Brain Flashcards
(23 cards)
What are meninges?
Protective membranes that surround the brain
What are 3 main areas of the brain?
The cerebrum, cerebellum and brainstem
What is the cerebrum composed of?
Right and left hemisphere
What part of the brain holds the two hemispheres together?
Corpus callosum
What is the function of the corpus callosum?
Conducts impulses from one hemisphere to another
What is the function of the cerebellum?
To coordinate fine muscle movements, and maintain posture and balance
What does the brainstem consist of?
Midbrain, pons, and medulla
What is the function of the midbrain?
Plays a role in motor movement, particularly of the eye, and also relevant in auditory and visual processing
What are the functions of the pons?
Communication and coordination centre between the two hemispheres, plays a role in REM sleep,
What is the function of the medulla oblongata?
Controlling involuntary responses
What is the frontal lobe responsible for?
Primary motor function and important cognitive skills (emotional expression, memory, judgement, language, problem solving)
Where is Broca’s area found and what is it responsible for?
The frontal lobe, responsible for speech production
What is the role of the temporal lobe?
Processing auditory information, processing emotion, language and aspects of visual perception
What is the left temporal lobe associated with?
Learning, understanding language and verbal information
What is the right temporal lobe involved in?
Learning and remembering non-verbal information
What is the parietal lobe responsible for?
Processing and interpreting somatosensory information (touch, temperature, pain) and construction of a spatial coordinate system
What is the occipital lobe responsible for?
Visual perception including colour, form, movement, depth perception, facial and object recognition, and memory formation
What is the limbic system?
Group of structures in the brain that control emotions, motivation, smell and behaviour
Where is the limbic system located?
Found immediately below the temporal lobes
What are different parts of the limbic system?
Thalamus, hypothalamus, amygdala, pituitary gland, pineal gland, hippocampus and basal ganglia
Where is the hypothalamus located?
Below the thalamus and above the pituitary gland
What is the hypothalamus involved in?
Homeostasis, controlling endocrine system, regulating ANS, and emotional and behavioural regulation
What processes are involved in homeostasis?
Temperature regulation, sleep-wake cycle, appetite and hunger, blood pressure, fluid valance and thirst
