Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
paleoneurology study of brain evolution, strong focus on endocasts,
cranial capacities
parietal lobe upper middle lobe in each hemisphere of brain, which
processes input from multiple senses
phrenology antiquated pseudoscience that assesses a person's personality
and skills from the shape of his or her skull, now abandoned
prefrontal cortex anterior part of frontal lobes that is in front of the
motor regions, involved in higher cognition, relatively enlarged in humans
primary motor cortex brain region at posterior end of the frontal lobe
that facilitates movements of the opposite side of the body
primary sensory areas parts of the cerebrum that receive sensory input
for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and bodily sensations related to touch,
temperature, pain, etc.
primary somatosensory cortex a narrow strip of cortex at front of the
parietal lobe and directly behind the primary motor cortex, processes
incoming sensory information from touch, pressure, temperature, and
pain. Organization of body representations mirrors those of primary
motor cortex (see homunculus)
relative brain size (rbs) size of the brain relative to the body (brain size
divided by body size)
sulcal pattern arrangement of sulci on the brain's surface
sulcus (plural sulci) groove on the surface of the brain that separates bulges
of gray matter (convolutions)
suture ridgelike trace where bones of the skull knitted together during
development, may be reproduced on endocasts
temporal lobe lower middle lobe in each hemisphere of the brain, which
processes hearing, memory, emotions, and aspects of language and
sensory perception
visual cortex posterior region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual
stimuli, includes primary visual cortex of occipital lobe
