Unit 3.1 The Nervous System
Regions of the Brain Cerebral hemispheres Diencephalon Brain stem Cerebellum
Cerebrum Paired - L&R Hemispheres Corpus Callosum connects the two halves >1/2 brain mass Ridges increase surface area Grooves divide brain into 4 main lobes
Cerebral Hemispheres (Cerebrum) Frontal lobe – reason, judgment, & memories Parietal lobe – spatial sense, navigation, & mathematics Occipital lobe - vision Temporal lobe – hearing & forming long-term memories (hippocampus)
Specialized Areas of the Cerebrum
Layers of the Cerebrum Gray matter White matter Outer layer composed mostly of neuron cell bodies White matter Axons leading away from the gray matter towards the body
Diencephalon Made of three parts Thalamus – relay station for sensory input Hypothalamus – controls body temp. & metabolism Epithalamus – creates brain & spinal fluid
Brain Stem Attaches to the spinal cord Parts of the brain stem Midbrain Pons Medulla oblongata – controls breathing & heart rate
Cerebellum Located beneath the occipital lobe Different texture than the rest of the brain Provides involuntary coordination of body movements