(2) Chapter 2
thalamus
area near the center of brain involved in relay of sensory info. to cortex & in functions of sleep & attention
white matter
axon bundles that carry messages to & from the brain
central nervous system
brain & spinal cord
sympathetic division
branch of ANS that is most active during emotional responses -such as fear & anxiety, that spends body reserved of energy
parasympathetic division
branch of ANS that is most active during processes (such as digestion) that restores body's reserved of energy
hypothalamus
bundle of nuclei below thalamus involved in body temperature, motivation, & emotion
spinal cord
column of nerves within spine that transmits messages -sensory receptors to brain, brain to muscles & glands through out body
autonomic nervous system (ANS)
division of peripheral NS regulates glands & activities. -such as heartbeat, respiration, digestion & dilation of pupils
somatic nervous system
division of sensory NS that connects central NS w/ sensory receptors, skeletal muscles & surface of body
functional MRI (fMRI)
form of MRI that enables researchers to observe the brain "while it works" by taking repeated scans
gray matter
grayish neurons & neural segments that are involved in spinal reflexes
limbic system
group of structure involved in memory, motivation, & emotion that forms a fringe along inner edge of cerebrum
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
imaging method that places a person in a magnetic field & uses radio waves to cause brain to emit signal that reveal shifts in flow of blood -when brain is being scanned it shows brain activity
cerebrum
large mass of forebrain, which consists of two hemispheres
positron emission tomography (PET scan)
method of brain imaging that injects a radioactive tracer into bloodstream & assesses activity of parts of brain according to amount of glucose they metabolize
computerized axial tomography (CAT or CT scan)
method of brain imaging that passes a narrow X-ray beam through head & measures structures that reflect beams from various angles, enabling a computer to generate a three-dimensional image
electroencephalograph (EEG)
method of detecting brain waves -by measuring current between electrodes placed on scalp
medulla
oblong area of hindbrain involved in regulation of heartbeat, blood pressure, movement & respiration
peripheral nervous system
part of NS consisting of somatic nervous & autonomic NS
reticular formation
part of brain involved in attention, sleep & arousal
cerebellum
part of hindbrain involved in muscle coordination & balance
amygdala
part of limbic system that apparently facilitates stereotypical aggressive responses
somatosensory cortex
section of cortex in which sensory stimulation is projected -lies behind central fissures in parietal lobe
pons
structure of hindbrain involved in respiration, attention, sleep & arousal
corpus callosum
thick fiber bundle that connects hemispheres of cortex
spinal reflex
unlearned response to a stimulus that may involve only 2 neurons
cerebral cortex
wrinkled surface area (gray matter) of cerebrum