Ch 4 - The role of the brain in behaviour and mental processes

Question 1

Structural neuroimaging techniques

Answer 1

Computerised tomography (CT)
- 2D x-rays are stacked to create a 3D image
- used for disease/disorder detection
- black and white & aren’t as detailed
- uses electromagnetic ionising radiation

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- uses magnetic & radio fields to take detailed 2D and 3D images
- used for disease/disorder detection
- less harmful than CT scans
- produce detailed, coloured images

Question 2

Functional neuroimaging techniques

Answer 2

Positron emission tomography (PET)
- person injected w/ radioactive glucose substance - help brain light up when active
- solution releases emissions help trace biochemical changes
- person asked to complete a task
- show colours - represent level of activity
- red = most activity, purple = least

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
- uses magnetic & radio fields to take 2D & 3D images
- measures activity by tracing biochemical changes in brain - traces oxygen
- activity reflected w/colours
- preferred method - higher quality images, no needle

Question 3

Hindbrain

Answer 3

a region at the base of the brain, located around and including some of the brainstem
- responsible for coordinating basic survival functions
- in terms of evolution, was 1st to develop
- contains the medulla, pons, and cerebellum

Question 4

Cerebellum

Answer 4

• monitor and coordinate skeletal muscle movement
• receives info about body’s position in space & planned motor movements from brain regions
• maintaining balance & posture
• controlling voluntary movement (procedural & sequential) (riding bike, tying shoe)
• forms and consolidates procedural memories (know how brush teeth etc)

Damage = difficulty coordinate muscle control for everyday activity (walking etc), problems with balance, difficulty w speech

Question 5

Medulla

Answer 5

• connects brain & spinal cord, pathway for neural signals
• regulate autonomic processes (respiration, heart rate, blood pressure, digestion)
• controls reflexive actions (vomiting, coughing, sneezing)
• subconscious & fundamental to survival

Damage = often fatal (e.g. blow to back of head)

Question 6

Pons

Answer 6

• located above medulla (small bundle of nerve tissue)
• regulates respiratory system & controls sleeping, dreaming & waking
• involved in involuntary behaviours (blinking)
• relays info between brain areas (cerebral cortex-cerebellum) (medulla-midbrain)

Damage = often fatal/develops locked-in syndrome (no sensory/motor function, except moving use up, down, blinking)

Question 7

Midbrain

Answer 7

a region at the centre of the brain, between the hindbrain and forebrain, and is part of the brainstem
- relays info between hindbrain-forebrain
- process sensory info (auditory, visual, tactile
- coordinates motor movement relating to sensory stimuli (eye movement)
- regulates sleep & psychological arousal
- contains the reticular formation

Question 8

Reticular formation

Answer 8

• network of neurons that run through centre of midbrain & hindbrain & up toward forebrain
• filters neural info that’s travelling to brain & directs them to brain areas & structures
• integrated & relays neural info relating to survival & reflexive functions
• regulates sleep, wakefulness, consciousness
• regulates physiological arousal & alertness through the reticular activating system (RAS), to higher brain areas about necessary info

Damage = disruption of sleep-wake cycle & result in coma/chronic vegetative state

Question 9

Forebrain

Answer 9

a large and prominent brain region that is located at the top and front of the brain
- cognitions, perception, learning, language, memory
- receiving & processing sensory info, voluntary movement
- contains intricate neuronal networks - enables higher-order functions
- contain cerebrum, thalamus, hypothalamus

Question 10

Hypothalamus

Answer 10

• maintains body’s internal environment (homeostasis)
• regulates release of hormones from vaioous glands - controls pituitary gland
• influences basic biological needs (hunger, thirst, sleep)
• part of the limbic system - involved in emotions (anger, fear)

Damage = inability to regulate internal bodily functions, problems with sleep, overwhelming urge to eat, uncontrollable ranger

Question 11

Thalamus

Answer 11

• filters info from sense receptor sites (except nose), passes to relevant brain areas for further processing
• relays motor signals b/w higher & lower brain areas involved in motor control (relaying sensory and motor signals)

Damage = visual/hearing impairment/ inability to feel sensations when touched

Question 12

Cerebrum

Answer 12

• occupies most of forebrain
• outer surface called cerebral cortex - 2 hemispheres (left, right), connected via corpus callosum - allows passing of info
• coordinated cognition, perception, judgement, language, problem-solving
• receives & processes sensory info, initiates voluntary motor movement

Question 13

Cerebral cortex

Answer 13

the outer layer of the cerebrum that covers the brain
- composed of 3 functional areas: motor, sensory, association
- divided into 4 regions: frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal (FPOT)

Question 14

Functional areas

Answer 14

motor areas - initiating & executing motor movement, made of motor neurons

sensory areas - receiving & processing sensory info, made of sensory neurons

association areas - integrate info from motor & sensory areas to execute complex processes

Question 15

Frontal lobe

Answer 15

• largest of the lobes
• located in upper forward half of each hemisphere

Association & motor areas:
- prefrontal cortex
- premotor cortex
- primary motor cortex
- broca’s area

Question 16

Prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex, primary motor cortex

Answer 16

Prefrontal cortex:
behind forehead
- association area
- reasoning & logic, planning, problem solving, decision making, attention, emotions, reactions, self-awareness, personality
- plans required motor sequence & sends instruction to premotor cortex

Premotor Cortex:
- motor area
- organises movement sequence
- prepare movement sequence & sends to primary motor cortex

Primary motor cortex:
- motor area
- controls voluntary movement through skeletal muscles
- PMC in left lobe controls right body (vice versa)
- sends signals to cerebellum to do movement

Prefrontal –> premotor –> primary motor

Question 17

Broca’s area

Answer 17

• association area
• next to motor cortex in frontal lobe of left hemisphere
• coordinates muscle movement for speech & provides info to right motor areas
• production of articulate speech

Damage = broca’s aphasia - difficulty forming clear speech (no loss in comprehension)

Question 18

Parietal lobe

Answer 18

• behind frontal lobe & upper back of brain
• association area - attention, spatial reasoning, judging position in space, info abt muscle movement
• sensor area - primary somatosensory cortex

Question 19

Primary somatosensory cortex

Answer 19

• sensory area
• processes info from skin & body parts
• left parietal lobes receive info from right side of body (vice versa)

Question 20

Occipital lobe

Answer 20

• back of cerebral hemisphere
• association area - visual perception & interpretation, organises & integrates info from sensory area with other info
• sensory area - primary visual cortex

Damage = serious visual impairment

Question 21

Primary visual cortex

Answer 21

• sensory area
• back of each occipital lobe
• where visual inffo from eyes is stored
• right primary visual cortex receives info from left visual field (vise versa)

Question 22

Temporal lobe

Answer 22

• lower centra area of brain
• association area - processing auditory info, plays important role in memory

Functional areas:
- primary auditory (sensory area)
- wernicke’s area (association area)

Question 23

Primary visual cortex

Answer 23

• sensory area
• back of each occipital lobe
• where visual info from eyes is stored
• right primary visual cortex receives info from left visual field (vice versa)

Question 24

Temporal lobe

Answer 24

• lower central area of brain
• association area - processing auditory info, plays important role in memory

Functional areas:
- primary auditory cortex (sensory area)
- wernicke’s area (association area)

Question 24

Primary auditory cortex

Answer 24

• receives & processes sounds from both ears to perceive & identify different types of sounds
• left hemisphere - verbal sounds (like words)
• right hemisphere - non-verbal sounds (music)

Question 25

Wernicke’s area

Answer 25

• only in left hemisphere
• below primary auditory cortex