(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