The Brain

Accidents - Story of Phineas Gage - Accident changes personality
Lesions - Removal or destruction of some part of the brain (Frontal Lobotomy)
Electroencephalogram (EEG) - Detects brain waves thru electrical output. Used in sleep research.
CAT Scan - 3D X-ray of brain. Useful in locating tumors, but not its functions.
MRI - Detailed picture of brain using magnetic fields. Results in movie of multiple images.
PET Scan - Measures chemical use of brain (glucose common) with injection of chemicals

Hindbrain

Top; controls basic biological structures

• Medulla Oblongata - Above spinal cord; controls blood pressure, heart rate, breathing.
• Pons - Above Medulla; connects hind to mid and fore; controls facial expressions
• Cerebellum - Bottom rear "little brain"; controls fine muscle movements.

Midbrain

Coordinates simple movements w/sensory information

• Reticular Formation - Controls arousal and ability to focus our attention

Forebrain

Largest; "humanity" - Thalamus, Limbic system, and Cerebral Cortex.

• Thalamus - Switchboard; Interp. sensory signal and sends to forebrain; every sense except smell.

Limbic System

• Hypothalamus - Important; controls and regulates body temp., sexual arousal, hunger and thirst, Endocrine.
• Hippocampus - Processing and storage of memories.
• Amygdala - How to process memory, involved in volatile emotions

Cerebral Cortex - Made up of densely packed neurons (grey matter) Glial cells: support brain cells. 

Fissures - Wrinkles in the cerebral cortex.

Hemispheres and Lobes

Contralateral Control - Right controls left and vice versa.

• Left - Logic and sequential tasks
• Right - Spatial and creative tasks

Frontal Lobe

• Motor Cortex - Sends signals to our body controlling muscles
• Broca's Area - Controls muscles producing speech
• Aphasia -  Damaged; unable to make movements to talk.

Parietal Lobe

• Sensory Cortex - Receives incoming touch sensations from body
• Made up of Association Areas - Not associated with receiving sensory info or coordinating muscle mov.

Occipital Lobe

Vision - Vision Cortex - Interp. messages from eyes into understandable messages.

Temporal Lobe

Process sound sensed by our ears with Auditory Cortex

• Wernicke's Area - Interp. written and spoken speech
• Aphasia - Unable to understand language; poor syntax and grammar.

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Brain Plasticity - When the brain is damaged, it will try to find new ways to reroute messages.

Corpus Callosum - Bridge of nerve fibers that connects or divides the two hemispheres.

Cerebrum - Largest part - Divided left, right, and lobes, Contains Cerebral Cortex, Controls voluntary movement, Coordinates mental activity; Center for all conscious living.