AOS 4

Question 1

state the 3 components of the brain

Answer 1

midbrain, hindbrain, forebrain

Question 2

parts and role of the hindbrain

Answer 2

supports bodily function and is the link between the spinal cord and brain. it’s important for movement and balance. contains the medulla, pons, cerebellum

Question 3

define the medulla

Answer 3

a continuation of the spine. its controls breathing, heartbeat and digestion

Question 4

define the pons

Answer 4

sits above the medulla and receives info sent from visual areas to control eye and body movements

Question 5

define the cerebellum

Answer 5

receives information from the pons and coordinates the sequence of movement

Question 6

parts and role of the midbrain

Answer 6

contains the reticular formation. role of the midbrain is to regulate sleep, motor movement and arousal

Question 7

define reticular formation

Answer 7

a network of neurons that are important in the control of arousal and the sleep wake cycle

Question 8

parts and role of the forebrain

Answer 8

contains the cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus. biggest of the 3 components

Question 9

define cerebrum

Answer 9

covered by the cerebral cortex and divided into 2 hemispheres. biggest part of forebrain.

Question 10

define hypothalamus

Answer 10

controls sleep, regulation of body temperature and expression of emotions

Question 11

define thalamus

Answer 11

receives info from sensory organs. enables an organism to process sensory stimuli and determine which is important

Question 12

define neuron

Answer 12

specialised cell that receives, processes and communicates information.

Question 13

define neurotransmitters

Answer 13

released from axon terminal and cross the synaptic gap

Question 14

examples of neurotransmitters

Answer 14

dopamine, serotonin, GABA

Question 15

define sensory neurons

Answer 15

to the CNS from sensory organs

Question 16

define motor neurons

Answer 16

from CNS to glands and muscles

Question 17

define interneurons

Answer 17

connect sensory and motor neurons

Question 18

define dendrites

Answer 18

receives info from other neurons/sensory receptors via synapse and deliver this info to cell body or soma

Question 19

define soma

Answer 19

the cell body. controls metabolism and maintenance of cell

Question 20

define axon

Answer 20

a nerve fibre that carries info away from soma towards other neurons

Question 21

define glial cells

Answer 21

hold neurons together, removes dead neurons, supplies nourishment and oxygen to neurons

Question 22

define myelin

Answer 22

fatty substance that insulates the axon from surrounding fluid and other neurons. produced In Brain and spinal cord

Question 23

define afferent neurons

Answer 23

towards the brain

Question 24

define efferent neurons

Answer 24

away from brain

Question 25

define terminal buttons

Answer 25

at the end of an axon that releases neurotransmitters

Question 26

define synapse

Answer 26

junction between 2 neurons

Question 27

define neural pathway

Answer 27

a pathway nerve impulses take along a neuron

Question 28

define hemispheric specialisation

Answer 28

the two brain hemispheres working together to perform most functions, although some functions are more dominant in one hemisphere

Question 29

define frontal lobe

Answer 29

contains primary motor cortex (voluntary movement), and brocas area (speech and grammar) and is responsible for abstract thought, planning and social skills

Question 30

define temporal lobe

Answer 30

contains wernickes area (language comprehension), and the primary auditory cortex (detecting auditory stimuli) and is responsible for hearing

Question 31

define occipital lobe

Answer 31

contains primary visual cortex (detecting visual stimuli) and is responsible for vision and processing visual stimuli

Question 32

define parietal lobe

Answer 32

contains primary somatosensory cortex (receives tactile info) and is responsible for integrating all sensory info

Question 33

define central nervous system

Answer 33

contains brain and spinal cord. enables the brain to communicate with the rest of the body by conveying messages from the brain to PNS and vice versa

Question 34

define peripheral nervous system

Answer 34

contains somatic nervous system and autonomic nervous system. PNS is responsible for communicating info from organs, glands and muscles to the outside world and vice versa

Question 35

define somatic nervous system

Answer 35

voluntary movement of skeletal muscles

Question 36

autonomic nervous system

Answer 36

communication of info between CNS and non skeletal muscles. contains sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

Question 37

define sympathetic nervous system

Answer 37

readies the body in times of emergency (fight, flight, freeze)

Question 38

define parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 38

maintains automatic day to day bodily functions

Question 39

define plasticity

Answer 39

the way in which there human brain changes in response to stimulation from the environment

Question 40

state and define the 2 types of plasticity

Answer 40

developmental(infancy) and adaptive(throughout life)

Question 41

state the 5 stages of neural development

Answer 41

proliferation, migration, circuit formation, synaptic pruning, myelination

Question 42

define proliferation

Answer 42

unborn cells divide and multiply

Question 43

define migration

Answer 43

newly formed neurons move towards their destined locations

Question 44

define circuit formation

Answer 44

when axons of new neurons grow out to target cells and form synapses with them

Question 45

define synaptic pruning

Answer 45

elimination of excess neurons and synapses

Question 46

define myelination

Answer 46

axons become insulated by the myelin

Question 47

define synaptogenesis

Answer 47

process of forming new synapses

Question 48

define sensitive period

Answer 48

certain stages in development suited to learning particular things

Question 49

brain development

Answer 49

cerebellum (increase in neurons and synapses), amygdala becomes more active, corpus callosum becomes thicket along with an increase of nerve fibres