Brain and behavior
How the brain is built, and how its parts relate to mind and behavior.
8 terms
Brain structure
Where the parts of the brain are and roughly what they do.
- Lobes of the brain 大脑叶
- The four main regions of the cerebral cortex (frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital), each with typical roles.
- Hemispheric lateralization 大脑偏侧化
- The two brain hemispheres specialize in different functions; in most people, language relies mainly on the left.
- Limbic system 边缘系统
- A set of structures on the inner rim of each cerebral hemisphere, involved in emotion and memory.
Brain activity
How brain activity is recorded, and what the recordings can and cannot tell us.
- Brain waves 脑电波
- Rhythmic electrical activity that EEG records from the scalp, sorted into frequency bands.
- Frontal alpha asymmetry 额叶 α 波不对称
- An EEG measure comparing left and right frontal alpha power, used to study emotion and motivation.
Nervous system
How the nervous system divides its work and regulates the body’s organs.
- Autonomic nervous system 自主神经系统
- The part of the nervous system that runs internal organs and glands, largely without conscious control.
Hormones and neurotransmitters
Which chemicals neurons and glands use to send signals, and how they relate to stress and mood.
- Cortisol 皮质醇
- The adrenal cortex’s main glucocorticoid hormone, run by the HPA axis and following a strong daily rhythm.
- Neurotransmitters 神经递质
- Chemical messengers that carry signals between neurons, such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.