Cortical Organisation and function

Question 1

How is the brain microscopically organised (two words)

Answer 1

Layers and Columns

Question 2

What numbers of the Brodmann’s classification do the primary motor cortex and the primary somatosensory cortex encompass?

Answer 2

Somatosensory - 1,2,3 // Motor Cortex - 4

Question 3

What are the 4 functions of the frontal lobe?

Answer 3

CALM - Cognition, Attention, Language, Memory

Question 4

What are the 4 functions of the parietal lobe?

Answer 4

SSSS - sensation, sensory parts of language, spatial orientation, self-perception

Question 5

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

Answer 5

Visual information processing

Question 6

What are the 3 functions of the temporal lobe?

Answer 6

AME - auditory information processing, memories, emotions

Question 7

What 4 structures are included in the limbic lobe?

Answer 7

Amygdala, Cingulate Gyrus, Hippocampus, Mamillary Body

Question 8

What are the 5 functions associated with the limbic lobe?

Answer 8

learning, motivation, emotion, memory, reward

Question 9

What are the 5 functions associated with the insular cortex

Answer 9

Visceral sensations (thirst & hunger),
Autonomic control,
Interoception (internal sensation - heartbeat),
Auditory processing,
Visual-vestibular integration

Question 10

What are the two components of the internal cerebral cortex structure?

Answer 10

Grey matter (outside) - neuron bodies and glial cells,
White matter (inside) - myelinated neuron axons

Question 11

What are the three types of fibres that connect the white matter and which structures do they connect

Answer 11

Association fibres - same side of brain,
Commissural fibres - homologous structures in left and right,
Projection fibres - cortex with thalamus, brainstem, spinal cord

Question 12

What are the two types of fibres in the association fibres?

Answer 12

Short and Long fibres

Question 13

What are 4 examples of association fibres?

Answer 13

Superior Longitudinal Fasciculus (frontal & occipital) //
Inferior Longitudinal Fasciculus (temporal & occipital) //
Arcuate Fasciculus (frontal and temporal) //
Uncinate Fasciculus - anterior frontal and temporal //// longitudinal goes to occipital, other two are frontal temporal

Question 14

What are the two types of commissural fibres?

Answer 14

Corpus callosum,
Anterior commissure

Question 15

When would the corpus callosum be severed?

Answer 15

To prevent severe epilepsy from travelling from one side to another

Question 16

What are the two classifications for projection fibres by direction?

Answer 16

Afferent - towards cortex,
Efferent - away from cortex

Question 17

What are a specific group of projection fibres?

Answer 17

Corona Radiata
radiate deep to the cortex

Question 18

Where is the corona radiata found?

Answer 18

Internal capsule (between thalamus and basal ganglia)

Question 19

How is the localisation of function different between primary cortices and secondary/association cortices?

Answer 19

Primary - predictable, topographical organisation, L-R symmetry.
Vice versa for secondary/association

Question 20

What movements do the primary motor cortex control?

Answer 20

Fine, discrete, precise voluntary movements

Question 21

What movements do the supplementary area control?

Answer 21

Complex internally cued movements - rising from chair

Question 22

What movements does the premotor area control?

Answer 22

Planning movements (external) - respond to environment (Premotor - pre-motor actions)

Question 23

What does the primary somatosensory area do?

Answer 23

Processes somatic sensations - fine touch, vibration, two-point discrimination, proprioception, pain, temperature

Question 24

What does the somatosensory association do?

Answer 24

Significance of sensory information - recognising context

Question 25

What does the primary visual do?

Answer 25

Processes visual information

Question 26

What does the visual association do?

Answer 26

Meaning and interpretation to visual input

Question 27

What does the primary auditory do?

Answer 27

Processes auditory information

Question 28

What does the auditory association do?

Answer 28

Meaning and interpretation to audio input

Question 29

What does the prefrontal cortex association do?

Answer 29

PAPAD - personality, attention, planning, adjusting social behaviour, decision making

Question 30

What does Broca's area do, and the effect of a lesion?

Answer 30

Production of language, expressive aphasia

Question 31

What does Wernicke's area do, and the effect of a lesion?

Answer 31

Comprehension of language, receptive aphasia

Question 32

How are the Broca and Wernicke areas connected?

Answer 32

arcuate fasciculus

Question 33

What is the effect of a parietal lobe lesion?

Answer 33

contralateral neglect - lack of awareness on contralateral side - cannot see other side etc. e.g. doesn't eat from left side/ shave/ wear clothes

Question 34

What is the effect of a frontal lobe lesion?

Answer 34

Changes in personality, inappropriate behaviour can be due to stroke and restriction of blood flow

Question 35

What are the two effects of a temporal lobe lesion?

Answer 35

Agnosia (cannot recognise) -lateral Anterograde Amnesia (cannot form new memories) -medial

Question 36

How is the cerebral cortex damaged?

Answer 36

usually due to restriction of blood flow, stroke. Transient ischaemic attack is when there is no irreversible damage. (temporary blockage)

Question 37

What is the effect of a primary visual cortex lesion?

Answer 37

Blindness in that part of visual field

Question 38

What is the effect of a lesion in visual association area?

Answer 38

Hard to interpret visual information - prosopagnosia (face blindness)

Question 39

Three main arteries that supply the brain

Answer 39

Anterior, middle, posterior cerebral artery.

Question 40

What two imaging scans are used for the lobes, and what for?

Answer 40

PET (blood flow to brain region), helpful for research functional MRI (blood oxygen in brain region)

Question 41

How would you assess electrical and magnetic signals in the brain

Answer 41

Electroencephalography (EEG), used for epilepsy Magentoencepahlography (MEG)

Question 42

How do you carry out signalling tests?

Answer 42

Evoked-potentials: place electrodes that release impulse, and detect effect on the nerve

Question 43

How would you assess functional integrity of neuronal circuits?

Answer 43

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation - using electromagnetic induction (for MS)

Question 44

How would you detect firing rates of neurons?

Answer 44

Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation low direct current over the scalp to increase or decrease neuronal firing rate

Question 45

What are the two types of imaging to visualise brain connectivity?

Answer 45

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (using water diffusion) and DTI with tractography (to build a 3D reconstruction) Shows water diffusion of water molecules across neurons