Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
33 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
lesion |
tissue destruction; a brain lesion is a naturally or experimentally caused destruction of brain tissue |
|
electroencephalogram (EEG) |
An amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain's surface. These waves are measured by electrodes places on the scalp. |
|
CT (computer tomography) scan |
a series of x-ray photographs taken from different angles and combined by computer into a composite representation of a slice through the body. Also called CAT scan |
|
PET (positron emission tomography) scan |
a visual display of brain activity that detects where a radioactive form of glucose goes while the brain performs a given task |
|
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) |
a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images of soft tissue. MRI scans show brain anatomy. |
|
fMRI (functional MRI) |
a technique for revealing blood-flow and, therefore, brain activity by comparing successive MRI scans. fMRI scans show brain function |
|
brain-stem |
the oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brain-stem is responsible for automatic survival functions. |
|
medulla |
the base of the brain-stem; controls heartbeat and breathing |
|
reticular formation |
a nerve network in the brain-stem that plays an important role in controlling arousal |
|
thalamus |
the brain's sensory switchboard, located on top of the brain-stem; it directs messages to the sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla. |
|
cerebellum |
the "little brain" at the rear of the brain-stem; functions include processing sensory input and coordinating movement output and balance. |
|
limbic system |
doughnut-shaped neural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives. |
|
amygdala |
two Lima bean-sized neural clusters in the limbic system; linked to emotion. |
|
hypothalamus |
a neural structure lying below 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. |
|
cerebral cortex |
the intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells covering the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information center. |
|
glial cells (glia) |
cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons. |
|
frontal lobes |
portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments. |
|
parietal lobes |
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position. |
|
occipital lobes |
portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes areas that receive information from the visual fields. |
|
temporal lobes |
portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each receiving information primarily from the opposite ear. |
|
motor cortex |
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements. |
|
sensory cortex |
area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations. |
|
association areas |
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. |
|
aphasia |
impairment of language, usually caused by left hemisphere damage either to Broca's area (impairing speaking) or to wernicke's area (impairing understanding) |
|
Broca's area |
controls language expression-an area, usually in the left frontal lobe, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech. |
|
Wernicke's area |
controls language reception-a brain area involved in language comprehension and expression; usually in the left temporal lobe |
|
plasticity |
the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by building new pathways based on experience. |
|
neurogenesis |
the formation of new neurons. |
|
corpus callosum |
the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them. |
|
split brain |
a condition resulting from surgery that isolates the brain's two hemispheres by cutting the fibers connecting them. |
|
consciousness |
our awareness of our-selves and our environment. |
|
cognitive neuroscience |
the interdisciplinary study of the brain activity linked with cognition. |
|
dual processing |
the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks. |