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The Brain
The Hindbrain/rhombencephalon
Posterior part of brain
Medulla-controls vital reflexes like breathing, heart beat, etc
Pons-Area where many axons cross from one side of the brain to
the other
Reticular formation-control motor areas of the spinal cord and sends
output to cerebral cortex increasing arousal and attention
Raphe system-sends axons to much of the forebrain, increasing or
decreasing the brains readiness to respond to stimuli
Cerebellum-control movement, shifts of attention, balance and
coordination
The Brain
The Midbrain-middle of the brain
Tegmentum-roof or covering
Nuclei for third and fourth cranial nerves
Parts of Reticular formation
Extensions of the pathways between the forebrain and the
spinal cord or hindbrain
Tectum-roof
Superior Colliculus & Inferior Colliculus-important in routes
of sensory information
The Brain
The Forebrain-most anterior and most prominent part of the
mammalian brain
Thalamus
Part of the Diencephalon
Center of forebrain
Relay Station for Sensory Information
Hypothalamus
Part of Diencephalon
Regulates homeostasis, sexual behavior, fighting, feeding
Pituitary Gland
Endocrine gland attached to the base of the hypothalamus
Figure 4.10 The limbic system is a set of subcortical structures that form a
border (or limbus) around the brain stem
The Brain
Forebrain Contd
Basal Ganglia
Responsible for motor behavior, some memory and
emotional expression
Basal Forebrain
Located on the dorsal surface of the forebrain
Received input from the hypothalamus and basal ganglia
Send axons to cerebral cortex
Important in arousal, wakefulness, and attention
Hippocampus
Located between thalamus and cerebral cortex
Critical for the formation of new memory
The Brain
The Ventricles-Assists in cushioning the brain
Central Canal-fluid-filled channel in the center of the spinal
cord
Ventricles-four fluid-filled cavities within the brain
CSF-clear fluid similar to blood plasma
Formed in choroid plexus
Flows from lateral to third to fourth ventricle to central canal
or between meninges
Meninges-membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord
The Lobes
The Occipital Lobe-posterior end of cortex
Contains primary visual cortex
The Parietal Lobe-between occipital love the central sulcus
Contains the primary somatosensory cortex-receiving touch
sensation, muscle-stretch information and joint position
information
The Temporal Lobe-lateral portion of each hemisphere, near the
temples
Contains targets for audition, essential for understanding spoken
language, complex visual processes, emotional and motivational
behaviors
The Frontal Lobe-extends from the central sulcus to the anterior limit of
the brain
Contains Primary Motor Cortex-fine movements
Contributes to shifting attention, planning of action, delayed
response tasks as examples
Brain Function
How Do the Pieces Work Together?
Does the Brain Operate as a Whole or a Collection of Parts?
Each brain area has a function but it cant do much by itself
The Binding Problem
The question of how the visual, auditory, and other areas of
your brain influence on another to produce a combined
perception of the single object
Synchronized neural activity?