Central Nervous System - Brain

Question 1

What is the cerebral cortex?

Answer 1

• Outermost layer of the brain.
• Lies on top of the cerebrum.
• Composed of folded grey matter.
• Composed of cell bodies + dendrites.

Question 2

What are the 6 lobes of the cerebral cortex?

Answer 2

1. Frontal.
2. Temporal.
3. Insular.
4. Parietal.
5. Occipital.
6. Limbic.

Question 3

What are gyri and sulci?

Answer 3

Are grooves and ridges which increase the surface area of the brain to enhance neuron activity.

Question 4

What is the cerebrum?

Answer 4

• The largest part of the brain.
• Consists of grey and white matter.
• Divides the brain into 2 halves called the cerebral hemispheres.

Question 5

What is the function of the corpus callosum?

Answer 5

• Connects the 2 cerebral hemispheres.
• Allows communication between the 2 hemispheres.

Question 6

What is a Fischer?

Answer 6

The line that describes the separation between both hemispheres.

Question 7

What is the brain stem?

Answer 7

• Connects the cerebrum to the spinal cord and the cerebellum.
• Composed of white and grey matter.
• The origin of 10 out of 12 cranial nerves.

Question 8

What are the 3 sections of the brainstem?

Answer 8

1. Midbrain.
2. Pons.
3. Medulla oblongata.

Question 9

What is the function of the brainstem?

Answer 9

• Regulates breathing.
• Blood pressure.
• Heart rate.
• Sleep.

Question 10

What is the thalamus?

Answer 10

The central relay station for receiving sensory and motor information.

Question 11

What are the functions of the thalamus?

Answer 11

• Relaying all sensory information to the brain.
• Relating motor information to the cerebral cortex.
• Prioritising attention.
• Coordinating shifts in consciousness.
• Role in cognition and memory.

Question 12

What is the basal ganglia?

Answer 12

• Made up of a group of subcortical nuclei.
• Dense area of neurons that have specific functions.
• Responsible primarily for motor control.
• Stores recipes of learned movement patterns.
• Plays a role in motor learning.

Question 13

What makes up the group of subcortical nuclei within the basal ganglia?

Answer 13

• Caudate nucleus.
• Putamen.
• Globus palidus.
• Amygdala.
• Substantia nigra.

Question 14

How else is the limbic system termed?

Answer 14

Emotional nervous system.

Question 15

What are the functions of the limbic system?

Answer 15

• Regulates emotions + behaviour.
• Motivation.
• Short and long-term memory.
• Olfaction.

Question 16

What structures make up the limbic system?

Answer 16

• Amygdala.
• Hippocampus.
• Thalamus + hypothalamus.
• Cingulate gyrus.
• Mamilary bodies.
• Basal ganglia.

Question 17

Specifically, what do the cingulate gyrus and mamillary bodies do within the limbic system?

Answer 17

• Responsible for encoding memories from sights + smells.
• Record memories.

Question 18

What is the cerebellum?

Answer 18

• Located at the inferior + posterior occipital lobe.
• Neuron dense substructure.
• Important in motor control + learning.

Question 19

What are the functions of the cerebellum?

Answer 19

• Coordinates striding gait.
• Maintains posture.
• Controls muscle tone + voluntary muscle activity.

Question 20

What can damage to the cerebellum lead to?

Answer 20

• Impacts motor control.
• Motor learning issues.
• Balance + posture issues.
• Uncoordinated shaky movements.