MODULES & MAPS: STRUCTURAL AND FUNCTIONAL ORGANISATION IN THE BRAIN NOTES UPDATED 2023|2024

VENTRICULAR SYSTEM - Consists of a set of linked, fluid-filled chambers - The lateral ventricles are located within each hemisphere (one on each side). These are linked centrally with the third ventricle. - A long tube called the cerebral aqueduct connects the third ventricle to the fourth ventricle, which sits immediately beneath the cerebellum (‘little brain’). The forebrain has two subdivisions: - Telencephalon : + is composed of the two cerebral hemispheres - which together form the cerebrum + The hemispheres comprise an outer layer called the cortex (‘bark’), and an inner (subcortical) region that contains the basal ganglia and limbic system. - Diencephalon 4. LOBES OF THE CEREBRAL CORTEX 1) Frontal lobe: + especially large in humans, relative other animals, + ability to plan, to reason, and to reflect on our own behaviours. 2) Parietal lobe: + In the left hemisphere: plays a special role in language comprehension and mental arithmetic + In the right it is involved in representing the locations of salient objects in space. 3) Temporal lobe: + In the left hemisphere: role in understanding the spoken and written word + In the right: involved in recognising complex objects and faces. 4) Occipital lobe : + processes various aspects of visual information