Cortical organisation and function

Question 1

where is the cerebral cortex?
What does it consist of?

Answer 1

covers entire surface of the brain
contains grey matter (along with deep nuclei)

Question 2

What do foldings in the cortex create?

Answer 2

Gyri and sulci

Question 3

what do fissures separate?

Answer 3

hemispheres and lobes

Question 4

What is the microscopic organisation of the brain?

Answer 4

Organised into layers and columns

Question 5

what are Brodmann maps

Answer 5

52 regions based cytoarchitecture (cell size, spacing/ packing density and layers)

Question 6

how are Brodmann maps useful?

Answer 6

areas relate to function e.g primary somatosensory (1,2,3), primary motor (4)

Question 7

What seperates the primary motor and primary somatosensory cortices?

Answer 7

Central sulcus

Question 8

what are the different cerebral cortex lobes

Answer 8

Frontal
Parietal
Temporal
Occipital

Question 9

what are the functions of the Frontal lobe iM CALM

Answer 9

Regulating and initiating Motor function
Cognitive function (executive function e.g. planning)
Attention
Language
Memory

Question 10

what are the functions of the parietal lobe?

Answer 10

sensation - touch/pain
sensory aspects of language
spatial orientation and self-perception

Question 11

what are the functions of the occipital lobe?

Answer 11

processing visual information

Question 12

what are the functions of the temporal lobe

Answer 12

processing auditory information
emotions
memories

Question 13

what is contained in the limbic lobe?

Answer 13

amygdala, hippocampus, mamillary body, cingulate gyrus

Question 14

what are the functions of the limbic lobe? MEMs and LeaRning

Answer 14

MEMs and LeaRning
memory
emotion
motivation
learning
reward

Question 15

where is the insular lobe?

Answer 15

lies deep into lateral fissure

Question 16

Functions of insular lobe

Answer 16

Concerned with visceral sensations (e.g. thirst, hunger, changed internal temp), autonomic control, and interoception, auditory processing, visual-vestibular integration

Question 17

what is grey matter?

Answer 17

neuronal cell bodies and glial cells

Question 18

what is white matter?

Answer 18

myelinated neuronal axons arranged in tracts

Question 19

what are the types of white matter tracts?

Answer 19

association fibres, commissural fibres, projection fibres

Question 20

what are association fibres?

Answer 20

connect areas in same hemisphere

Question 21

Types of assocation fibres

Answer 21

Short fibres
Long fibres

Question 22

what are commissural fibres?
Examples

Answer 22

connect homologous structures in left and right hemispheres

e.g corpus callosum, anterior commissure

Question 23

what are projection fibres

Answer 23

connect cortex with lower brain structures (e.g. thalamus, brain stem and spinal cord)

Question 24

what association fibres connect the frontal and occipital lobe?

Answer 24

superior longitudinal fasciculus

Question 25

what association fibres connnect the frontal and temporal lobes, specifically Brocas and Wernickes area?

Answer 25

arcuate fasciculus

Question 26

what association fibres connect the temporal and occipital lobes?

Answer 26

Inferior longitudinal fasciculus

Question 27

what association fibres connect the anterior frontal and temporal lobes?

Answer 27

Uncinate fasciculus

Question 28

Difference between afferent and efferent projection fibres

Answer 28

Afferent – towards cortex Efferent – away from cortex

Question 29

where do projection fibres radiate and converge?

Answer 29

Deeper to cortex radiate as the corona radiata Converge through the internal capsule (between the thalamus and basal ganglia)

Question 30

Difference between primary and secondary/ association cortices

Answer 30

primary- function predictable,organised topographically, symmetry between left and right secondary- function less predicatble, not organsied topogrphically, left-right symmetry weak or absent

Question 31

what are the motor areas of the frontal lobe?

Answer 31

primary supplementary premotor

Question 32

what does the primary motor area of the frontal lobe control?

Answer 32

controls fine, discrete, precise voluntary movements. Provides descending signals to execute movements.

Question 33

what does the supplementary motor area of the frontal lobe control?

Answer 33

planning complex movements, internally cued

Question 34

what does the premotor area of the frontal lobe control?

Answer 34

planning movements, externally cued

Question 35

what area of the frontal lobe controls fine, discrete voluntary movements?

Answer 35

primary motor area

Question 36

what area of the frontal lobe plans complex, internally cued movements?

Answer 36

supplementary motor area

Question 37

what area of the frontal lobe plans movements that are externally cued?

Answer 37

premotor area

Question 38

what areas are contained in the parietal lobe?

Answer 38

primary somatosensory area | somatosensory association area

Question 39

what is controlled by the primary somatosensory area?

Answer 39

processes somatic sensations arising from receptors in the body (e.g. fine touch, vibration, two-point discrimination, proprioception, pain and temperature.)

Question 40

what is controlled by the somatosensory association area of the parietal lobe?

Answer 40

Interpret significance of sensory information, e.g. recognizing an object placed in the hand. Awareness of self and awareness of personal space

Question 41

what is controlled by the primary visual area of the occipital lobe?

Answer 41

processes visual stimuli

Question 42

what is controlled by the visual association area of the occipital lobe?

Answer 42

gives meaning and interpretation of visual input

Question 43

what is controlled by the primary auditory area of the temporal lobe?

Answer 43

processes auditory stimuli

Question 44

what is controlled by the auditory association area of the temporal lobe?

Answer 44

gives meaning and interpretation of auditory input

Question 45

what is the prefrontal cortex responsible for? APPSD

Answer 45

attention planning personality expression adjusting social behaviour decision making

Question 46

what is the brocas area responsible for?

Answer 46

motor aspect of speech, production of language

Question 47

where is the Brocas area?

Answer 47

left frontal lobe, just above sylvian fissure

Question 48

what is Wernicke's area responsible for?

Answer 48

understanding and comprehension of language

Question 49

where is Wernicke's area found?

Answer 49

left temporal lobe, superiorly and caudally

Question 50

what is the result of a frontal lobe lesion?

Answer 50

changes in personality, inappropriate behaviour

Question 51

what is the result of a parietal lobe lesion?

Answer 51

contralateral neglect lack of awareness of self on opposite side lack of awareness of opposite side of extrapersonal space

Question 52

what is the result of a temporal lesion?

Answer 52

agnosia (inability to recognise) possible anterograde amnesia- inability to form new memories

Question 53

what is Brocas aphasia?

Answer 53

expressive aphasia - poor production of speech, comprehension intact

Question 54

what is Wernicke's aphasia?

Answer 54

receptive aphasia - poor comprehension of language, production is fine

Question 55

what would a lesion to the primary visual cortex of the occipital lobe cause?

Answer 55

blindness in the corresponding part of the visual field

Question 56

what would a lesion to the visual association area of the occipital lobe cause?

Answer 56

deficits in interpretation of visual information e.g prosopagnosia: inability to recognise familiar faces or learn new faces (face blindness)

Question 57

what are the 4 main methods of assessing cortical function?

Answer 57

Positron emission tomography (PET) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) electroencephalography (EEG) magnetoencephalography (MEG)

Question 58

what is a PET scan?

Answer 58

demonstrates the blood flow directly to a brain region

Question 59

what is an fMRI scan?

Answer 59

demonstrates amount of blood oxygen in brain regions

Question 60

what is an EEG?

Answer 60

measures electrical signals produced by the brain

Question 61

what is an MEG?

Answer 61

measures magnetic signals produced by the brsin

Question 62

what are visual evoked potentials?

Answer 62

type of encephalography | stimulates visual sensations

Question 63

what are somatosensory evoked potentials?

Answer 63

series of waves that reflect sequential activation of neural structures along the somatosensory pathways

Question 64

what is transcranial magnetic stimulation? How is this useful clinically

Answer 64

assesses functional integrity of neural circuits, using electromagnetic induction to stimulate neurones used to 1.investigate neural interactions controlling movement following spinal cord injury 2. Investigate whether a specific brain area is responsible for a function, e.g. speech

Question 65

what is transcranial direct current stimulation

Answer 65

uses low direct current over the scalp to increase or decrease neuronal firing rates

Question 66

What imaging is used to assess brain structure

Answer 66

DTI DTI with tractography

Question 67

what is diffusion tensor imaging?

Answer 67

scan based on the diffusion of water molecules

Question 68

what is diffusion tensor imaging with tractography?

Answer 68

3D reconstruction of brain to assess neural tracts