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Brain |
Amygdala
two almond shaped neural clusters that are components of the limbic system and are linked to emotion
Aphasia
an impairment of language
Association areas
not involved in sensory or motor functions, instead, they are involved in higher mental functions such as learning, remembering, thinking, and speaking
Broca’s area
an area of the frontal lobe, usually in the left hemisphere, that directs the muscle movements involved in speech
Cerebellum
the “little brain” attached to the rear of the brainstem and it helps coordinate voluntary movement and balance
Cerebral Cortex
An intricate covering of the interconnected cells that forms a thin surface layer on the cerebral hemispheres.
Computed 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
corpus callosum
the large band of neural fibers connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them
Electroencephalogram
an amplified recording of the waves of electrical activity that sweep across the brain’s surface. The waves are measured by electrodes placed on the scalp
Frontal lobes
the portion of the cerebral cortex lying just behind the forehead. They are involved in speaking and muscle movements and in making plans and judgments
Glial cells
in the nervous system that are not neurons but that support, nourish, and protect neurons
Lesion
tissue destruction in the brain
Limbic system
a doughnut-shaped system of neural structures at the border of the brainstem and cerebral hemispheres
Magnetic resonance imaging
a technique that uses magnetic fields and radio waves to produce computer-generated images that distinguish among different types of soft tissue
Medulla
the base of the brainstem and it controls heartbeat and breathing
Motor cortex
an area at the rear of the frontal lobes that controls voluntary movements
Occipital lobes
located in the back of the head and receives visual information from opposite visual fields
Parietal lobes
lie at the top and the rear of the head and includes the sensory cortex
Plasticity
the brain’s capacity for modification
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
Reticular formation
a nerve network in the brainstem that plays an important role in controlling arousal
Split brain
a condition in which the two hemispheres of the brain are isolated by cutting the connecting fibers between them
Temporal lobes
above the ears and receive auditory information from the opposite ear
Thalamus
the brain’s sensory switchboard, located on top of the brainstem. It directs messages to a sensory receiving areas in the cortex and transmits replies to the cerebellum and medulla
Wernicke’s area
involved in language comprehension and expression