Parts of the Brain
Located at the top front part of the brain behind the eyes and is believed to be responsible for abstract thought and emotional control.
Controls several metabolic functions, including body temperature, sexual arousal, hunger, thirst, and the endocrine system.
What is Hypothalamus?
A lack of this is associated with Parkinson's disease while an overabundance of this is associated with schizophrenia. Also associated with motor movement and alertness.
What is Dopamine?
The _____ may be more active during spatial and creative tasks; gets sensory messages and controls the motor function of the left half of the body.
What is the Right Hemisphere?
Parts of the brain can adapt themselves to perform other functions if needed. Since dendrites grow throughout our lives, if one part of the brain is damaged, dendrites might be able to make new connections in another part of the brain that would be able to take over the functions usually performed by the damaged part of the brain.
What is Brain Plasticity?
The life support system that controls the basic biological functions that keep us alive; structures in the top part of the spinal cord.
What is Hindbrain?
Vital to our experiences of basic emotions, such as fear and aggression.
What is Amygdala?
Neurotransmitter associated with pain control; also involved in drug addictions.
What is Endorphins?
Controls the fight, flight, or freeze response that prepares the body to respond to a perceived threat; controls things such as the heart, lungs, internal organs, and glands.
What is the Autonomic Nervous System?
Damage to this area would affect our ability to understand language.
What is Wernicke's Area?
Located on top of the brain stem and responsible for receiving the sensory signals coming up the spinal cord and sending them to the appropriate areas in the rest of the forebrain.
What is the Thalamus?
Vital to our memory system; memories are processed through this area and then sent to other locations in the cerebral cortex for permanent storage.
What is Hippocampus?
Lack of _____ is associated with clinical depression; neurotransmitter associated with mood control and memory.
What is Serotonin?
Sends signals to our muscles, controlling our voluntary movements; thin vertical strip at the back of the frontal lobe.
What is Motor Cortex?
Damage to _____ might leave us unable to make the muscle movements needed for speech.
What is Broca's Area?
Coordinates some habitual muscle movements such as tracking a target with our eyes; looks like a smaller version of our brain stuck onto the underside of our brain.
What is the Cerebellum?
Involved in the control of our blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing and is located above the spinal cord.
What is Medulla?
Affects many different biological processes in the body such as reproduction; system of glands that secrete hormones.
What is the Endocrine System?
Responsible for slowing down the body after a stress response; carries messages to the stress response system that causes the body to slow down.
What is Parasympathetic Nervous System?
The removal or destruction of part of the brain by doctors as the best course of treatment for a certain condition.
What are Lesions?
Controls some very important functions such as the ability to focus attention; coordinates simple movements with sensory information and is located just above the hindbrain.
What is the Midbrain?
Involved in the control of facial expressions and sleep regulation; connects the hindbrain with the midbrain and forebrain.
What is Pons?
A lack of this is associated with Alzheimer's disease; associated with motor movement.
What is Acetylcholine?
Any area of the cerebral cortex that is not associated with receiving sensory information or controlling muscle movements.
What is Association Area?
If the _____ does not function we fall into a deep coma; controls general body arousal and the ability to focus attention.
What is Reticular Formation (Reticular Activating System)?