2- Brain Regions Flashcards
What are the 4 structures in the hindbrain?
Cerebellum
Pons
Formatio reticulus/reticular formation
Medulla oblongata
How many neurons in the brain are in the cerebellum?
50%
What is the cerebellum composed of?
White and grey matter
When is the cerebellum important?
For voluntary movement, motor learning, body position
Where is the pons?
On top of the brainstem
The pons is the bridge connecting what?
The cerebrum to the medulla oblongata and cerebellum
How many nuclei are contained in the formatio reticulus?
90+
What does the formatio reticulus do?
Regulate activity/sleep
What does the medulla oblongata relay?
Motor and sensory signals between higher brain regions and spinal cord
What is the main role of the medulla oblongata?
Reflex control centre
What are the 4 main structures in the midbrain?
Superior colliculus
Substantia nigra
Red nucleus
Inferior colliculus
What is the superior colliculus responsible for?
Visual processing
What is the substantia nigra responsible for?
Voluntary movement control
What is the red nucleus responsible for?
Auditory control
What is contained in the inferior colliculus? (2)
Tectum and tegmentum
2 parts of the forebrain
Diencephalon and telencephalon
2 structures within the diencephalon
Thalamus and hypothalamus
What is the gateway of the cortex?
The thalamus
Where do all sensory pathways relay?
The thalamus
What 3 things does the hypothalamus control?
Homeostasis and hormones
Autonomic nervous system by releasing hormones
Pineal gland
How many cerebral hemispheres are in the telencephalon?
2
What are the 4 key features of the telencephalon?
Cortex
Basal ganglia
Limbic system
Cortical folding
What 4 structures does the basal ganglia contain?
Striatum
Globus pallidus
Subthalamic nucleus
Substantia nigra
What does the basal ganglia control?
Voluntary movement
Where are the multiple closed loop circuits between?
Between the basal ganglia and the cortex
What does the limbic system control? (4 points)
Emotions
Learning and memory
Emotional memories
Recognition of emotions in others
6 structures within the limbic system
Hypothalamus
Hippocampus
Amygdala
Cingulate cortex
Anterior thalamus
Mamillary bodies
Why does the brain have many cortical folds?
To fit more information in the brain
How is surface area increased?
By cortical folding
What are gyri?
Convolutions or bumps, protruding rounded surfaces
What are sulci?
Valley between gyri
What is a fissure?
A very deep sulcus
What is the longitudinal fissure?
The fissure that divides two hemispheres
What is the central (Rolandic) sulcus?
The sulcus that divides the frontal lobe from the parietal lobe
What is the Sylvian (lateral) fissure?
The fissure that divides the temporal lobe from frontal and parietal lobe
The 4 brain lobes
Frontal lobe
Parietal lobe
Temporal lobe
Occipital lobe
Which is the largest and latest brain lobe to mature?
The frontal lobe
Why is the frontal lobe known as the ‘executive’ brain?
Because it is responsible for planning and guiding behaviour
3 functional areas in the frontal lobe
Orbifrontal cortex
Broca’s area
Motor cortex
What is the orbifrontal cortex responsible for? (4 points)
Guiding behaviour, reward, personality insight, foresight
What is Broca’s area responsible for?
Motor mechanisms of speech formation
Why is the parietal lobe also known as the association cortex?
It integrates sensory information from multiple modalities
3 functional areas of the parietal lobe
Primary somatosensory cortex
Cortical association area
Spatial processing
What 2 things is the primary somatosensory cortex?
Somatosensory reception
Integration and processing of sensory information
What is in the cortical association area?
The inferior parietal gyrus
What are the 2 things that the temporal lobe is responsible for?
Language processing
Long-term memory/knowledge
3 functional areas in the temporal lobe
Primary auditory cortex
Wernicke’s area
Parahippocampal gyrus
What is Wernicke’s area responsible for?
Language and reading skills
What is the parahippocampal gyrus responsible for?
Learning and memory
What is the occipital lobe responsible for?
Vision
1 functional area in the occipital lobe
Primary visual cortex
What does the corpus callosum allow?
Communication between hemispheres
What is the corpus callosum made up of?
A bundle of white matter tracts
Where does the corpus callosum project information?
Between the 2 hemispheres, and between the anterior and posterior
4 brain barrier systems
Skull
Meninges
Cerebrospinal fluid
Blood-brain barrier
What are the 3 key features of cerebrospinal fluid?
Buoyancy
Protection
Chemical stability
How does cerebrospinal fluid help buoyancy?
Allows brain to maintain density without being impaired by its own weight
What is hydrocephalus?
Enlarged ventricles push brain tissue towards skull, CSF puts pressure on brain
How does the blood-brain barrier protect brain tissue?
Tightly packed blood vessels only allow certain molecules to pass through
