3.1 Brain and Nervous System

Question 1

Do cranial contours (shapes of skull) tell anything about the brain?

Answer 1

No!

Question 2

Do different parts of the brain control different functions?

Answer 2

Yes!

Question 3

What is the central nervous system?

Answer 3

Brain + spinal cord

Question 4

What is the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 4

Sensory + motor neurons

Question 5

What are neuroglia?

Answer 5

Non-neuron cells that assist the neurons in CNS and PNS.

Question 6

Do people ordinarily use only 10% of their brain?

Answer 6

No! Even during a simple activity like walking nearly every part of the brain lights up.

Question 7

What percent of the body’s energy does the brain use?

Answer 7

20%

Question 8

Do more intelligent animals have more complex brains?

Answer 8

Yes!

Question 9

What does the “old brain” consist of?

Answer 9

Brain stem, medulla, pons, thalamus, reticular formation, cerebellum

Question 10

What is brain stem?

Answer 10

The most ancient and central core of the brain

Question 11

What does medulla do?

Answer 11

Automatically controls heart beat, breathing, etc.

Question 12

What does pons do?

Answer 12

Controls several automatic functions like arousal, sleep and relaying information between cerebellum and cerebral cortex

Question 13

What does thalamus do?

Answer 13

Takes in sensory information related to seeing, hearing, touching and tasting.

Question 14

What is reticular formation?

Answer 14

Formation inside the brain stem. Finger-shaped. Essential for arousal.

Question 15

What does cerebellum do?

Answer 15

Non-verbal learning, memory, perception of time, modulating emotions, voluntary movements. Impaired easily under alcohol.

Question 16

What does limbic system consist of? What does it do?

Answer 16

Amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, pituitary gland. Separates old brain and new brain.

Question 17

Amygdala?

Answer 17

Two lima-bean sized clusters of neurons, involved in memory consolidation and emotion

Question 18

Hippocampus?

Answer 18

Central to learning and memory

Question 19

Hypothalamus?

Answer 19

Regulates body temperature, circadian rhythm, hunger, governs endocrine system

Question 20

Pituitary gland?

Answer 20

Secretes many different hormones, some of which affect other glands.

Question 21

What is the new brain?

Answer 21

Cerebrum, corpus calloscum, cerebral cortex (including four lobes).

Question 22

What percent of brain weight is cerebrum?

Answer 22

85%

Question 23

What does cerebrum do?

Answer 23

Contains gray matter. Oversees ability to think, speak and perceive

Question 24

Corpus calloscum

Answer 24

Connects two hemispheres of the brain.

Question 25

What does left brain control?

Answer 25

Language production

Question 26

What does right brain control?

Answer 26

Creative stuff

Question 27

Cerebral cortex?

Answer 27

Covers the entire brain. Divided into frontal lobes, parietal lobes, occipital lobes and temporal lobes.

Question 28

Glial cells?

Answer 28

Spiderweb of support. Surround, insulate and protect neurons.

Question 29

What are lobes separated by?

Answer 29

Fissures

Question 30

Frontal lobes?

Answer 30

Speaking, planning, judging, abstract thinking, personality aspects

Question 31

Parietal lobes?

Answer 31

Touch, body position

Question 32

Occipital lobes?

Answer 32

Sight

Question 33

Temporal lobes?

Answer 33

Comprehension, sound, speech. Each temporal lobe processes sound from opposite side ear.

Question 34

Motor cortex?

Answer 34

At rear of frontal lobes. Controls voluntary movement. Sends messages from brain out to that body.

Question 35

Sensory cortex?

Answer 35

Behind motor cortex. Processes incoming sensory information.

Question 36

Association areas?

Answer 36

Higher order functions like remembering, thinking, learning, speaking. Interpreting, integrating sensory inputs, linking it to memories. Linked to all four lobes.

Question 37

What is a neuron covered by?

Answer 37

Cell membrane

Question 38

Where does a neuron receive information?

Answer 38

Dendrites. Located on the cell body.

Question 39

What is electrical signal of neuron called?

Answer 39

Action potential

Question 40

What is the long part of the neuron along which action potential travels?

Answer 40

Axon

Question 41

What is axon covered by?

Answer 41

Myelin sheath

Question 42

What is myelin sheath made of?

Answer 42

Fatty cells

Question 43

What is other end of neuron through which signal is released?

Answer 43

Terminal buttons

Question 44

What is gap between two neurons called?

Answer 44

Synaptic gap

Question 45

How does signal go from one neuron to another?

Answer 45

Neurotransmitter chemicals

Question 46

Where do neurotransmitters go to and from?

Answer 46

Vesicle of one neuron to receptor of another neuron.

Question 47

What is serotonin?

Answer 47

Neurotransmitter that affects sleep, hunger, mood.

Question 48

What is dopamine?

Answer 48

Neurotransmitter that affects attention, learning, pleasure.

Question 49

What are the two things which primarily affect evolutionary adaptations?

Answer 49

Survival and reproduction.

Question 50

What is peripheral nervous system?

Answer 50

All nerve cells that connect CNS to rest of the body.

Question 51

What is somatic nervous system?

Answer 51

Part of PNS that controls voluntary actions like raising hand.

Question 52

What is autonomic nervous system?

Answer 52

Part of PNS that controls involuntary stuff like digestion

Question 53

What is sympathetic nervous system?

Answer 53

Fight or flight response. Dilates pupil, inhibits salivation, increases heart rate, dilates bronchi, inhibits digestion, inhibits contraction of bladder. Unfortunately, also reacts to psychological threats.

Question 54

What is parasympathetic nervous system?

Answer 54

Constricts pupil, stimulates salivation, slows heart rate, constricts bronchi, stimulates digestion, causes bladder to contract. Acts when body is at rest.