Psychology unit 4

Question 1

association area

Answer 1

surround sensory and motor areas in the brain’s cerebral cortex and deal with more complex functions that require integration of inputs of information from different areas

Question 2

blood–brain barrier

Answer 2

a layer of cells which limits the entry to the brain of potentially harmful substances that may be present in the blood

Question 3

brain

Answer 3

an intricate network of cells that plays a vital role in processing information received through nerve pathways from the body and in directing actions within the body

Question 4

brain ablation

Answer 4

the destruction or removal of part of the brain

Question 5

brain lesioning

Answer 5

disrupting or damaging the normal structure or function of part of the brain

Question 6

brain verses heart debate

Answer 6

the issue of whether the brain or the heart was the source of human thoughts, feelings and behaviour

Question 7

Broca’s area

Answer 7

area in the brain’s left frontal lobe with a crucial role in clear and fluent speech production

Question 8

cerebellum

Answer 8

the cauliflower-shaped structure located at the base of the brain that coordinates fine muscle movements and regulates posture and balance; also involved in learning and memory

Question 9

cerebral cortex

Answer 9

outer layer of the brain involved in complex mental abilities, sensory processing and voluntary movements; roles in a diverse range of activities

Question 10

cerebral hemisphere

Answer 10

one of two almost symmetrical brain areas (comprising cerebral cortex) running from the front to the back of the brain and referred to as the right and left hemispheres

Question 11

cerebrospinal fluid

Answer 11

a protective, watery-like liquid that circulates between the membranes of the brain

Question 12

cerebrum

Answer 12

largest part of the brain with the cerebral cortex as its outer layer

Question 13

computerised tomography (CT)

Answer 13

a neuroimaging technique that uses x-ray equipment to scan the brain at different angles and build up a picture of the brain

Question 14

corpus callosum

Answer 14

the main band of nerve tissue connecting the two hemispheres of the brain

Question 15

cortical lobe

Answer 15

one of four areas of the cerebral cortex associated with different functions

Question 16

dyadic functional MRI (dFMRI)

Answer 16

an MRI scanner that is fitted out for dual scanning of two participants while they lie side by side

Question 17

electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB)

Answer 17

using an electrode to stimulate a specific area of the brain to assess what function that area controls or is involved in

Question 18

forebrain

Answer 18

a collection of upper level brain structures that include the hypothalamus, thalamus and cerebrum; involved in complex cognitive processes, emotion and personality

Question 19

frontal lobe

Answer 19

one of four critical lobes located in the upper forward half of a cerebral hemisphere

Question 20

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

Answer 20

a neuroimaging technique that detects and produces images of brain activity by measuring oxygen consumption across the brain

Question 21

functional neuroimaging

Answer 21

a brain scanning technique, such as PET and fMRI, that produces an image showing some aspect of brain structure, activity and function; compare with structural neuroimaging

Question 22

grey matter

Answer 22

neural tissue largely composed of nerve cell bodies and their local connections to each other

Question 23

hemispheric specialisation

Answer 23

the concept that one hemisphere has specialised functions or exerts greater control over a particular function; also called hemispheric dominance or hemispheric lateralisation

Question 24

hindbrain

Answer 24

a collection of structures at the base of the brain that include the cerebellum, medulla and pons

Question 25

hypothalamus

Answer 25

vital role in maintaining the body’s internal environment by regulating release of hormones and influences various other behaviours

Question 26

magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Answer 26

a neuroimaging technique that uses harmless magnetic fields to vibrate atoms in the brain’s neurons and generate a computer image of the brain

Question 27

medulla

Answer 27

a hindbrain structure that is a continuation of the spinal cord, connecting it to the brain; controls vital bodily functions required for survival

Question 28

meninges

Answer 28

one of three membranes covering the brain

Question 29

midbrain

Answer 29

connects upper and lower brain areas and houses structure involved with movement, processing of visual, auditory and tactile sensory information, sleep and arousal

Question 30

mind–body problem

Answer 30

the question of whether our mind and body are distinct, separate entities or whether they are one and the same thing

Question 31

mind–brain problem

Answer 31

questions about the relationship between brain activity and conscious experience

Question 32

motor area

Answer 32

area of the brain’s cerebral cortex that initiates voluntary movements

Question 33

neocortex

Answer 33

the largest and most recently evolved part of the cerebral cortex

Question 34

neuroimaging

Answer 34

a technique that captures a picture of the brain

Question 35

occipital lobe

Answer 35

one of the four critical lobes located in the rearmost area of each cerebral hemisphere

Question 36

parietal lobe

Answer 36

one of four critical lobes located in the upper back area of the brain between the frontal and occipital lobes

Question 37

phrenology

Answer 37

a theory linking specific abilities or personality traits to specific areas of the brain, especially bumps and hollows in the skull surface

Question 38

pons

Answer 38

hindbrain structure involved in sleep, dreaming, arousal from sleep and control of breathing and coordination of some muscle movements

Question 39

positron emission tomography (PET)

Answer 39

a neuroimaging technique that produces 2D or 3D colour images showing brain structure, activity and function

Question 40

primary auditory cortex

Answer 40

receives and processes sounds from both ears

Question 41

primary motor cortex

Answer 41

a strip of cortex at the back of each frontal lobe that initiates and controls voluntary movements

Question 42

primary somatosensory cortex

Answer 42

a strip of cortex located at the front of each parietal lobe that receives and processes sensory information from the skin and body parts

Question 43

primary visual cortex

Answer 43

receives and processes visual information from the eyes

Question 44

reticular formation

Answer 44

brain area that helps screen incoming information, alerts higher brain centres to important information, helps maintain consciousness, and regulates arousal and muscle tone

Question 45

sensory area

Answer 45

areas of the brain’s cerebral cortex which receive and processes sensory information

Question 46

split-brain surgery

Answer 46

severing the corpus callosum to either partially or fully disconnect the cerebral hemispheres

Question 47

structural neuroimaging

Answer 47

a brain scanning technique, such as CT and MRI, that produces an image showing structure and anatomy (but not function); compare with functional neuroimaging

Question 48

temporal lobe

Answer 48

one of four critical lobes, located in the lower, central area of the brain, above and around the top of each ear

Question 49

thalamus

Answer 49

relay station in the brain for incoming sensory information (except smells) and for information from the cerebral cortex to lower brain structures; numerous other roles

Question 50

Wernicke’s area

Answer 50

area of the brain’s left temporal lobe involved in speech production and comprehension

Question 51

white matter

Answer 51

neural tissue largely composed of nerve fibres (enclosed in myelin sheath) that connect distant areas to one another