Landmarks of the brain

Question 1

what is the circle of willis

Answer 1

circulatory anastomosis that supplies oxygenated blood to the brain and surrounding structures

Question 2

where is the circle of willis

Answer 2

inferior part of the brain

Question 3

the divisions of the brain

Answer 3

forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain

Question 4

what forms the forebrain

Answer 4

• telencephalon - cerebral hemispheres (cortex, basal ganglia and limbic system)
• diencephalon (thalamus and hypothalamus)

Question 5

what forms the hindbrain

Answer 5

• pons (cerebellum)

- medulla

Question 6

what is the central sulcus

Answer 6

a fissure that divides the frontal and parietal lobes

- it is located under the parietal

Question 7

what is the corpus callosum

Answer 7

bundle of nerve fibres which connects the right and left brain hemispheres
made up of white matter
composed of 
-genu
-rostrum
-trunk (body)
-splenium

Question 8

what are the gyrus

Answer 8

folds in the brain separated by sulci

Question 9

how many layers and distinct areas does the cortex have

Answer 9

6 layers and 52 distinct regions (Brodmann areas)

Question 10

what is the cerebrum

Answer 10

primary motor cortex located in the pre central gyrus anterior to central sulcus

Question 11

what does the cerebrum control

Answer 11

it controls voluntary movement - mainly of hands and face

Question 12

how does the cerebrum control movement of the body

Answer 12

by working in conjunction with motor planning areas of the cerebral cortex

Question 13

function of the motor cortex

Answer 13

voluntary movements

Question 14

function of the premotor area

Answer 14

control of trunk, anticipatory postural adjustments

Question 15

function of the supplementary motor area

Answer 15

initiation of movement, orientation planning, bimanual sequential movements

Question 16

function of Broca’s area

Answer 16

motor control of speech (usually left cerebrum)

Question 17

function of area analagous to Broca’s area on opposite side

Answer 17

planning non-verbal communication

Question 18

what is the consequence of damage to motor planning areas

Answer 18

apraxia - unable to perform movements or sequence of movements despite intact muscles
broca’s aphasia - impaired speaking and writing

Question 19

how does visual information travel to the primary visual cortex

Answer 19

from retina via thalamus

Question 20

what does the primary visual cortex discriminate

Answer 20

shape, size, location and texture of objects

Question 21

what information does the secondary visual cortex analyse

Answer 21

colour and motion

Question 22

what is the optic chiasm

Answer 22

X-shaped structure formed by the crossing of the optic nerves in the brain.
Nerve fibres from half of each retina cross over to the opposite side of the brain.

Question 23

function of broca’s area

Answer 23

controls movement involved in speech (face and tongue of adjacent motor cortex)

Question 24

what do lesions in the broca’s area involve

Answer 24

difficulty with verbal expression - speech is slow laboured and telegraphic in style

Question 25

where is wernicke's area

Answer 25

superior temporal gyrus on left hemisphere

Question 26

what is the function of wernicke's area

Answer 26

understanding of spoken words

Question 27

what do lesions in wernicke's area involve

Answer 27

receptive aphasia (difficulty in understanding speech of others) and lose ability to monitor their conversation

Question 28

links of cerebrum (prefrontal cortex) with other areas

Answer 28

prefrontal cortex has links with all parts of neocortex (except primary motor & sensory) and with contralateral side via corpus callosum

Question 29

what is the cerebrum involved in

Answer 29

highest brain functions (executive function) - abstract thought, planning - decision making - anticipating outcomes, judgement - social behaviour

Question 30

what are the schizophrenia negative symptoms associated to

Answer 30

hypofrontality

Question 31

how does the corpus callosum differs in normal people from autistic people

Answer 31

changes in size of corpus callosum in autistic people

Question 32

what do lesions of vermis (tumours in children medulloblastoma) consist in

Answer 32

inability to stand upright, nystagmus, impaired eye scanning

Question 33

characteristics of disease of anterior lobe

Answer 33

associated with chronic alcoholism | staggering drunken gait when sober

Question 34

characteristics of disease of the neocerebellar cortex superior cerebellar peduncle

Answer 34

incoordination of voluntary movements (particularly of upper limb) action tremor

Question 35

function of basal ganglia

Answer 35

important subcortical system which regulates voluntary movement

Question 36

composition of basal ganglia

Answer 36

striatum (caudate nucleus and putamen) pallidum (internal and external globus pallidus) sub thalamic nucleus

Question 37

what do the neurons linking the substantia nigra and the striatum (nigrostriatal pathway) use

Answer 37

dopamine | during motor activity

Question 38

symptoms of parkinson's disease

Answer 38

degeneration of nigrostriatal dopamine neurons

Question 39

what is the limbic system involved in

Answer 39

emotions (fear, anxiety, aggression, pleasure), memory, appetite, sleep

Question 40

composition of limbic system

Answer 40

- cingulate gyrus - fornix - thalamus - stria terminalis - septal nuclei (social behaviour) - amygdala (fear and anxiety) - hippocampus (memory, mood) - hypothalamus (stress, sleep, appetite)

Question 41

what is the hippocampus involved in

Answer 41

learning and memory | also modulates mood and response to stress

Question 42

what does the limbic do

Answer 42

converts short-term memory to long-term memory

Question 43

what do lesions in the hippocampus result in

Answer 43

memory impairments

Question 44

where is the amygdala located

Answer 44

in temporal lobe anterior to the hippocampus

Question 45

function of the amygdala

Answer 45

mediates feelings of fear, anxiety and social learning (interprets facial expression, body language, social signals)

Question 46

what do lesions in the amygdala result in

Answer 46

fearless behaviour, increased risk-taking and poor social judgement

Question 47

what is associated with heightened activation of amygdala

Answer 47

PTSD and other anxiety disorders

Question 48

how is the amygdala in schizophrenic patients

Answer 48

smaller

Question 49

how is the amygdala in autistic children

Answer 49

larger than normal --> social impairments

Question 50

where is the hypothalamus located

Answer 50

anterior/inferior to thalamus, floor of 3rd ventricle

Question 51

function of hypothalamus

Answer 51

regulates appetite, body temperature, reproductive functions, neuroendocrine stress response, emotionality

Question 52

the reward pathway

Answer 52

neuron projection from ventral tegmental area to ventral striatum (nucleus accumbens )

Question 53

why is it necessary the activation of the reward pathway

Answer 53

to experience pleasure

Question 54

what is addiction

Answer 54

loss of behavioural control over drug-taking | stimulates reward pathway