The Brain

Question 1

What do these terms mean?

Sagittal
Coronal
Axial

Answer 1

They are viewpoints of the brain:

Sagittal - side.
Coronal - end.
Axial - plan.

Question 2

What is this structure:

‘approximately thumb-sized, contains a lot of important structures to do with the heart and respiration’.

Answer 2

Brain stem.

Question 3

What is this structure:

‘enormous in humans! Controls posture and movement and it is the reason we can move smoothly. Approximately one metre long and one hundred and fifty millimetres wide, all folded up’.

Answer 3

Cerebellum.

Question 4

Which structure functions as a conduit in the central nervous system?

Answer 4

Spinal cord.

Question 5

Name the FOUR lobes of the brain.

Answer 5

Frontal, temporal, occipital and parietal.

Question 6

Which lobe is found at the front of the brain?

Answer 6

Frontal lobe.

Question 7

Which lobe is found at the back of the brain? Why might this seem odd?

Answer 7

Occipital lobe. It is to do with vision - but is at the opposite end of the head to the eyes!

Question 8

Which lobe is at the ‘bottom’ of the brain, closer to the brain stem?

Answer 8

The temporal lobe.

Question 9

Which lobe of the brain is is the ‘back half’ of the brain, between the frontal lobe and the occipital lobe?

Answer 9

The parietal lobe.

Question 10

Where does the spinal cord exit the cranial cavity?

Answer 10

Through a big hole in the base of the skull.

Question 11

What is the job of the cranial cavity?

Answer 11

To confine and protect the brain.

Question 12

What is the dura mater?

Answer 12

A very thick membrane which lines the cranial cavity, protecting the brain from the sharp bones of the skull.

Question 13

How many membranes surround the brain?

Answer 13

Three.

Question 14

What is an epidural haematoma? What happens to the brain?

Answer 14

A haemorrhage between the membrane and the cranial cavity whch can cause swelling to press on the soft tissues of the brain. It is even more serious if the swelling presses on the brain stem.

Question 15

Which structure goes between the hemispheres of the brain and all around the cerebellum?

Answer 15

Dura mater.

Question 16

Name the large cavities in the brain which are filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

Answer 16

Ventricles.

Question 17

What is the suggested ratio for grey matter to white matter?

Answer 17

4:3.

Question 18

What are the names for the ridges and furrows in the white matter?

Answer 18

Ridges - gyri.
Furrows - sulci.

Question 19

What are gyri and sulci?

Answer 19

Ridges and furrows in white matter.

Question 20

If the cerebellum is damaged, what effect does this have on movement?

Answer 20

Damage to the cerebellum can cause a loss of smooth movement and lead to jerky movements instead.

Question 21

Which lobe of the brain is only found in primates?

Answer 21

Temporal lobe.

Question 22

Is the brain BILATERAL or SYMMETRICAL?

Answer 22

It is bilateral but it is not symmetrical.

Question 23

In a coronal view of the brain, which lobes are visible as projections around the sides?

Answer 23

Temporal lobes.

Question 24

Where is the core found?

Answer 24

Near to the brain stem.

Question 25

What is the less well-defined area at the centre of the brain called?

Answer 25

Thalamus.

Question 26

What information passes through the thalamus on its way to the cortex?

Answer 26

Sensory information.

Question 27

What are the triangular areas in the centre of the brain called?

Answer 27

Basal ganglia.

Question 28

There are large, very deep grooves in the brain. What are they called and what is their purpose.

Answer 28

Lateral ventricles, they increase surface area.

Question 29

The cerebellum has massive ................... matter connections coming out of the ............... .............. .

Answer 29

White, brain stem.

Question 30

The area where the spinal cord exits the brain is very well protected by what three things?

Answer 30

Bone, fluid and dura.

Question 31

Where is the cerebellum found?

Answer 31

At the 'bottom' of the brain, behind the brainstem.

Question 32

What is the purpose of the gyri and sulci?

Answer 32

To allow the brain to fit in the skull - if it were unfolded the head would need to be twice the size!

Question 33

The principal division of the brain is into two...?

Answer 33

...hemispheres.

Question 34

Name the lobe of the brain: 'associated with higher mental functions,, such as planning and language. It is also the site of the primary motor cortex'.

Answer 34

Frontal lobe.

Question 35

An individual's behaviour can change if which lobe of their brain is damage?

Answer 35

Frontal lobe.

Question 36

What is the role of the primary motor cortex? Where is it located?

Answer 36

Associated with motor control, it is located in the frontal lobe.

Question 37

Name the lobe of the brain: 'The site for incoming sensation from the body. Contains the somatosensory cortex (pain, heat, touch etc.) and the somatosensory association cortex (receives information through the spinal cord via the hypothalamus)'.

Answer 37

Parietal lobe.

Question 38

Where are the somatosensory cortex and somatosensory association cortex located?

Answer 38

Parietal lobe.

Question 39

What information is received in the somatosensory cortex? Where is it located?

Answer 39

Information from the body, e.g. pain, heat, touch etc. It is located in the parietal lobe.

Question 40

Where does the somatosensory association cortex receive information from? Where is it located?

Answer 40

It receives information through the spinal cord, via the hypothalamus. It is located in the parietal lobe.

Question 41

Name the lobe of the brain: 'processes sound, is one of the sites for language and is involved in memory and vision'.

Answer 41

Temporal lobe.

Question 42

Which lobe of the brain contains the hippocampus?

Answer 42

Temporal lobe.

Question 43

What is the function of the hippocampus?

Answer 43

Memory.

Question 44

What happens if the hippocampus is damaged?

Answer 44

The person will only live in the present.

Question 45

Which lobe of the brain is the principal area for vision?

Answer 45

Occipital lobe.

Question 46

Which structure is a 'belt' of tissue associated with processing emotion?

Answer 46

The cingulate gyrus.

Question 47

In which lobe of the brain is the visual cortex located?

Answer 47

Occipital lobe.

Question 48

The basal ganglia are part of the system for controlling...?

Answer 48

...movement.

Question 49

Which three structures are found in the central core of the brain?

Answer 49

Basal ganglia, hypothalamus and thalamus.

Question 50

Where are the basal ganglia, thalamus and hypothalamus found?

Answer 50

In the central core of the brain.

Question 51

Which structure is the principal site for the initial processing of sensory information?

Answer 51

Thalamus.

Question 52

Which structure is important for homeostasis and endocrine regulation?

Answer 52

Hypothalamus.

Question 53

Which structure is this?: 'a large band of white matter connecting the two hemispheres'.

Answer 53

Corpus colosum.

Question 54

What is the corpus colosum?

Answer 54

A large baind of white matter connecting the two hemispheres of the brain.

Question 55

Which structure has a role in movement, posture and autonomic function?

Answer 55

Brain stem.

Question 56

Which structure is important for controlling posture and movement?

Answer 56

Cerebellum.

Question 57

Which part of the central nervous system could be said to have a 'butterfly' structure of grey matter surrounded by white matter tracts?

Answer 57

Spinal cord.

Question 58

The ONLY information that DOES NOT pass through the spinal cord is information that controls...?

Answer 58

...the face.

Question 59

If information that controls the face does not pass through the spinal cord, where does it come from?

Answer 59

Cranial nerves.

Question 60

Why do rats have such large cranial nerves?

Answer 60

To control their whiskers!

Question 61

True or false? The spinal cord is simply a conduit for information.

Answer 61

False. The spinal cord is a conduit for sensory input and motor output but it also processes these signals.

Question 62

What are the four main types of nervous system as seen in evolution?

Answer 62

1. Nerve net, e.g. sea anemone. 2. Segmented nerve trunk, e.g. flatworm. 3. Ganglia, e.g. squid. 4. Brain, e.g. frogs.

Question 63

True or false? Brain structure can vary between vertebrates.

Answer 63

False. All vertebrates have essentially the same brain structure.