CED Unit 1 (The Brain) Flashcards
Brain stem
Basic survival functions, the connection between the brain and spinal cord
Medulla
Breathing, heart rate, blood pressure
Reticular activating system
Gatekeeper for incoming sensory information, arousal, attention
Reward center
A complex network of neural circuits that help regulate motivation, reinforcement, and pleasure responses
Cerebellum
Motor coordination, balance, and motor skills
Cerebral cortex
Two hemispheres connected by the corpus callosum
Limbic system
Includes structures crucial for emotion and memory
Thalamus
Where sensory input is processed
Hypothalamus
Regulates homeostasis, releases hormones
Pituitary gland
Secretes hormones that regulate growth, metabolism, and reproduction, gives messages from hypothalamus
Hippocampus
Memory
Amygdala
Emotional responses, fear and anger
Corpus callosum
Connects right and left hemispheres
Occipital lobes
Vision
Temporal lobes
Hearing, memory
Parietal lobes
Touch, spatial awareness
Somatosensory cortex
Processes sensory information from the body
Frontal lobes
Decision-making, problem-solving, movement
Prefrontal cortex
Responsible for higher-level cognitive functions like planning, decision-making, and impulse control
Motor cortex
Controls the voluntary movements of the human body
Broca’s area
Controls speech production
Wernicke’s area
Manages language comprehension
Plasticity
The brain’s ability to change and adapt throughout life
EEG
Measures electrical activity
