Development 1 Flashcards
(60 cards)
where is the brain stem located?
The brain stem is the part of the brain that connects to the spinal cord and is towards the bottom part of the brain.
what are the three parts that the brain stem consists of?
- medulla oblongata
- pons
- midbrain
What is the brain stem in charge of?
- It is in charge of carrying motor and sensory nerves to & from the brain to the rest of the body through the spinal cord
- It also controls many basic life functions like breathing, eating, our heartbeat and sleeping. This is called autonomic functions as these functions take place unconsciously
where is the cerebellum located in the brain?
The cerebellum, AKA the “Little Brain” is a fist sized portion of the brain and is located near the top of the spinal cord, so it is behind, yet above the brain stem
What is the cerebellum in charge of?
- The cerebellum plays a large part in the co-ordination of movement, such as balance and muscle tone.
- it also co-ordinates sensory information with motor activity (called sensorimotor).
where is the thalamus located?
The thalamus is located deep inside the brain, where there are 2 thalami on each half of the brain. It is the size and shape of a walnut
What is the thalamus in charge of?
- The thalamus acts as a hub of information: it sends + receives signals and fibres from other parts of the brain such as the cerebral hemisphere, where it has many connections to different areas like the cerebral cortex, cerebellum, visual area and motor area.
- The thalamus plays an important role in sleep, wakefulness and co-ordination with certain sensory systems.
Where is the cortex located?
the cortex is the principal part of the brain, AKA the cerebral cortex. The cortex is divided into two halves (or hemispheres), where each hemisphere has basically the same structures. This is the outer wrinkly layer of our brain
explain the features of the cerebral cortex
The cerebral cortex is the outer covering of the brain and is only 3mm thick. It has 6 layers of tissue and is made from grey and white matter within the cerebral hemisphere. It contains lots of information so it must be folded, giving our brain its wrinkly appearance as it has many ridges and grooves.
what is the cerebral cortex in charge of?
The cerebral cortex controls our cognition and thinking, and both hemispheres are in control of our higher functions, such as thinking, memory, consciousness, emotion, language and sensory perception.
when does the brain stem develop in human life?
The brain stem is the most developed part of the brain at birth as the brain stem is important in directing basic, autonomic functions and has to be well adapted for survival
when does the cerebellum develop in human life?
The cerebellum is one of the last parts of the brains to reach maturity as it controls movement and balance, all of which infants must learn after birth
when does the cortex develop in human life?
The sensory and motor areas of the cortex are functioning in the womb as the developing baby starts to learn sensorimotor co-ordination. However, the cortex is only able to function basically and is continuously developing throughout our lives
What are the 4 lobes in our brain?
- frontal lobe
- parietal lobe
- temporal lobe
- occipital lobe
Describe the location of the frontal lobe and its role
The frontal lobe is the front-most part of your brain and sits behind the frontal skull. The frontal lobe is in charge of thinking, emotions, personal, judgement and movements
Describe the location of the parietal lobe and its role
The parietal lobe is located just under the parietal bone of the skull and is posterior to the frontal lobe (at the back of the frontal lobe). The parietal lobe controls sensory perception, including the management of touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight.
Describe the location of the temporal lobe and its role
The temporal lobe sits behind the ear and is directly below the parietal lobe. This lobe controls the processing of auditory information (ears and hearing) and the encoding of memory.
Describe the location of the occipital lobe and its role
The occipital lobe sits at the back of the head and is behind both the posterior and temporal lobe. This lobe is in charge of visual perception (eyes and sight), including colour, form and motion
At what week does our brain start to develop in the womb? What happens at this stage?
WEEK 3: Brain development begins in this stage, where the multiplying of cells leads to the formation of the neural plate, which then folds over onto itself to make the tube shaped structure called the neural tube
At what week does our brain and spinal cord start to form in the womb?
WEEK 4: During the 4th week, the neural tube that was formed the week before divides into the spinal cord, forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain, thus marking the start of our brain and spinal cord
At what week are some of the areas of our brain formed in the womb?
WEEK 6:
The forebrain divides into two areas. One area goes on to form the cortex while part of the other area develops into the thalamus
At what week is a fetus’ brain fully formed in the womb?
WEEK 15/MONTH 6: By the 15th week, the cerebellum has formed from the hindbrain, by the 6th month of pregnancy, the brain is fully formed, although it doesn’t reach its full size until later.
At what stage does a fetus’ brain become wrinkly in the womb?
LAST 3 MONTHS: During the last 3 months of pregnancy, folds begin to form on the cortex, giving the brain its wrinkled appearance. At birth, the brain is 25% of its adult size.
Define nature.
Nature is how genes and our biology (during conception) can impact and change our traits e.g. facial features, health issues