Areas of the Brain – Flashcards

A complex structure adjacent to the hippocampus. Involved in processing emotions, and fear-learning. It links areas of the cortex that process "higher" cognitive information with hypothalamic and brainstem systems that control "lower" metabolic responses (e.g. touch, pain sensitivity, and respiration). This allows it to coordinate physiological responses based on cognitive information - the most well-known example being the fight-or-flight response. Has three functionally distinct parts - 1) the medial group of subnuclei has many connections with the olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex, 2) the basolateral group has extensive connections with the cerebral cortex, particularly the orbital and medial prefrontal cortex, and 3) the central and anterior group of nuclei has many connections with the brainstem hypothalamus, and sensory structures. Associated functions: fear-processing emotion processing learning fight-or-flight response reward-processing

Comprise a group of structures that regulate the initiation of movements, balance, eye movements, and posture. They are strongly connected to other motor areas in the brain and link the thalamus with the motor cortex. They are also involved in cognitive and emotional behaviors and play an important role in reward and reinforcement, addictive behaviors and habit formation. Associated functions: movement regulation skill learning habit formation reward systems

Consists of a group of structures that lie deep within the brain, including the pons, medulla oblongata, and midbrain. It plays an important role in maintaining homeostasis by controlling autonomic functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. While it can organize motor movements such as reflexes, it coordinates with the motor cortex and associated areas to contribute to fine movements of limbs and the face. Associated functions: maintaining homeostasis by controlling autonomic functions (including blood pressure, breathing, digestion, heart rate, perspiration and temperature) alertness sleep balance startle response

Is a functionally defined structure in the left frontal lobe of about 97% of humans (including a large majority of left-handers). Is involved mainly in the production of spoken and written language and also in language processing and comprehension. It takes its name from the French scientist whose work with language-impaired patients led him to conclude that we speak with our left-brain. Associated functions: language production (both speech and sign) comprehension of complex syntax

Monitors and regulates motor behavior, particularly automatic movements. Some recent studies have associated it with cognitive functions, such as learning and attention. Although it accounts for roughly 10% of total brain weight, it contains more neurons than the rest of the brain combined. It is also one of the few mammalian brain structures where adult neurogenesis (the development of new neurons) has been confirmed. Associated functions: coordination of voluntary movement motor-learning balance reflex memory posture timing sequence learning

An important part of the limbic system, this structure helps regulate emotions and pain. It is thought to directly drive the body's conscious response to unpleasant experiences. In addition, it is involved in fear and the prediction (and avoidance) of negative consequences and can help orient the body away from negative stimuli. Learning to avoid negative consequences is an important feature of memory. Associated functions: pain processing emotion memory self-regulation

This structure consists of a large bundle of fibers connecting the right and left hemispheres of the brain. Each hemisphere controls movement in the opposite (contralateral) side of the body and can also specialize in performing specific cognitive and perceptual functions. It allows information to move between hemispheres and is therefore a very important integrative structure. Associated functions: connects right and left hemispheres and allows information to pass between them

The hippocampal formation has three regions, which are highly interconnected: the dentate gyrus, CA3, and CA1. It is one of the very few regions in the brain where adult neurogenesis (development of new neurons) has been confirmed. The dentate gyrus may play an important role in translating complex neural codes from cortical areas into simper code that can be used by the hippocampus to form new memories. Associated functions: memory formation possible role in memory recall

This cortex plays a major role in memory formation. Two major connections from the entorhinal area (lateral and medial) provide the main input to the hippocampus and are important to pre-processing memorable information. The lateral input stream is thought to convey spatial information to the hippocampus, while the medial input stream conveys nonspatial information. The stream of information from the cortex, through the dentate gyrus, to the hippocampus is called the perforant path. Associated functions: declarative memory spatial memory self-localization

These lobes are part of the cerebral cortex and are the largest of the brain's structures. They are the main site of so-called 'higher' cognitive functions. They contain a number of important substructures, including the prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, motor and premotor cortices, and Broca's area. These substructures are involved in attention and thought, voluntary movement, decision-making, and language. Associated functions: Executive processes (voluntary behavior such as decision making, planning, problem-solving, and thinking), voluntary motor control, cognition, intelligence, attention, language processing and comprehension, and many others.

This is the structure in the brain most closely aligned to memory formation. It is important as an early storage place for long-term memory, and it is involved in the transition of long-term memory to even more enduring permanent memory. It also plays an important role in spatial navigation. Associated functions: early memory storage formation of long-term memory spatial navigation

This structure regulates a wide range of behavioral and physiological activities. It controls many autonomic functions such as hunger, thirst, body temperature, and sexual activity. To do this, it integrates information from many different parts of the brain and is responsive to a variety of stimuli including light (it regulates circadian rhythms), odors (e.g. pheromones), stress, and arousal (neurons release oxytocin directly into the bloodstream). Other functions controlled by this include parenting behavior, perspiration, blood pressure, and heart rate. Associated functions: hunger thirst body temperature sexual activity arousal parenting perspiration blood pressure heart rate shivering pupil dilation circadian rhythms sleep

This system is a group of brain structures including the amygdala, hippocampus, and hypothalamus that are involved in processing and regulating emotions, memory, and sexual arousal. It is an important element of the body's response to stress and is highly connected to the endocrine and autonomic nervous systems. It is also responsible for processing the body's response to odors. Associated functions: memory formation and storage regulating emotion processing smells sexual arousal

These gyrus are involved in a number of cognitive processes, including semantic memory processing, language processes (middle), visual perception (inferior), and integrating information from different senses. These structures have been implicated in recognizing and interpreting information about faces and are a part of the ventral visual pathway, which identifies "what" things are. The inferior structure also participates in some forms of mental imagery. Associated functions: word retrieval language and semantic memory processing visual perception multimodal sensory integration autobiographical memory visual recognition

The cortex of this lobe is the primary visual area of the brain. It receives projections from the retina (via the thalamus) from where different groups of neurons separately encode different visual information such as color, orientation, and motion. Pathways from the lobes reach the temporal and parietal lobes and are eventually processed consciously. Two important pathways of information originating in the lobes are the dorsal and ventral streams. The dorsal stream projects to the parietal lobes and processes where objects are located. The ventral stream projects to structures in the temporal lobes and processes what objects are. Associated functions: vision

The cortex of this structure plays an important role in integrating information from different senses to build a coherent picture of the world. It integrates information from the ventral visual pathways (which process what things are) and dorsal visual pathways (which process where things are). This allows us to coordinate our movements in response to the objects in our environment. It contains a number of distinct reference maps of the body, near space, and distant space, which are constantly updated as we move and interact with the world. The cortex processes attentional awareness of the environment, is involved in manipulating objects, and representing numbers. Associated functions: perception and integration of somatosensory information (e.g. touch, pressure, temperature, and pain) visuospatial processing spatial attention spatial mapping number representation

This cortex plays an important role in object recognition and in storing information (memories) about objects. It is highly connected to other brain structures, including the amygdala, basal ganglia, and frontal cortex. These extensive connections allow the cortex to specialize in associating objects with sensory information and potential consequences (e.g. reward). Associated functions: object recognition memory formation and storage

This is the region in the brain most closely associated with breathing and with circuits that generate respiratory rhythms. It forms a bridge between the cerebrum and cerebellum and is involved in motor control, posture, and balance. It is also involved in sensory analysis and is the site at which auditory information enters the brain. Associated functions: regulating breathing, taste, and autonomic functions

This cortex is thought to play an important role in "higher" brain functions. It is a critical part of the executive system, which refers to planning, reasoning, and judgment. It is also involved in personality and emotion by contributing to the assessment and control of appropriate social behaviors. Associated functions: executive processes (voluntary behavior such as decision-making, planning, problem-solving, and thinking) attention inhibition intelligence social skills

This cortex consists of a narrow region between the prefrontal and motor cortices. It is involved in preparing and executing limb movements and uses information from other cortical regions to select appropriate movements. The cortex is also important for learning (imitation) and social cognition (empathy) - mirror neurons in the area of the macaque brain fire when the animal observes an action in others. Associated functions: planning and executing motor movements imitation empathy

This cortex (also known as M1) is critical to initiating motor movements. Areas of the cortex correspond precisely to specific body parts. For example, leg movements map to the part of the cortex closest to the midline. Not all body parts are equally represented by surface area or cell density - representations of the arm hand area occupy the most space in the cortex (unsurprising given their importance to human behavior). Similarly, representations in the cortex can become relatively large or small with practice/training. Associated functions: coordination and initiation of motor movement

This cortex (postcentral gyrus) receives tactile information from the body. Sensory information is carried to the brain by neural pathways to the spinal cord, brainstem, and thalamus, which project to the cortex (which in turns has numerous connections with other brain areas). It integrates sensory information (e.g. touch, pressure, temperature, and pain, spatial attention), producing a "homunculus map", similar to that of the primary motor cortex. Sensory information about the feet, for example, map to the medial cortex. Associated functions: sensory processing and integration

This structure is the main output region of the hippocampus and is therefore important to learning and memory. It also plays a role in spatial navigation, mnemonic (symbol) processing, and regulating the body' response to stress by inhibiting the HPA (high powered amplifier) axis. Associated functions: memory processing regulation of the body's response to stress spatial navigation information processing Associated cognitive disorders

This structure contains the primary auditory cortex, which is responsible for processing sounds. Specific sound frequencies map precisely onto the primary auditory cortex. This auditory (or tonotopic) map is similar to the homunculus map of the primary motor cortex. Some areas of the structure are specialized for processing combinations of frequencies, and other areas are specialized for processing changes in amplitude or frequency. The structure also includes the Wernicke's area, which (in most people) is located in the left hemisphere. It is the major area involved in the comprehension of language. Associated functions: sound processing speech processing and comprehension auditory memory

This lobe contain a large number of substructures, whose functions include perception, face recognition, object recognition, memory acquisition, understanding language, and emotional reactions. Damage to the lobe can result in intriguing neurological deficits called agnosias, which refer to the inability to recognize specific categories (body parts, colors, faces, music, smells). Associated functions: Recognition Perception (hearing, vision, smell) Understanding language Learning and memory Associated cognitive disorders: Schizophrenia is the cognitive disorder most closely aligned to this lobe's dysfunction. The primary impairment in early Alzheimer's may be traced to the medial lobe, and speech and social dysfunction in autism has been linked to the superior sulcus of the lobe.

This structure is heavily involved in relaying information between the cortex and brain stem and within different cortical structures. Because of this role in corticocortical interactions, it contributes to many processes in the brain including perception, attention, timing, and movement. It plays a central role in alertness and awareness. Associated functions: relaying motor and sensory information memory alertness consciousness contributes to perception and cognition Associated cognitive disorders: Schizophrenic patients have been found to have a reduction in this structure's volume which correlates deficits in language, motor, and executive processes. It has also been linked to many other cognitive disorders including bipolar disorder, ADHD, Alzheimer's, autism, and depression.

These cerebral structures are interconnected fluid-filled spaces that are extensions of the spinal cord. They have no unique function but provide cushioning against brain damage and are useful landmarks for determining the location of other brain structures. Associated functions: cushions and protects the brain Associated cognitive disorders: Schizophrenic and bipolar patients have been found to have this structure enlarged.

This area is a functionally defined structure that is involved in language comprehension. In about 97% of humans (including a large majority of left-handers) major language functions are contained in the left hemisphere of the brain and for most people, it is lateralized to the left side. It takes its name from someone who worked with language-impaired patients to distinguish separate regions for language comprehension from production. language comprehension