Functional Anatomy of the Brain

Question 1

What are the brain lobes

Answer 1

4: frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, parietal lobe

Question 2

What are the two main sulci

Answer 2

Lateral sulcus (also known as Sylvian fissure) and central sulcus

Question 3

What is the insula cortex hidden by

Answer 3

The lateral sulcus

Question 4

What are the “hills” of the brain

Answer 4

Gyri

Question 5

What are the “valleys” of the brain

Answer 5

Sulci

Question 6

What is the function of the corpus callosum

Answer 6

It provides a rout for information to get from one hemisphere to the other without having to synapse further down

Question 7

What is the corpus callosum essential for

Answer 7

Normal functioning and integration

Question 8

What are ventricles

Answer 8

Fluid-filled spaces in the brain

Question 9

What are the 3 main arteries coming off the Circle of Willis

Answer 9

Anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral artery, posterior cerebral artery

Question 10

What does the anterior cerebral artery supply

Answer 10

The parietal lobe

Question 11

What does the middle cerebral artery supply

Answer 11

The area for motor control and the area that receives feedback from teh somatosensory system

Question 12

What happens if you have a stroke in your MCA

Answer 12

It has a big impact on your life

Question 13

What does the motor cortex describe

Answer 13

A place and function

Question 14

Why can surgery be done under local anaesthetic

Answer 14

There are no pain receptors in neural tissue

Question 15

What is the main output area of the brain

Answer 15

The primary motor cortex

Question 16

What does the primary auditory cortex receive information from

Answer 16

The olfactory system

Question 17

What are Brodmann’s areas

Answer 17

A cytotechtonic map of cell density, shape and distribution

Question 18

What is the primary visual cortex

Answer 18

The first cortical region to receive information from the eyes

Question 19

What is the primary somatosensory cortex

Answer 19

The first cortical region to receive information from receptors in the skin, muscles and tendons

Question 20

What is the primary auditory cortex

Answer 20

The first cortical area to receive information from the ears

Question 21

What does damage to a primary area mean

Answer 21

Consequent regions of the brain and information fed into the brain is redundant

Question 22

What is the primary motor cortex

Answer 22

Provides an entire map of the body’s muscles and is responsible for muscular control making it the major output of the brain

Question 23

How does PET scanning actively map metabolism of the brain

Answer 23

By tracking where oxygenated blood is flowing

Question 24

What are you using when you are hearing words

Answer 24

Auditory area

Question 25

What are you using when you are seeing words

Answer 25

Occipital lobe

Question 26

What are you using when you are speaking words

Answer 26

Primary motor cortex

Question 27

What is the retrosplenial cortex involved in

Answer 27

Spatial awareness/ navigation

Question 28

Where is CSF

Answer 28

In the ventricles and surrounds the brain

Question 29

What is CSF constantly produced by

Answer 29

The choroid plexus in the lateral ventricles at a rate of 500ml.day

Question 30

Describe the flow of CSF

Answer 30

From the lateral ventricles through the interventricular foramen into the third ventricle then through the cerebral aqueduct into the fourth ventricle befoe entering the subarachnoid space (or spinal canal)

Question 31

Where is CSF reabsorbed

Answer 31

In the arachnoid villus before heading to the superior sagittal spinus

Question 32

What are the functions of CSF

Answer 32

Allows the brain to float (almost weightless), mechanical protection from injury, provides chemical stability for the brain, protects against ischaemia

Question 33

What does the fact that the brain floats mean

Answer 33

There is mechanical buffering- at low speed impacts the brain doesn't smack straight into the scalp. The CSF provides chemical stability as if there is a high concentration of neurotransmitters/ ions the CSF removes them before damage occurs

Question 34

Describe Weigert's stain for CNS tissue

Answer 34

A stain for lipids which therefore stains all the myelin sheath darkly. So white matter made up of myelinated axons will be dark and grey matter containing neurone cell bodies will be unstained. Makes the internal capsule easily identifiable

Question 35

What happens if the internal capsule is damaged in stroke

Answer 35

The motor or sensory system will be affected

Question 36

Describe the lentiform nucleus

Answer 36

Contains the basal ganglia which provides motor control

Question 37

What is involved in Parkinson's disease

Answer 37

The substantia nigra

Question 38

What is the fornix responsible for

Answer 38

Communication between the limbic system and rest of the brain

Question 39

Describe the hippocampus

Answer 39

Nodular and its wiring is held throughout the entirety of its structure. It sits on the medial temporal lobe deep within the brain

Question 40

What contrast is used in mid-sagittal MRI and why

Answer 40

T1 as it shows well the white and grey matter

Question 41

What is the brainstem

Answer 41

Nuclei

Question 42

What are the lots of small black dots that can be seen in transverse dissection and preparation of the brain

Answer 42

Blood vessels

Question 43

Where are the amygdala and hypothalamus burried

Answer 43

In the medial aspect of the temporal lobe

Question 44

Which structures are part of the limbic system

Answer 44

Amygdala and hippocampus

Question 45

What are the functions of the hippocampus

Answer 45

Aggressive behaviour, endocrine control via the hypothalamus, learning and memory. The hippocampus is very important in the formation of new memories

Question 46

What are the functions of the amygdala

Answer 46

Control over autonomic effects mediated by the hypothalamus, aggression and rage. The amygdala is involved in processing of positive and negative emotions and how memories are tagged with emotional context

Question 47

What can damage to he amygdala result in

Answer 47

Psychopathic behaviour and behaviour typical to that seen in people with PTSD

Question 48

What is the limbic system involved in

Answer 48

Motivation, emotion, learning and meory