Unit 4 Vocab

Question 1

A bundle of nerve fibers connecting the brain’s two hemispheres and facilitating interhemispheric communication.

Answer 1

Corpus Callosum

Question 2

The process of intentionally damaging brain tissue to study its effects on behavior.

Answer 2

Lesioning

Question 3

The brain’s relay station, transmitting sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex.

Answer 3

Thalamus

Question 4

A work schedule that involves hours outside the traditional 9AM to 5PM, often disrupting normal sleep patterns.

Answer 4

Shift Work

Question 5

A small brain region controlling autonomic functions like hunger and hormones.

Answer 5

Hypothalamus

Question 6

A temporary sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s internal clock is out of sync with the time zone they are in.

Answer 6

Jet Lag

Question 7

A region of the frontal lobe responsible for voluntary movements.

Answer 7

Motor Cortex

Question 8

A strip of the parietal lobe that processes sensory input from the body.

Answer 8

Somatosensory Cortex

Question 9

Studies on patients with severed corpus callosum to understand hemispheric specialization.

Answer 9

Split Brain Research

Question 10

A set of brain structures involved in emotion, motivation, memory, and behavior regulation.

Answer 10

The Limbic System

Question 11

The deepest stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep.

Answer 11

NREM Stage 3

Question 11

A stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep characterized by sleep spindles.

Answer 11

NREM Stage 2

Question 12

Parts of the cerebral cortex involved in higher mental functions usually involve more than 1 lobe.

Answer 12

Association Areas

Question 13

A sleep disorder characterized by difficulty falling or staying asleep.

Answer 13

Insomnia

Question 14

A disorder where individuals act out their dreams during REM sleep.

Answer 14

REM Sleep Behavior Disorder

Question 15

Big brain regions at the back of the head responsible for visual processing.

Answer 15

Occipital Lobes

Question 15

Loss of ability to understand or express speech, caused by brain damage.

Answer 15

Aphasia

Question 16

A region in the temporal lobe involved in language comprehension.

Answer 16

Wernicke’s Area

Question 17

The front part of the frontal lobes involved in complex behaviors like impulse control and personality.

Answer 17

Prefrontal Cortex

Question 18

The part of the brain connecting the cerebrum with the spinal cord, responsible for automatic survival functions.

Answer 18

Brainstem

Question 19

Neural circuits in the brain that regulate motivation, reinforcement, and pleasure responses.

Answer 19

Reward Center

Question 20

A network of neurons in the brainstem regulating wakefulness and sleep-wake cycles.

Answer 20

Reticular Activating System

Question 21

Big brain regions involved in processing auditory information and memory.

Answer 21

Temporal Lobes

Question 22

Mental skills involving managing oneself and one’s resources to achieve a goal.

Answer 22

Executive Functioning

Question 23

The lightest stage of non-rapid eye movement sleep, where one drifts in and out of sleep.

Answer 23

NREM Stage 1

Question 24

The brain’s ability to understand and produce language.

Answer 24

Linguistic Processing

Question 25

A sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing during sleep.

Answer 25

Sleep Apnea

Question 26

The process by which short-term memories are transformed into long-term memories.

Answer 26

Memory Consolidation

Question 27

Also known as sleepwalking, a disorder where individuals walk or perform other activities while asleep.

Answer 27

Sobnambulism

Question 28

The state of being aware of and able to think about one’s own existence, thoughts, and surroundings.

Answer 28

Consciousness

Question 29

A pea-sized gland at the brain’s base, often called the “master gland” because it controls other glands.

Answer 29

Pituitary Gland

Question 30

Complex cognitive processes such as reasoning, problem-solving, and planning.

Answer 30

Higher-Order Thinking

Question 31

A limbic system structure involved in forming and storing long-term memories.

Answer 31

Hippocampus

Question 32

A theory that sleep helps to consolidate and strengthen memories.

Answer 32

Consolidation Theory

Question 33

Big brain regions involved in movement, planning, and judgment.

Answer 33

Frontal Lobes

Question 34

A limbic system structure linked to emotion, particularly fear and aggression.

Answer 34

Amygdala

Question 35

A theory suggesting that dreams are the brain’s attempt to make sense of random neural activity during sleep.

Answer 35

Activation-Synthesis

Question 36

The idea that each hemisphere of the brain is specialized for certain functions.

Answer 36

Hemispheric Specialization

Question 37

The base of the brainstem controlling heartbeat and breathing.

Answer 37

Medulla

Question 38

Vivid sensory phenomena that occur during the transition from wakefulness to sleep.

Answer 38

Hypnagogic Sensations

Question 39

Each hemisphere of the brain controls the opposite side of the body.

Answer 39

Contralateral Hemispheric Organization

Question 40

The body’s internal clock regulating the hour cycle of biological processes.

Answer 40

Circadian Rhythm

Question 41

A region in the frontal lobe involved in the mechanical production of speech.

Answer 41

Broca's Area

Question 42

The theory that sleep helps to restore and rejuvenate the body’s resources.

Answer 42

Restoration of Resources

Question 43

The outer layer of the brain involved in complex cognitive processes like thought, perception, and language.

Answer 43

Cerebral Cortex

Question 44

A hindbrain structure controlling balance, coordination, and motor skills.

Answer 44

Cerebellum

Question 45

A sleep stage characterized by rapid eye movements and vivid dreams.

Answer 45

REM Sleep

Question 46

The increase in REM sleep following periods of sleep deprivation.

Answer 46

REM Rebound

Question 47

A sleep disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.

Answer 47

Narcolepsy

Question 48

The brain’s ability to change and adapt as a result of experiences.

Answer 48

Plasticity

Question 49

Big brain regions involved in processing sensory information and spatial orientation.

Answer 49

Parietal Lobes

Question 50

A brain imaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting changes in blood flow.

Answer 50

Functional MRI (FMRI)

Question 51

A test that measures electrical activity in the brain using electrodes attached to the scalp.

Answer 51

EEG (Electroencephalogram)