CAS PS 101 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: Decussation, Caffeine, Brainstem

• School: Boston University
• Department: Psychological & Brain Sciences
• Course: CAS PS 101
• Professor: Tracy Dunne

Document Summary

Medulla important in vital body functions: heartbeat, breathing, blinking. Point of crossover when sensory information is received. Carries nerve impulses between higher and lower levels of the nervous system. Takes information from the spinal cord/brainstem area to the midbrain. Attention first step, filters what needs to paid attention to and what doesn"t. Example: we don"t usually notice how our clothes feel on our body, that we"re blinking, etc. Located at back of the head, which is why if you are hit in the back of the head you go unconscious. Contains nuclei where many of the main neurotransmitters are made. Nuclei: groups of neurons that work together to perform a specific function in the central nervous system. Accounts for 10% of the brain"s weight but contains 50% of the neurons. Located at the top of the brain stem. Organizes input from senses and sends to brain. Messages come and go, similar to central station of the brain.