PSYCH101 Chapter 6: Module 6 - The Cerebral Cortex & Our Divide Brain

• School: University of Waterloo
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYCH101
• Professor: Richard Ennis

Document Summary

Older brain networks - sustain basic life functions and enable memory, emotions, basic drives. What makes us distinctively human mostly arises from the complex functions of our cerebral cortex. W/o the wrinkles on the brain, more area would be req"d. Both the left and right hemispheres are filled mainly w/ axons connecting the cortex to the brain"s other regions cortex contains ~20 billion nerve cells and 300 trillion synaptic connections. Before it actually moved opens door to research on brain-controlled computers. Sensory functions sensory cortex - registers and processes body touch and movement sensations; located at front of parietal lobes the more sensitive the body region, the larger the sensory cortex area devoted to it. Senses other than touch: visual cortex - receive visual info; occipital lobes, auditory cortex - processes sound; temporal lobes; most auditory info travels from on ear to auditory receiving area above opposite ear.