN AND BEHAVIOUR Flashcards
The Hindbrain
lowest and most primitive level
brain stem
supports a number of vital physiological functions
medulla
important in vital body functions such as heart rate and respiration
the first structure above the spinal cord so acts as a through for all sensory and motor neurons
the cerebellum: motor co-ordination centre
- concerned with movement and coordination but also some memory and learning
- specific movements are initiated higher in the brain but timing and coordination is dependent on the cerebellum
- regulates complex and rapidly changing movement tat requires precise timing (sports)
the Midbrain
clusters of sensory and motor neurons
The reticular formation:
the gate keeper
- alerting high centres of the brain that the messages are coming and either blocking or allowing the messages to go forward
- ascending =alerts
- descending= admit or block
- consciousness, sleep and attention
The Forebrain
most recently evolved
the major brain structure
the thalamus:
sensory switchboard
- inputs from sensory organs and routes to the appropriate areas
- contains visual, auditory, and body senses relay stations
- disrupted functioning results in confusion in sensory experiences or hallucinations
the hypothalamus:
motivation and emotion
- major role in sexual behaviour, temperature regulation , sleeping, eating, drinking and aggression
- connections with endocrine system and pituitary gland
the limbic system:
memory, emotion and goal-directed behaviour
(made of two things )
- coordinated behaviour needed to satisfy motivational and emotional urges from the hypothalamus
- hippocampus=forms and retrieves memories
- amygdala= underlies emotional behaviours such as aggression and fear and establishes emotional memories
the cerebral cortex:
crown of the brain
- essential for human functioning
- divided into fissures
- frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal lobe
the motor cortex
- controls many muscles involved in voluntary movement
- each hemisphere governs movement on the opposite side of the body
the somatosensory cortex
receives sensory input that gives rise to heat, cold and touch, senses of balance and body movement
association cortex
- perception, language and thought
- allows us the acquire mental skills specific to out human way of life
the frontal lobes: the human difference
- selfawareness, planning, initiative and responsibility
- emoitonal experience
the prefrontal cortex
-executive functions such as mental strategic planning and impulsive control
corpss callosum
a neural bridge creating major links between the two hemispheres and allows them to function together
lateralisation
greater localisation of a function in one hemisphere over another
the split brain: dividing the hemispheres
left: language
right: memory and emotion
neural plasticity
ability of neurons and brain areas and networks to change in structure and function
what was the effect on infants with more positive tactile experiences
faster neurological development
what was the difference between left handed violinists to right
left had larger somatosensory area in their right hemisphere
what effect on lateralisation has being Chinese speaking to English
less left hemispheric lateralisation in Chinese (symbols) than English (alphabet)
neurogenesis
production of neurons in the nervous system
