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AP Psychology Brain Flashcards

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463422466Brainstemthe oldest part and central core of the brain, beginning where the spinal cord swells as it enters the skull; the brainstem is responsible for automatic survival functions
463422467Midbrainthe middle division of brain responsible for hearing and sight; location where pain is registered; includes temporal lobe, occipital lobe, and most of the parietal lobe
463422468Medullalower or hindmost part of the brain, the base of the brainstem; controls heartbeat and breathing
463422469Ponsa brain structure located at the top of the brain stem that is involved in respiration, movement, and sleep
463422470Reticular Formationa nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
463422471Thalamusthe 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
463422472Cerebellumthe "little brain" attached to the rear of the brainstem; it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance
463422473Limbic Systemneural system (including the hippocampus, amygdala, and hypothalamus) located below the cerebral hemispheres; associated with emotions and drives.
463422474Amygdalatwo almond-shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion
463422475Spinal Cordcord of nerve tissue that conducts messages between the brain and the peripheral nerves
463422476Hypothalamusa neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion
463422477Hippocampusa neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage
463422478Pituitary Glandthe endocrine system's most influential gland. Under the influence of the hypothalamus, the pituitary regulates growth and controls other endocrine glands
463422479Corpus Callosumthe large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
463422480Cerebral Cortexthe intricate fabric of interconnected neural cells that covers the cerebral hemispheres; the body's ultimate control and information-processing center
463422481Frontal Lobesthe portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead; involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
463422482Parietal Lobesthe portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the top of the head and toward the rear; receives sensory input for touch and body position
463422483Occipital Lobesthe portion of the cerebral cortex lying at the back of the head; includes the visual areas, which receive visual information from the opposite visual field
463422484Temporal Lobesthe portion of the cerebral cortex lying roughly above the ears; includes the auditory areas, each of which receives auditory information primarily from the opposite ear
463422485Motor Cortexan area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
463422486Sensory Cortexthe area at the front of the parietal lobes that registers and processes body touch and movement sensations
463422487Association Areasareas 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
475962298AcetylcholineEnables muscle action, learning, and memory
475962299DopamineInfluences movement, learning, attention, and emotion
475962300SerotoninAffects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
475962301NorepinephrineHelps control alertness and arousal
475962302GABAA major inhibitory neurotransmitter
475962303GlutamateA major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory
475962304AgonistMimics neurotransmitter and excites the neuron Morphine
475962305AntagonistBlocks neurotransmitter, inhibits the neuron from receiving neurotransmitters
475962306Sympathetic Nervous SystemArousing
475962307ParasympatheticCalming
475962308Neural NetworksWork groups, clusters of neurons
475962309Adrenal GlandFight or Flight
475962310FissuresFolds
475962311Aphasiainability to use or understand language (spoken or written) because of a brain lesion
475962312PlasticityThe brain's ability to modify itself after some types of damage
475962313NeurogenesisFormation of new neurons
475962314Dual ProcessingInformation is simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks
475962315Parallel Processingsimultaneous processing by two or more processing units
475962316Serial ProcessingA type of cognitive processing in which only one item is handled at a given time, and one step must be completed before proceeding to the next step.
476015980Angular GyrusTransforms visual representations into an auditory code
476015981Wernicke's AreaInterprets auditory code
476015982Broca's AreaControls speech muscles via the motor cortex

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