Cognition
The outer layer of the brain which is divided into four lobes.
What is the cerebral cortex?
This part of the brain sends motor and sensory signals to the cerebral cortex. Mark uses this part of the brain when he’s watching a movie. Located just above the brainstem.
What is the thalamus?
It helps regulate vital body functions that you don’t have to think about. Mark unconsciously uses this part of the brain to regulate breathing and sleeping. Located at the bottom of the brain.
What is the brain stem?
This part of the limbic system is responsible for emotions like fear and anger. Mark would feel the effects of this part after getting scared by a big dog. Located deep within the temporal lobes.
What is the amygdala?
Sends motor commands from brain to the body and sends sensory information from the body to the brain.
What is the spinal cord?
This largest lobe of the cortex towards the front is responsible for higher level thinking including planning and decision making, and controls voluntary movement and language. Mark uses this area of the brain when weighing the pros and cons of taking the bus vs. driving to the restaurant.
What is the frontal lobe?
This part of the brain is associated with visuospatial processing. This part takes up the back of the cortex, and Mark uses this part to makes sense of the complex visual scene as he looks around a restaurant.
What is the occipital lobe?
This part of the brain stem monitors vitals like breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure. Located at the base of the brain, Mark would use this to unconsciously regulate his breathing as he is taking a test.
What is the medulla?
A small area in the center of the brain which helps manage body temperature, hunger, and mood. When Mark hasn’t eaten lunch, this part of the brain tells him that his body needs food.
What is the hypothalamus?
A thick bundle of nerve fibers that ensures both sides of the brain can communicate and send signals to each other.
What is the corpus callosum?
We can thank this part of the brain for speech production, typically in the left hemisphere of the brain. Mark uses this part of the brain when he’s giving a TED talk.
What is the Broca's area?
Located on the outer sides of the brain, this lobe of the cortex enables auditory processing. When the school bell signal makes its way to the brain, Mark uses this lobe to process the sound.
Located in the brain stem, it helps medulla with bodily rhythms like breathing, and also controls sleep. This area of the brain helps Mark stay balanced when he’s standing or walking.
What is the pons?
This big player in the endocrine system produces hormones while also directing other parts of the endocrine system to produce hormones. During Mark’s adolescence, this part of the brain produced hormones that helped him grow taller. Located below the hypothalamus.
What is the pituitary gland?
A section of a the frontal lobe that plans, initiates, and executes voluntary motor actions.
What is the motor cortex?
Similar to the Broca’s area, this part of the brain handles language comprehension. Mark uses this part of the brain when he’s listening to a TED talk. Located in the temporal lobe.
What is the Wernicke’s area?
It processes your sense of touch and enables spatial awareness. Mark uses this part of the brain when he turns off the light at night and walks back toward his bed while using the walls to guide him. Located towards the top of the cortex.
What is the parietal lobe?
Promotes arousal and consciousness. Influences respiration, cardiovascular function, and muscle tone and posture. When his alarm goes off in the morning, this part of the brain helps Mark recognize the sound and respond by getting out of bed. Located in the brainstem.
What is the reticular formation?
Considered the neural interface between motivation and action. When Mark gambles, this part of the brain controls the way he reacts to winning money. Located in the forebrain.
What is the nucleus accumbens?
Embedded deep in temporal lobe. Converts STM to LTM. Is a vulnerable structure that gets damaged by a variety of stimuli.
What is the hippocampus?
These integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision making. Mark uses this part of the brain when he hears the train coming and stops himself from crossing the railroad tracks. Dispersed throughout the brain.
Receiving signals from the thalamus, this cortex processes bodily and environmental senses to create a perception of our current situation. Mark uses this part of the brain when he’s trying to find the perfect water temperature for a bath. Located in the parietal lobe.
Regulates circadian rhythms: coordinates the timing of sleep, wakefulness, body temperature, hormone release, and metabolism. When Mark travels for vacation, this part of the brain has to adapt to the new time zone. Located in the hypothalamus.
What is the suprachiasmatic nucleus?
Located underneath the cerebral cortex, this small part of the brain helps motor function but also helps decisions with risk and reward. This part is active when Mark does activities like going on a roller coaster.
What are the basal ganglia?
If you like math, you probably use this area of the brain. Mark uses this area of the brain while he’s doing math homework and is rearranging the terms of an equation. Located on the left side of the head.
What is the left hemisphere?