Subdivisions of the Brain

Question 1

What are the three major subdivisions of the brain?

Answer 1

Hindbrain
Midbrain
Forebrain

Question 2

What is the hindbrain?

Answer 2

The lowest and most primitive level of the brain

Question 3

What structures are contained within the hindbrain?

Answer 3

The brain stem
The cerebellum

Question 4

What is the role of the brain stem?

Answer 4

Controls basic but vital life support functions

Question 5

What structures are contained within the brain stem?

Answer 5

The medulla
The pons

Question 6

What is the role of the medulla?

Answer 6

Plays a key role in heart rate and respiration, enabling them to occur automatically

Question 7

What is the role of the pons?

Answer 7

Helps to control vital functions, especially respiration
Helps to regulate sleep
Acts as a relay between the cerebellum and the cerebral cortex

Question 8

What is the role of the cerebellum?

Answer 8

Control and coordination of muscular movement, learning and memory

Question 9

What does damage to the cerebellum lead to?

Answer 9

Severe motor disturbances - this can even include temporary damage due to intoxication

Question 10

What is the midbrain?

Answer 10

It contains clusters of sensory and motor neurons

Question 11

What is the role of the motor neurons in the midbrain?

Answer 11

Controlling eye movements

Question 12

What structure is contained within the midbrain?

Answer 12

The reticular formation

Question 13

What is the general role of the reticular formation?

Answer 13

Plays a role in consciousness, sleep and attention

Question 14

What are the two parts of the reticular formation?

Answer 14

The ascending general sensory tract
The descending motor projection

Question 15

What does each part of the reticular formation do?

Answer 15

Ascending - alerts the higher centres of the brain that messages are coming
Descending - admits or blocks these messages

Question 16

What can damage to the reticular formation lead to?

Answer 16

A permanent coma
There may also be links to chronic fatigue

Question 17

What is the forebrain?

Answer 17

The most recently evolved part of the brain

Question 18

What structures are contained within the forebrain?

Answer 18

Cerebrum
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
The limbic system
Cerebral cortex

Question 19

What is the cerebrum?

Answer 19

The major structure of the forebrain, consisting of two hemispheres that wrap around the brain stem

Question 20

What is the role of the thalamus?

Answer 20

Organises inputs from the sensory organs and routes them to the appropriate areas of the brain

Question 21

Which senses is the thalamus concerned with?

Answer 21

Sight
Sound
Touch
Balance

Question 22

What happens if the thalamus is damaged?

Answer 22

Hearing and vision are confused, producing symptoms similar to schizophrenia, such as hallucinations and not being able to distinguish between what is real and imaginary

Question 23

What is the role of the hypothalamus?

Answer 23

Plays a major role in motivation and emotion
Controls hormonal secretions that regulate sexual behaviour, metabolism and reactions to stress
Involved in experiences of pleasure/displeasure

Question 24

What is the role of the limbic system?

Answer 24

Helps coordinate behaviours needed to satisfy motivational and emotional urges that arise in the hypothalamus

Question 25

What structures are contained within the limbic system?

Answer 25

Hippocampus Amygdala

Question 26

What is the role of the hippocampus?

Answer 26

Forming, consolidating and retrieving memories Providing the context of a memory Involved in navigation

Question 27

What happens if the hippocampus is damaged?

Answer 27

Amnesia can be caused - the individual may struggle to form new memories but their old memories will remain intact

Question 28

What is the role of the amygdala?

Answer 28

Involved in emotional behaviours (particularly anger and fear) and memories

Question 29

What happens if the amygdala is damaged?

Answer 29

Individuals may struggle to remember the emotional content of memories

Question 30

What is the cerebral cortex?

Answer 30

A sheet of unmyelinated cells that forms the outermost layer of the brain

Question 31

What are the "bulges" in the cerebral cortex called?

Answer 31

Gyri

Question 32

What are the "grooves" in the cerebral cortex called?

Answer 32

Fissures

Question 33

What are the two roles of fissures in the cerebral cortex?

Answer 33

Increase the surface area of the brain Separate the brain into lobes

Question 34

What are the four lobes of the brain?

Answer 34

Frontal Parietal Occipital Temporal

Question 35

Where is the motor cortex located?

Answer 35

The frontal lobe

Question 36

What is the role of the motor cortex?

Answer 36

Controls the approximately 600 muscles involved in voluntary body movements

Question 37

How do the different hemispheres of the motor cortex operate?

Answer 37

Each hemisphere governs movement on the opposite side of the body

Question 38

What is the relationship between body parts and the area of the motor cortex allotted to them?

Answer 38

The more sophisticated and complex the movement they produce, the more area is allotted to them, e.g. hands and mouth have the largest allotted area

Question 39

Where is the somatosensory cortex located?

Answer 39

The parietal lobe

Question 40

What is the role of the somatosensory cortex?

Answer 40

Receives sensory input and translates this into sensations of heat, touch, cold, balance and body movement

Question 41

What is the relationship between body parts and the area of the somatosensory cortex allotted to them?

Answer 41

The more sensitive the body part, the more area is allotted to them

Question 42

Where is the association cortex located?

Answer 42

The cerebral cortex

Question 43

What is the role of the association cortex?

Answer 43

Involved in important mental functions, such as perception, language and thought

Question 44

What problems can be caused by damage to the association cortex?

Answer 44

Disruption or loss of speech Issues with understanding, thinking and problem solving Agnosia

Question 45

What is agnosia?

Answer 45

The inability to identify familiar objects

Question 46

What is the role of the frontal lobes?

Answer 46

Involved in self-awareness, planning and responsibility Involved in emotional experience

Question 47

What happens if the frontal lobes are damaged?

Answer 47

An inability to plan and carry out a sequence of actions - individuals struggle to look into the future and consider the consequences of their actions Individuals tend to be apathetic and emotionless

Question 48

Where is the prefrontal cortex located?

Answer 48

The front of the frontal lobes

Question 49

What is the role of the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 49

It is the seat of the executive functions

Question 50

What are executive functions?

Answer 50

Mental abilities that allow people to direct their behaviour in an adaptive fashion

Question 51

What happens if the prefrontal cortex is damaged?

Answer 51

Individuals have problems planning strategically, controlling their impulses and setting goals Poor judgement Impulsivity

Question 52

Who is a famous case of damage to the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 52

Phineas Gage