Think Spike in Your Forehead

BIOL 255 SI, Molly

Unit 3C, 10/14/16

1) The Cerebral cortex’s hemispheres are / are not equal in size and no functional area acts alone, conscious behavior involves the entire cortex. Deep sulci divide hemispheres into 5 lobes, the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital and insula. The central sulcus separates the frontal from the parietal lobes, where the parieto-occipitalsulcus separates the parietal and occipital lobes. The lateral sulcus separates the parietal and temporal lobes, and the precentral and postcentral gyri border the central sulcus.

2) The Prefrontal Cortex is located in the anterior frontal lobe and is involved with intellect, cognition, recall and personality. It is necessary for judgement, reasoning, persistence and conscience. It is closely linked to the limbic system which is the emotional part of the brain.

Think spike in your forehead.

3) The primary motor cortex is located in the precentral gyrus of the frontal lobe just anterior of the central sulcus. It controls voluntary contractions of skeletal muscle. Remember motor = muscle.

4) The premotor cortex is located just anterior of the Primary motor area and is involved in complex and repetitive or learned motor control like writing or riding a bike.

5) The frontal eye field area is located in the frontal lobe, anterior to the premotor area and superior to the Broca’s area. It controls the extrinsic muscles of the eye used for scanning.

6) The Language areas of the brain are located in the motor area, as in the Broca’s speech area, which you find in the frontal lobe inferior to the primary motor and premotor area and is found in the left lobe of most individuals. It transforms thoughts into speech and works with other sensory and associated areas.

7) There are also Language areas in the sensory area, as in the Wernicke’s area which is usually only found in the left lobe also. It receives input from the primary auditoryarea, the auditory association area as well as the primaryvisual area, the visual association area and the gnosticarea. The gnostic area is located in the very center of the Wernicke’s area. It receives a lot of information and composed thoughts and understands things being spoken.

8) Association area contain association tracts which connect motor and sensory areas, such as the lateral surfaces of the occipital, parietal and temporal lobes and anterior frontal lobe which would be anterior to the motor areas. All connect via white matter.

9) The Primary Somatosensory area is located posteriorly to the central sulcus in the parietal lobe. Its functions are sensations from skin, muscles, viscera, and spatial localization or in other words where the sensation or signal is coming from.

10) The Somatosensory Association Area is located in the parietal lobe posterior to the primary somatosensory area It receives input from the thalamus, the lower brain and the primary somatosensory area. Its function is to integrate and interpret sensations, such as feeling an object and imagining its appearance, also brings memories of past sensations. Remember association involves interneurons.

11) The Primary Visual area is located in the occipital lobe and deals with visual input from the eyes, optic nerve such as shape, color and movement.

Where the Visual Association area also located in the occipital lobe but is anterior and lateral to the primary visual area. It receives input from the primary visual area and the thalamus and relates to the present and past. Or in other words it draws conclusions from what you see now and how it is related to the past like tracing a picture of a bicycle with your finger but not being able to name it as a bicycle.

12) The Primary Auditory area is located in the superior temporal lobe (near the ears) and is involved with the pitch and rhythm of sounds.

Where as the Auditory Association area is located posterior to the primary auditory area and is involved with the interpretation of sound, speech and music. In other words, it puts sounds together like making words out of sounds.

13) Primary Olfactory area is located in the medial temporal lobe near the insula, and is involved with smell, but much of this area is used for the limbic system in humans which deals with emotional responses. Like the smell of something triggers thoughts from your past.

14) The Primary Gustatory Area is located in the inferior lateral parietal lobe and is involved with taste.

15) The Vestibular area is located in the insula, which is deep to the temporal lobe and is involved in balance.

16) The Visceral Association areas are located in the cortex of the insula and are involved in conscious perception of visceral sensations such as when your stomach is stretched and is uncomfortable.

17) The cerebral hemispheres function differently:

Left Hemisphere (in most) / Right Hemisphere (in most)
Right hand control (body) / Left hand control (body)
Language (ability) / Music & Art
Numeric & Scientific skill / Space & Pattern Perception
Reasoning / Insight
Comparing