1
Q
Forebrain
A
The largest and most complex part of the brain; involved in thinking, decision-making, emotion and voluntary movement.
2
Q
Midbrain
A
Controls movement, vision and hearing, and relays information between brain regions.
3
Q
Hindbrain
A
Controls basic life functions such as breathing, heart rate, balance and coordination.
4
Q
Pons
A
Regulates sleep, arousal and breathing; acts as a bridge between brain regions.
5
Q
Medulla
A
Controls vital automatic functions such as heart rate, breathing and blood pressure.
6
Q
Cerebellum
A
Responsible for balance, coordination, posture and fine motor control.
7
Q
Reticular formation
A
Regulates arousal, alertness and consciousness.
8
Q
Thalamus
A
Main sensory relay station (except smell).
9
Q
Hypothalamus
A
Maintains homeostasis and links nervous and endocrine systems.
10
Q
Frontal lobe
A
Involved in decision-making, planning and voluntary movement.
11
Q
Temporal lobe
A
Processes sound, language and memory.
12
Q
Parietal lobe
A
Processes touch, temperature, pain and spatial awareness.
13
Q
Occipital lobe
A
Processes visual information.
14
Q
Primary motor cortex
A
Controls voluntary muscle movement.
15
Q
Primary somatosensory cortex
A
Processes bodily sensations.
16
Q
Primary auditory cortex
A
Processes sound.
17
Q
Primary visual cortex
A
Processes visual information.
18
Q
Broca’s area
A
Responsible for speech production.
19
Q
Wernicke’s area
A
Responsible for language comprehension.
20
Q
Broca’s aphasia
A
Slow, effortful speech with relatively intact comprehension.
21
Q
Wernicke’s aphasia
A
Fluent but meaningless speech with poor comprehension.
22
Q
Spatial neglect
A
Ignoring one side of space, usually after right hemisphere damage.
23
Q
Anterograde amnesia
A
Inability to form new memories after injury.
24
Q
Prefrontal cortex
A
Involved in planning, decision-making and impulse control.
25
Executive functions
High-level processes such as planning, problem-solving and self-control.
26
Neuron
A specialised nerve cell that transmits information.
27
Presynaptic neuron
Sends signals via neurotransmitters.
28
Postsynaptic neuron
Receives signals via receptor sites.
29
Soma
The cell body containing the nucleus.
30
Dendrite
Receives incoming signals.
31
Axon
Carries impulses away from the soma.
32
Myelin sheath
Insulates the axon and speeds transmission.
33
Axon terminal
Releases neurotransmitters.
34
Terminal button
Bulb-like ending that releases neurotransmitters.
35
Synapse
Junction between neurons.
36
Synaptic gap
Space between neurons.
37
Neurotransmitter
Chemical messenger across synapse.
38
Vesicle
Stores neurotransmitters.
39
Receptor site
Binds neurotransmitters.
40
Action potential
Electrical impulse along the axon.
41
Electrochemical communication
Communication using electrical and chemical signals.
42
Excitatory neurotransmitter
Increases likelihood of neuron firing.
43
Inhibitory neurotransmitter
Decreases likelihood of neuron firing.
44
Neuroplasticity
Brain’s ability to change with experience or injury.
45
Adaptive plasticity
Brain reorganises to compensate for damage.
46
Developmental plasticity
Brain changes during normal development.
47
Sprouting
Growth of new neural connections.
48
Rerouting
Reorganisation of pathways around damage.
49
Synaptogenesis
Formation of new synapses.
50
Synaptic pruning
Removal of unused connections.
51
Myelination
Formation of myelin sheath.
52
Brain trauma
Physical injury to the brain.
53
Acquired brain injury (ABI)
Brain damage after birth due to injury or disease.
54
Re-uptake molecules
Reabsorb neurotransmitters into presynaptic neuron.
55
Parkinson’s disease
Movement disorder caused by dopamine loss.
56
Neurodegeneration
Progressive loss of neuron function.
57
Epilepsy
Disorder involving recurrent seizures.
58
Machine-based learning
AI that learns patterns from data.
59
Gut-brain axis
Two-way communication between gut and brain.
60
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
Brain condition caused by repeated head injuries.
61
What is the largest and most complex part of the brain, involved in higher mental functions such as thinking, decision-making, emotion and voluntary movement?
Forebrain
62
What part of the brain helps control movement, vision and hearing, and relays information between other brain regions?
Midbrain
63
What part of the brain controls basic life functions such as breathing, heart rate, balance and coordination?
Hindbrain
64
What structure regulates sleep, arousal and breathing, and acts as a bridge between different parts of the brain?
Pons
65
What structure controls vital automatic functions such as heart rate, breathing and blood pressure?
Medulla
66
What structure is responsible for balance, coordination, posture and fine motor control?
Cerebellum
67
What network of neurons regulates arousal, alertness and consciousness?
Reticular formation
68
What structure acts as the brain’s main sensory relay station (except smell)?
Thalamus
69
What structure maintains homeostasis and links the nervous and endocrine systems?
Hypothalamus
70
Which lobe is involved in decision-making, planning, personality, emotional control and voluntary movement?
Frontal lobe
71
Which lobe processes sound, language comprehension and memory?
Temporal lobe
72
Which lobe processes sensory information such as touch, temperature and pain?
Parietal lobe
73
Which lobe is responsible for processing visual information?
Occipital lobe
74
What part of the brain controls voluntary muscle movements?
Primary motor cortex
75
What part of the brain processes sensory information from the body (touch, pressure, pain, temperature)?
Primary somatosensory cortex
76
What part of the brain processes sound information?
Primary auditory cortex
77
What part of the brain processes visual information?
Primary visual cortex
78
What brain area is responsible for speech production?
Broca’s area
79
What brain area is responsible for understanding spoken and written language?
Wernicke’s area
80
What language disorder involves slow and effortful speech but relatively intact comprehension?
Broca’s aphasia
81
What language disorder involves fluent but often meaningless speech and impaired comprehension?
Wernicke’s aphasia
82
What condition involves ignoring or being unaware of one side of space, usually the left side?
Spatial neglect
83
What type of amnesia involves inability to form new memories after a brain injury?
Anterograde amnesia
84
What is the front part of the frontal lobe involved in planning, decision-making, impulse control and social behaviour?
Prefrontal cortex
85
What are high-level mental processes such as planning, problem-solving, attention and self-control called?
Executive functions
86
What is a specialised nerve cell that transmits information throughout the nervous system?
Neuron
87
What neuron sends a signal by releasing neurotransmitters into the synapse?
Presynaptic neuron
88
What neuron receives the signal via receptor sites?
Postsynaptic neuron
89
What is the main part of the neuron that contains the nucleus and keeps the cell alive?
Soma
90
What branch-like structures receive incoming signals from other neurons?
Dendrites
91
What long fibre carries electrical impulses away from the soma?
Axon
92
What fatty layer insulates the axon and speeds up neural transmission?
Myelin sheath
93
What is the end of the axon where neurotransmitters are released?
Axon terminal
94
What small bulb-like structures at the end of axon branches release neurotransmitters?
Terminal buttons
95
What is the junction between two neurons where communication occurs?
Synapse
96
What is the tiny space between neurons across which neurotransmitters travel?
Synaptic gap
97
What chemical messenger carries signals across the synapse?
Neurotransmitter
98
What small sac in the axon terminal stores neurotransmitters?
Vesicle
99
What specialised area on the postsynaptic neuron binds neurotransmitters?
Receptor site
100
What is the brief electrical impulse that travels along the axon?
Action potential
101
What process involves electrical signals within neurons and chemical signals between neurons?
Electrochemical communication
102
What type of neurotransmitter increases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will fire?
Excitatory neurotransmitter
103
What type of neurotransmitter decreases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will fire?
Inhibitory neurotransmitter
104
What is the brain’s ability to change its structure and function in response to experience, learning or injury?
Neuroplasticity
105
What type of plasticity allows the brain to adjust and reorganise to compensate for damage or improve functioning?
Adaptive plasticity
106
What type of plasticity occurs as part of normal growth and development?
Developmental plasticity
107
What is the growth of new connections between neurons called?
Sprouting
108
What process involves neural pathways being reorganised to bypass damaged areas?
Rerouting
109
What is the formation of new synapses between neurons called?
Synaptogenesis
110
What is the elimination of unused or weak neural connections called?
Synaptic pruning
111
What is the development of the myelin sheath around axons called?
Myelination
112
What is physical injury to the brain caused by an external force?
Brain trauma
113
What is brain damage that occurs after birth due to injury, illness or disease?
Acquired brain injury (ABI)
114
What proteins reabsorb neurotransmitters from the synaptic gap back into the presynaptic neuron?
Re-uptake molecules
115
What neurodegenerative disorder affects movement and is caused by loss of dopamine-producing neurons?
Parkinson’s disease
116
What is the progressive loss of structure or function of neurons over time?
Neurodegeneration
117
What neurological disorder is characterised by recurrent seizures due to abnormal electrical activity?
Epilepsy
118
What type of artificial intelligence learns patterns from data to make predictions or decisions?
Machine-based learning
119
What system describes the two-way communication between the digestive system and the brain?
Gut-brain axis
120
What progressive brain condition is caused by repeated head injuries?
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)
VCE Psychology 1/2
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