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Module 6
The Cerebral Cortex and Our Divided Brain
13
Psychology
Undergraduate 1
09/08/2010

Additional Psychology Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term
cerebral cortex
Definition
the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center
Term
glial cells
Definition
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
Term
frontal lobes
Definition
portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
Term
parietal lobes
Definition
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position
Term
occipital lobes
Definition
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields
Term
temporal lobes
Definition
portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear
Term
motor cortex
Definition
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movement
Term
sensory cortex
Definition
area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
Term
association areas
Definition
areas of the cerebral cortex that are not involved in primary motor or sensory functions; rather, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
Term
plasticity
Definition
the brain's ability to change especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience
Term
neurogenesis
Definition
the formation of new neurons
Term
corpus callosum
Definition
the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
Term
split brain
Definition
condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers (mainly those of the corpus callosum) connecting them
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