11 - Higher functions of the brain

Question 1

What is the function of the cortical association areas?

Answer 1

Receive, integrate and analyse signals from multiple cortical and subcortical regions. Output produces the complex human behaviours which make up our individuality.

Question 2

What are the short range fibres called and what do the run between?

Answer 2

Arcuate fibres

Between gyri and adjacent lobes

Question 3

What are the long-range connections?

Answer 3

Superior longitudinal fasciculus
Arcuate fasciculus
Uncinate fasciculus
Cingulum

Question 4

Describe the layers of the cortex

Answer 4

Six layers
1-3 = cortical association areas
4 = input (motor and sensory cortex, thalamus, brainstem)
5 = output
6 = output (hippocampus, basal ganglia, cerebellum, thalamus)

Question 5

What association areas are found in the frontal lobe?

Answer 5

Found in dominant hemisphere (L usually)

• personality
• higher intellect
• mood
• social conduct
• language

Question 6

What will occur with frontal lobe lesions?

Answer 6

Personality and behaviours changesInability to solve problems

Question 7

What association areas are found in the parietal lobe?

Answer 7

Dominant
- language
- calculation
Non-dominant
- visiospatial awareness (shapes and images)

Question 8

What will occur with a parietal lobe lesion?

Answer 8

Attention deficits
Contralateral neglect syndrome
- do not notice things on side opposite to the lesion

Question 9

What association areas are found in the temporal lobe?

Answer 9

Memory and language in the dominant hemisphere

Question 10

What will occur in a temporal lobe lesion?

Answer 10

Recognition deficits

- prosognosia

Question 11

Define prosognosia

Answer 11

Failure to recognise faces

Question 12

What association areas are found in the occipital lobe?

Answer 12

Vision

Question 13

What will occur in an occipital lobe lesion?

Answer 13

Superior/inferior homonymous quadrantopia

Homonymous hemianopia

Question 14

What diseases cause global lesions?

Answer 14

Alzheimers

Cerebrovascular disease

Question 15

What is the input area for language?

Answer 15

Wernicke's area
Connections to:
- primary auditory cortex
- primary visual cortex
Interprets written and spoken words

Question 16

What is the output area for language?

Answer 16

Broca’s area

- forms language components and sends information to the motor cortex

Question 17

Describe Wernicke’s aphasia

Answer 17

Disorder of comprehension

• cannot understand written or spoken word
• have fluent, but unintelligible speech (jargon aphasia)
• loss of mathematical skills

Question 18

Describe Broca’s aphasia

Answer 18

Difficulty with speech

Can understand but have poorly constructed sentences and disjointed speech

Question 19

What are the functions associated with the dominant hemisphere?

Answer 19

Processes information - language
Maths
Logic
Motor skills

Question 20

What are the functions associated with the non-dominant hemisphere?

Answer 20

Looks at the whole picture
Emotion of language
Music and art
Visiospatial
Body awareness

Question 21

What are the connections between the cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 21

Corpus callosum - anterior commisure
Posterior commisure
Hippocampal commisure
CC is main and largest connection

Question 22

Define decelartive memories

Answer 22

Statement of facts

Question 23

Define procedural memories

Answer 23

Process of performing actions

Question 24

Where are memories stored?

Answer 24

Different areas throughout the cortex

• appropriate area for memory
  e. g. visual memory in the occipital cortex, music playing memory in the temporal cortex

Question 25

Describe short term memory

Answer 25

Seconds to minutes

working memory

Question 26

Describe long term memory

Answer 26

Up to a lifetime

Consolidation of short term memory

Question 27

How does neuronal plasticity work?

Answer 27

Persistent activation of NMDA and mGluR1-7 leads to up-regulation of AMPA receptors
Strong, higher frequency signals causes long term potentiation which is though to be the basis of long term synapse strengthening and learning

Question 28

How do memories form?

Answer 28

Information arises from the senses and passes to the amygdala and hippocampus
This forms the memories.