BRAIN REGIONS/FUNCTIONS-HINDBRAIN/MIDBRAIN/SUBCORTICAL/FOREBRAIN

Question 1

1. What are the three main regions of the brain, and what is their function?

Answer 1

• Hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain.
• The hindbrain and midbrain form the brainstem, which controls basic survival functions.

Question 2

2 What are the consequences of brainstem damage?

Answer 2

• Symptoms depend on the location but may include:
  o Respiratory problems, difficulty swallowing, slurred speech.
  o Loss of balance and coordination, nausea, sleep disturbances.
  o Confusion or loss of consciousness.

Question 3

Hindbrain Structures

Answer 3

• Function: Controls involuntary functions such as swallowing, coughing, sneezing, respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure.
• Damage: Can cause respiratory failure, loss of vital functions, or death.

Question 4

What is the function of the pons?

Answer 4

o Connects the two halves of the cerebellum and relays messages between the cerebellum and cerebral cortex.
o Plays a role in movement coordination, respiration, and REM sleep regulation.

Question 5

. What is the function of the cerebellum, and what happens if it is damaged?

Answer 5

o Coordinates voluntary movements, posture, and balance.
o Involved in procedural memory (e.g., playing an instrument, driving).
o Contributes to attention, language processing, and visuospatial abilities

Question 6

what happens if the cerebellum is damaged?

Answer 6

o Ataxia: Symptoms resemble alcohol intoxication (poor balance, slurred speech, jerky eye movements, double vision).

Question 7

What is the function of the reticular formation?

Answer 7

o Regulates muscle tone, eye movement, and pain perception.
o Contains the reticular activating system (RAS), which controls wakefulness, alertness, and sleep-wake cycles

Question 8

what happens if the Reticular Formation is damaged?

Answer 8

• Damage: Can cause coma or altered consciousness.

Question 9

What is the function of the substantia nigra

Answer 9

o Plays a role in reward-seeking, addiction, and motor control.
o Connects to the basal ganglia, helping regulate movement.

Question 10

how is Substantia Nigra linked to Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 10

o Degeneration of dopamine-producing cells leads to Parkinson’s disease (tremors, rigidity, slow movement).

Question 11

Subcortical Forebrain Structures

Answer 11

Hypothalamus,
Basil Ganglia,
Amygdala,
Hippocampus

Question 12

What are the key functions of the hypothalamus?

Answer 12

• Maintains homeostasis by regulating:
  . Body temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, hunger, thirst, sleep-wake cycle, stress response.
• Controls the autonomic nervous system and pituitary gland.
• Involved in emotion and memory (mammillary bodies).
• Circadian rhythm regulation via the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).

Question 13

How does the hypothalamus influence the pituitary gland?

Answer 13

• Anterior pituitary: The hypothalamus releases hormones that stimulate or inhibit the pituitary’s hormone production.
• Posterior pituitary: The hypothalamus sends oxytocin and vasopressin, which are stored and released when needed.

Question 14

Oxytocin

Answer 14

Involved in childbirth, lactation, social bonding, and emotional regulation.

Question 15

Vasopressin

Answer 15

Regulates water balance in the body.

Question 16

What is the function of the thalamus

Answer 16

• Acts as a relay station for sensory information (except smell) to the cerebral cortex.
• Plays a role in motor function, language, and memory.

Question 17

What happens to Damage Thalamus

Answer 17

o Korsakoff syndrome (due to thiamine deficiency, often from chronic alcoholism) causes anterograde and retrograde amnesia with confabulation.

Question 18

What is the function of the basal ganglia,

Answer 18

Controls voluntary movement, habit learning, attention, and emotions.

Question 19

The Limbic System Includes

Answer 19

Amygdala
Cingulate Cortex
Hippocampus

Question 20

what disorders are linked to Basal Ganglia

Answer 20

ADHD, OCD, schizophrenia, Tourette’s disorder, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease

Question 21

What is the function of the amygdala

Answer 21

o Processes and regulates fear, anger, joy, and emotional memories.
o Involved in facial emotion recognition, risk-taking, and pain perception.

Question 22

What happens if the Amygdala is Damage

Answer 22

o Reduced fear response, emotional dysregulation, and difficulty recognizing emotions.
o Kluver-Bucy syndrome: Symptoms include hyperphagia (excessive eating), hypersexuality, reduced fear, and visual agnosia.

Question 23

What is the function of the cingulate cortex

Answer 23

o Involved in motivation, emotion, and emotional responses to pain.

Question 24

What is the function of the hippocampus

Answer 24

o Transfers declarative memories from short-term to long-term memory.
o Involved in spatial navigation

Question 24

how does the Cingulate Cortex relate to depression?

Answer 24

o Reduced volume in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is associated with major depressive disorder. o Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been shown to increase ACC volume in people with depression.

Question 25

what happens if the hippocampus is damaged?

Answer 25

o Memory loss, spatial disorientation, and increased risk for PTSD. o Degeneration of the hippocampus is linked to Alzheimer’s disease.

Question 26

The Midbrain includes

Answer 26

Reticular Formation Substantia Nigra

Question 27

The Hindbrain includes

Answer 27

Medulla Pons Cerebellum

Question 28

The forebrain contains

Answer 28

subcortical structures and the cerebral cortex, which control higher cognitive functions.