brain ch 4

• The brain structure that is most prominently involved in regulation of eating, drinking and body temperature is the

  hypothalamus
• The brain structure that coordinates bodily movements to ensure precise and smooth execution is the

  cerebellum
• the brain area primarily involved in regulating bodily activities that are vital for survival is the

  hindbrain
• PET scan provides information about brain activity, whereas a CAT scan provides only structural information.
• Which of the four lobes has an area of cortex that initiates voluntary movements of body parts? Responses


  frontal
• The area of the brain that, if injured, is more likely to adversely affect mental abilities such as symbolic thinking, planning and decision making, is theResponses

  forebrain
• Brain _____ involves disrupting or damaging the normal structure or function of part of the brain.

  leisoioning
• The cerebral cortex is primarily made up of _____ matter which is largely composed of _____ cell bodies and their connections to each other.

  white matter, nerve
• Wernicke’s area is located in the _____ lobe and is primarily involved in speech _____; whereas, Broca’s area is located in the _____ lobe and is primarily involved in speech _____.

  temporal lobe, comprehension, frontal lobe, production
• Explain the relationship between the brain and conscious experience of the world with reference to the thalamus and reticular formation.

  • the brain determines, is crucial to etc. conscious experience
  • the thalamus filters incoming sensory information and directs to relevant cortical areas, thereby influencing attention, awareness, contents of consciousness etc; also influences arousal and therefore alertness which is a crucial as aspect of consciousness
  • the reticular formation (via the RAS) helps maintain alertness/arousal and therefore conscious awareness, contents of consciousness.
• three key functions the cerebral hemispheres have in common.

  motor functions involving initiation of voluntary movements for the opposite side of the body

  • sensory functions involving reception and processing sensory information from the opposite side of the body

  • integration (‘association’) of information from different hemispheres and
• prefrontal cortex

  plans movement
• premoter cortex


  organises movement sequences
• primary motor cortex 


  produces specific movements
• primary somatoesensory cortex


   plays a critical role in processing afferent somatosensory input and contributes to the integration of sensory and motor signals necessary for skilled movement
• primary visual cortex


  highly specialized for processing information about static and moving objects and is excellent in pattern recognition.
• brocas area


  frontal lobe

  production and articulation of speech