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33 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
Lesion
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tissue destruction; a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue.
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Electroencephalogram (EEG)
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an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp.
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CT (computer tomography) Scan
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a series of X-ray photographs take from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body.
-Also called CAT scan. |
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PET (positron emission tomography) Scan
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a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task.
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MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
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a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy.
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fMRI (functional MRI)
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a technique for revealing blood flow and, therefore, brain activity my comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function.
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Brainstem
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the oldest part of the central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions.
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Medulla
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the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing.
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Reticular Formation
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a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal.
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Thalamus
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the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla.
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Cerebellum
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the "little brain" at the rear of the brainstem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance.
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Limbic System
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doughnut-shaped neural system (including the hipocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.
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Amygdala
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two limi bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion.
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Hypothalamus
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a neural structure lying below (hypo) the thalamus; it directs several maintenance activities (eating, drinking, body temperature), helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion and reward.
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Cerebral Cortex
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the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center.
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Glial Cells
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cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons.
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Frontal Lobes
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portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments.
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Parietal Lobes
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portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position.
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Occipital Lobes
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portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields.
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Temporal Lobes
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portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear.
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Motor Cortex
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an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements.
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Sensory Cortex
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area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations.
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Association Areas
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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.
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Aphasia
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impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to Wernicke's area (impairing understanding).
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Broca's Area
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controls language expression that directs the muscle movements involved in speech.
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Wernicke's Area
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controls language reception - a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe.
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Plasticity
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the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience.
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Neurogenesis
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the formation of new neurons.
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Corpus Callosum
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the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them.
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Split Brain
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a 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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Consciousness
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our awareness of ourselves and our environment.
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Cognitive Neuroscience
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the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition (including perception, thinking, memory, and language).
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Dual Processing
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the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks.
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