Psychology Chapter 3 Section 3

What is expressive aphasia?

A language disorder that involves the inability to produce language.

Describe Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

A method that allows scientists literally to see what is happening in the brain while it is working. fMRI exploits changes in blood oxygen that occur in association with brain activity.

Hypothalamus

A small forebrian structure, located just below the thalamus, that monitors three pleasurable activities- eating, drinking, and sex- as well as emotion, stress, and reward.

Recticular Formation

A system in the midbrain comprising a diffuse collection of neurons involved in stereotypes patterns of behavior such as walking, sleeping, and turning to attend to a sudden noise.

Amygdala

An almond-shaped structure within the base of the temporal lobe that is involved in the descrimination of objects that are necessary for the organism's survival, such as appropriate food, mates, and social rivals.

What does an Electroencephalograph (EEG) measure? When is it used?

An electroencephalograph records the brain's electrical activity. This device can assess brain damage, epilepsy, and other problems. EEG's have been used in research examining the brain and happiness.

Describe Positron Emission Tomography (PET scan)

An imaging method that is based on metabolic changes in the brain related to activity. PET measures the amount of glucose in various areas o the brain and sends this information to the computer for analysis. Tracing the amounts of glucose generates a picture of the brain's activity levels.

Describe Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

An imaging technique that involves creating a magnetic field around a persons body and using radio waves to construct images of the person's tissues and biochemical activities.

Describe Comupterized Axial Tomography (CAT scan/CT scan)

An improved image technique that produces a three-dimensional image obtained from X rays of the head that are assembled into a composite by a computer. The CT scan provides valuable information about the location and extent of damage involving stroke, language disorder, or loss of memory

What is Wernicke's area? Where is it located?

Another area of the brain's left hemisphere that has an important role in language. Associated with language comprehension.

What are the specialty functions of the left hemisphere?

Much languange processing and production comes from the left hemisphere. The left hemisphere is also keenly involves when we sing the words of a song. In addition, the left hemisphere can direct us in solving some basic spatial puzzles, such as identifying whether an object is inside or outside of a box.

What disorder is associated with Substantia Nigra? Describe the symptoms. What neurotransmitter is associated with this disease?

Parkinson disease damages the Substantia Nigra, causing deterioration in body movement, rigidity, and tremors. Dopamine is the neurotransmitter associated with this disease.

Cerebral Cortex

Part of the forbrain, the outer layer of the brain, responsible for the most complex mental functions, such as thinking and planning.

What happened to Phineas Gage? What brain area was damaged? What affect did this damage have on him?

Phineas had an iron rod go through the left side of his face and out through the top of his head. Damage to the frontal lobe area of his brain had dramatically altered Phinieas's personality. Previously he had been mild-mannered, hardworking, and emotionally clam, well liked by all who knew him. Afterward, he was stubborn, hot-tempered, aggressive, and unreliable.

Parietal lobes

Structures at the top and toward the rear of the head that are involves in registering spatial location, attention, and motor control.

Temporal lobes

Structures in the cerebral cortex that are located just above the ears and are involved in hearing, language processing, and memory.

Occipital lobes

Structures located at the back of the head that respond to visual stimuli.

Cerebellum

The cerebellum coordinates leg and arm movements. If another portion of the brain commands us to send a quick text message to a friend, it is the cerebellum that integrates the muscular activities required to do so.

Thalamus

The forebrain structure that sits at the top of the brain stem in the brain's central core and serves as an important relay station.

What is the corpus callosum?

The large bundle of axons that connects the brain's two hemispheres, responsible for relaying information between the two sides.

Medulla

The medulla controls many vital functions, such as breathing and heart rate. It also regulates our reflexes.

Somatosensory cortex

a region in the cerebral cortex that processes information about body sensations, located at the front of the parietal lobes.

What is the Broca's area? Where is it located?

Broca's area is located in the brain's left hemisphere and is involved with the control of speech. Associated with speech production.

Pons

The pons is a bridge in the hindbrain that connects the cerebellum and the brain stem. It contains several clusters of fiber involved in sleep and arousal.

Frontal lobes

The portion of the cerebral cortex behind the forehead, involved in personality, intelligence, and the control of voluntary muscles.

What are the specialty functions of the right hemisphere?

The right hemisphere plays a role in word recognition, especially if the words are difficult to see. The right hemisphere is adapt to picking up the meaning of stories and the intonations of voices, and it excels at catching on to song melodies. It is also involved in conversation processing. The real strength of the right hemisphere appears to lie in the processing of nonverbal information such as spatial perception, visual recognition, and emotion.

Hippocampus

The structure in the limbic system that has a special role in the storage of memories.

Substantia Nigra

The sunstantia nigra is a section near the bottom of the midbrain that feeds dopamine into the straitum, the central input station for the basal ganglia.

Limbic System

a loosely connected network of structures under the cerebral cortex, important in both memory and emotion. Its two principal structures are the amygdala and the hippocampus.