The Brain Flashcards
(17 cards)
What part of the brain is responsible for movement, balance, coordination, and procedural memory?
Cerebellum
The cerebellum is crucial for fine motor skills and maintaining balance.
What autonomic tasks does the brainstem/medulla control?
Heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP)
The brainstem is essential for regulating vital functions.
What does the reticular activating system regulate?
Alertness, arousal, sleep, and eye movement
It plays a crucial role in the sleep-wake cycle.
What is the cerebral cortex responsible for?
Higher order thought processes, perception, memory, language, and decision making
It is the outer portion of the brain.
What functions does the limbic system regulate?
Basic emotions such as fear and rage, and drives like hunger and sex
It is involved in emotional responses and memory.
Which part of the limbic system is associated with emotions like fear and anger?
Amygdala
The amygdala plays a key role in processing emotions.
What type of memory is the hippocampus involved in?
Episodic and semantic memory
It is also involved in the encoding of memory.
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
Reward/Pleasure center controlling hormone release
It plays a role in homeostasis and emotional responses.
What does the thalamus do?
Relay center for sensory information
It processes and transmits sensory information to the cerebral cortex.
What is the role of the pituitary gland?
Releases hormones and communicates with the endocrine system and hypothalamus
It is often referred to as the ‘master gland’.
What executive functions does the prefrontal cortex manage?
Planning, problem solving, and adapting to new situations
It is located at the front of the frontal lobe.
What are the primary functions of the frontal lobe?
Decision making, planning, judgment, language, and executive function
It is essential for higher cognitive processes.
What does the parietal lobe control?
Sensation and touch
It integrates sensory information from various modalities.
What is the somatosensory cortex?
A map of touch receptors that receives touch information
It is located in the parietal lobe.
What do association areas in the parietal lobe do?
Receive input from multiple areas/lobes to integrate information
They are crucial for complex processing.
What is the function of Broca’s area?
Provides the ability to produce speech
It is located in the left frontal lobe.
What is Wernicke’s area responsible for?
Comprehending speech
It is located in the left temporal lobe.
