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Brain Checklist
Mr.Alba--Test Review
45
Anatomy
Undergraduate 1
03/30/2010

Additional Anatomy Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
Cerebral Cortex
Definition
Layer of gray matter on the outermost portion of the cerebrum. Contains 75% of all the neuron cell bodies in the body!
Term
Motor Areas
Definition
Control voluntary muscles
Term
Primary Motor Cortex
Definition
Pyramidal cells’ axons form pyramidal tracts, controls precise skeletal muscle movement
Term
Premotor cortex
Definition
Controls learned motor skills (repetition & pattern)
Term
Broca’s Area
Definition
Only present in left hemisphere, responsible for motor speech
Term
Frontal Eye Field
Definition
Controls voluntary eye movements
Term
Sensory Areas
Definition
Conscious awareness of sensations (sight, smell, taste, sound, touch, balance)
Term
Primary Somatosensory Cortex
Definition
Receives sensory information & and uses spatial discrimination to identify the region of the body being stimulated
Term
Somatosensory Association Cortex
Definition
Integrates sensory input
Visual Areas: Primary visual cortex receives visual information from the retina of the eye, while visual association area is used for visual recognition
Term
Auditory Area
Definition
Primary auditory cortex receives impulses from inner ear (volume, pitch, location), while the auditory association area interprets the sound (object or speech)
Term
Olfactory Cortex
Definition
Smell receptor fibers in nasal cavities send information to olfactory cortex in order to bring awareness to odors
Term
Gustatory Cortex
Definition
Perceives taste stimuli
Term
Visceral Sensory Area
Definition
Perceives visceral sensations (upset stomach, full bladder)
Term
Vestibular Cortex
Definition
Spatial information from inner ear is sent to vestibular cortex to give awareness of balance and position in space
Term
Multimodal Association Areas
Definition
Analyze, interpret, reason, verbalize
Term
Anterior Association Area/ Prefrontal cortex
Definition
Cognition, recall, personality
Term
Posterior Association Area
Definition
Recognizing patterns, faces, localization
Term
Wernicke’s Area
Definition
Understanding written & spoken language
Term
Limbic Association Area
Definition
Part of the limbic system, provides emotional impact
Term
Cerebral White Matter
Definition
1.Responsible for communication between cerebral cortex & lower CNS centers
2.Consists of tracts of myelinated fibers classified by direction the run:
o Commisural Fibers: Connect gray areas of both hemispheres
o Association Fibers: Connect different parts of the same hemisphere
o Projection Fibers: Enter & exit the cerebrum to & from lower brain & spinal cord centers (corona radiata)
Term
Commisural Fibers
Definition
Connect gray areas of both hemispheres
Term
Association Fibers
Definition
Connect different parts of the same hemisphere
Term
Projection Fibers
Definition
Enter & exit the cerebrum to & from lower brain & spinal cord centers (corona radiata)
Term
Basal Nuclei
Definition
Clusters of neurons located deep within white matter core
Function not fully understood but may play a role in motor function, attention, cognition
Important for starting, stopping, modulating & coordinating actions
Term
Diencephalon
Definition
Forms central core of forebrain
Term
Thalamus
Definition
1.Composed of large nuclei
2.Major relay station of the brain
o Ascending sensory impulses are sent to the sensory cortex
o Subcortical motor nuclei & cerebellar input sent to motor cortex
o Impulses from association areas are sent to lower CNS areas
Term
Hypothalamus
Definition
1.Main controller of visceral function, important for maintaining homeostasis
2.Roles:
o Autonomic control center
o Center for emotional response
o Body temperature regulation
o Regulation of food intake
o Regulation of water balance & thirst
o Regulation of sleep-wake cycles
o Controls the endocrine system
Term
Epithalamus
Definition
Includes pineal gland which secretes melatonin to help with sleep-wake cycles
Term
Brainstem
Definition
Produces programmed, automatic behaviors necessary for survival. Produces pathway for fiber tracts to leave and enter the brain & lower CNS. Also associated with cranial nerves & is involved with innervation of the head
Term
Midbrain
Definition
-Corpora quadrigemina: Visual & auditory reflex center
-Red nucleus: Subcortical motor centers
-Substantia nigra: Synthesizes dopamine precursor molecule
Term
Corpora quadrigemina(midbrain)
Definition
Visual & auditory reflex center
Term
Red nucleus(midbrain)
Definition
Subcortical motor centers
Term
Substantia nigra(midbrain)
Definition
Synthesizes dopamine precursor molecule
Term
Pons
Definition
1.Mainly a conduction area
2.Relays information between the motor cortex & cerebellum
3.Also helps regulate breathing rate and depth
Term
Medulla Oblongata
Definition
Transmits all ascending and descending impulses and contains vital activities
Term
Inferior olivary nucleus
Definition
Relay sensory information on the state of muscles to the cerebellum
Term
Cochlear nuclei
Definition
Auditory relays
Term
Vestibular nuclei
Definition
Maintains balance/ equilibrium
Term
Motor Nuclei
Definition
o Cardiac Center: Transmit impulses to the heart in order to control heart rate
o Vasomotor Center: Impulses stimulate smooth muscles on blood vessels to dilate and constrict
o Respiratory Center: Along with the pons, it adjusts rate/ rhythm and depth of breathing
Term
Cardiac Center(motor nuclei)
Definition
Transmit impulses to the heart in order to control heart rate
Term
Vasomotor Center(motor nuclei)
Definition
Impulses stimulate smooth muscles on blood vessels to dilate and constrict
Term
Respiratory Center(motor nuclei)
Definition
Along with the pons, it adjusts rate/ rhythm and depth of breathing
Term
Cerebellum
Definition
§ Acts as a reflex center for integrating sensory information for coordination and balance
§ Results are smooth, well-timed movements
§ Functions subconsciously
Term
The Limbic System: The “emotional” brain
Definition
Produces emotions and modifies behaviors
Amygdala: Recognizes “dangerous” expressions (anger, fear), elicits fear response, plays a role in memory
Cingulate gyrus: Expression by body gestures & plays a role in resolving mental conflicts
Hypothalamus: See previous section
Hippocampus: Plays a major role in memory & spatial navigation
Fornix: Links limbic regions to each other
Term
Reticular Formation
Definition
Loosely clustered neurons that extend through the central core of brain stem
Reticular activating system (RAS) filters incoming sensory impulses and arouses the cerebral cortex into wakefulness when significant impulses arrive
Inhibited by sleep centers in the hypothalamus
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