Anatomical and Functional Divisions of the Brain

Question 1

What does Rostral Mean?

Answer 1

Front on (anterior) view

Question 2

What does Caudal mean?

Answer 2

Back (posterior) view

Question 3

What does dorsal mean?

Answer 3

Top view

Question 4

What does Ventral mean?

Answer 4

Bottom view

Question 5

What does lateral mean?

Answer 5

Toward the side

Question 6

What does medial mean?

Answer 6

Toward the midline

Question 7

What does Ipsilateral mean?

Answer 7

On the same side of the midline

Question 8

What does contralateral mean?

Answer 8

On the opposite side of the midline

Question 9

What is the corpus callosum?

Answer 9

Consists of a large bundle of axons that connect two hemispheres

Question 10

What does homotopic mean?

Answer 10

Connecting to a complementary region in the other hemisphere

Question 11

What does heterotopic mean?

Answer 11

Communicates to a different brain region

Question 12

What are the three subdivisions of the brain?

Answer 12

Forebrain, midbrain, hindbrain

Question 13

What are the two divisions of the Forebrain?

Answer 13

Telencephalon, Diencephalon

Question 14

What are the divisions of the telencephalon?

Answer 14

Cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, limbic system

Question 15

What are the subdivisions of the diencephalon?

Answer 15

Thalamus, hypothalamus

Question 16

What is the subdivision of the midbrain

Answer 16

Mesencephalon -> tectum/tegmentum

Question 17

What are the divisions of the hindbrain?

Answer 17

Metencephalon, myelencephalon

Question 18

What are the divisions of the metencephalon?

Answer 18

cerebellum, pons

Question 19

What is the division of the myelencephalon?

Answer 19

medulla oblongata

Question 20

What is the cerebral cortex?

Answer 20

The largest structure of the human brain. The inner white matter is axon fibres covered in myelin. The outer grey matter is where the neurons connect together.

Question 21

What is the basal ganglia?

Answer 21

Responsible for controlling involuntary movement. Often dysfunctional in those with Parkinson’s.

Question 22

What is the Limbic System?

Answer 22

System that is responsible for emotions.

Question 23

What is the thalamus for?

Answer 23

It is a major relay station for sensory inputs to cerebral cortex.

Question 24

What does the hypothalamus do?

Answer 24

Controls autonomic nervous system and endocrine system.
It regulates survival behaviours.

Question 25

What does the midbrain do?

Answer 25

It plays an important role in motor movement, particularly eye movement. Important for auditory and visual processing.

Question 26

What does the cerebellum do?

Answer 26

Receives visual, auditory, somatosensory and balance information to co-ordinate movement. Damage leads to issues with walking, jerky movements, and problems with balance.

Question 27

What does the pons do?

Answer 27

Regulates sleep and arousal. Relays info from cerebral cortex to cerebellum.

Question 28

Where is the primary visual cortex and what does it do?

Answer 28

Sits in the medial and lateral parts of the occipital lobe at the back of the brain. It receives sensory info from the retina. Different parts of the primary visual context are responsible for different parts of the visual field.

Question 29

Discuss the parietal lobe

Answer 29

Used for attention and spatial awareness. Sits on the dorsal surface of the cortex.

Question 30

Discuss the temporal lobe

Answer 30

Used for audio and visual process. Sits on the ventral (bottom) surface of the cortex.

Question 31

Discuss the primary auditory complex

Answer 31

Receives auditory sensory info from the cochlea.

Question 32

Discuss the somatosensory cortex

Answer 32

Receives sensory info from the skin.

Question 33

Discuss the frontal lobe

Answer 33

Responsible for: voluntary, controlled behaviour Impulse control and emotional regulation Abstract reasoning and planning Social cognition Language Humans have proportionally a very large frontal lobe.

Question 34

Discuss the case of Phineas Gage

Answer 34

Frontal lobe was damaged. Severe behaviour changes Unable to plan for future Only now employable in a job that did not require decision making