Introduction to Psychology

Introduction to Psychology of 97 Limbic System- The limbic system is a set of structures lying deep within the cerebral hemispheres. The limbic system helps coordinate behaviors needed to satisfy motivational and emotional urges that arise in the hypothalamus. It also is involved in memory. Thalamus- The thalamus is located above the midbrain and resembles two small footballs, one within each cerebral hemisphere. The thalamus has sometimes been likened to a switchboard that organizes inputs from sensory organs and routes them to the appropriate areas of the brain. The visual, auditory, and the body senses all have major relay stations in the thalamus. Hypothalamus- Which means literally under the thalamus, consists of a tiny group of neuron cell bodies that lie at the base of the brain, above the roof of the mouth. The hypothalamus plays a major role in many aspects of motivation and emotion, including sexual behavior, temperature regulation, sleeping, eating, drinking, and aggression. The hypothalamus has an important connection with the endocrine system and through its connection with the pituitary gland, it regulates sexual development and sexual behavior, metabolism, and reactions to stress. Hippocampus- One key structure of the limbic system is the hippocampus, which is involved in forming and retrieving memories. Damage to this area can result in severe short-term memory impairment. Amygdala- Another key structure of the limbic system, the amygdala organizes motivational and emotional response patterns, particularly those linked to aggression and fear. The amygdala is a key part of a larger control system for anger and fear that also involves other brain regions. Lobes- Each of the two hemispheres (left and right) of the cerebral cortex is divided into four regions, each having a variety of functions. Occipital- Located at the base of the skull, in the back, the occipital lobes are involved in vision. Frontal- Located just behind the forehead, the frontal lobe plays a part in coordinating movement and in higher level thinking such as planning and predicting the consequences of behaviors. They are also involved in speech: Broca’s area, located in the frontal lobe, is mainly involved in the production of speech through its connections with the motor cortex region that controls the muscles used in speech. Parietal- Located at the top of the head, behind the frontal lobes, the parietal lobes are involved in the sense of touch, among other things, and allow us to keep tabs on where our hands and feet are and what they are up to. Temporal- Located on either side of the ears, the temporal lobes are involved in hearing. Another important area located in the temporal lobe is Wernicke’s area which is primarily involved in speech comprehension. Spinal Cord- The spinal cord contains sensory neurons and motor neurons. Interneurons inside the spinal cord serve a connective function between the two. Simple stimulus response sequences can occur as spinal reflexes. The central nervous system includes the brain, which of course controls © 2015 Achieve Page 23