3.4 Structure of the Brain

Question 1

What are the 3 major divisions of the brain?

Answer 1

Forebrain

Midbrain

Hindbrain

Question 2

An area of the brain that coordinates information coming into and out of the spinal cord

Answer 2

Hindbrain

Question 3

What are the main regions of the Hindbrain?

Answer 3

Cerebellum

Pons

Reticular formation

Medulla

Question 4

What are the main regions of the Midbrain?

Answer 4

Tegmentum

Tectum

Question 5

This part of the brain is important for orientation and movement

Answer 5

Midbrain

Question 6

This part of the brain is critical for complex cognitive, emotional, sensory, and motor functions

Answer 6

Forebrain

Question 7

What are the main regions of the Forebrain?

Answer 7

Cerebral Cortex

Subcortical Structures

Question 8

An extension of the spinal cord into the skull that coordinates heart rate, circulation, and respiration

Answer 8

Medulla

Question 9

A brain structure that regulates sleep, wakefulness, and levels of arousal.

Answer 9

Reticular formation

Question 10

A large structure of the hindbrain that controls fine motor skills.

Answer 10

Cerebellum

Question 11

A brain structure that relays information from the cerebellum to the rest of the brain.

Answer 11

Pons

Question 12

A part of the midbrain that orients an organism in the environment.

Answer 12

Tectum

Question 13

A part of the midbrain that is involved in movement and arousal.

Answer 13

Tegmentum

Question 14

The outermost layer of the brain, visible to the naked eye and divided into two hemispheres.

Answer 14

Cerebral Cortex

Question 15

Areas of the forebrain housed under the cerebral cortex near the very centre of the brain.

Answer 15

Subcortical Structures

Question 16

A subcortical structure that relays and filters information from the senses and transmits the information to the cerebral cortex.

Answer 16

Thalamus

Question 17

A subcortical structure that regulates body temperature, hunger, thirst, and sexual behaviour.

Answer 17

Hypothalamus

Question 18

A group of forebrain structures including the hypothalamus, the hippocampus, and the amygdala, which are involved in motivation, emotion, learning, and memory.

Answer 18

Limbic System

Question 19

A structure critical for creating new memories and integrating them into a network of knowledge so that they can be stored indefinitely in other parts of the cerebral cortex.

Answer 19

Hippocampus

Question 20

A part of the limbic system that plays a central role in many emotional processes, particularly the formation of emotional memories.

Answer 20

Amygdala

Question 21

A set of subcortical structures that directs intentional movements.

Answer 21

Basal Ganglia

Question 22

A network of glands that produce and secrete into the bloodstream chemical messages known as hormones, which influence a wide variety of basic functions, including metabolism, growth, and sexual development.

Answer 22

Endocrine System

Question 23

The “master gland” of the body’s hormone-producing system, which releases hormones that direct the functions of many other glands in the body.

Answer 23

Pituitary Gland

Question 24

What are the smooth surfaces of the cortex called?

Answer 24

Gyri

Question 25

What are the indentations in cortex called?

Answer 25

Sulci

Question 26

What are Hormones?

Answer 26

Chemical messengers; Influence several basic functions, such as metabolism, growth, sexual maturation

Question 27

A thick band of nerve fibres that connects large areas of the cerebral cortex on each side of the brain and supports communication of information across the two hemispheres.

Answer 27

Corpus Callosum

Question 28

A region of the cerebral cortex that processes visual information.

Answer 28

Occiptal Lobe

Question 29

A region of the cerebral cortex whose functions include processing information about touch.

Answer 29

Parietal Lobe

Question 30

A region of the cerebral cortex responsible for hearing and language.

Answer 30

Temporal Lobe

Question 31

The region of the cerebral cortex that has specialized areas for movement, abstract thinking, planning, memory, and judgement.

Answer 31

Frontal Lobe

Question 32

Areas of the cerebral cortex that are composed of neurons that help provide sense and meaning to information registered in the cortex.

Answer 32

Association areas

Question 33

Neurons that are active when an animal performs a behaviour, such as reaching for or manipulating an object, and are also activated when another animal observes that animal performing the same behaviour.

Answer 33

Mirror Neurons

Question 34

Represents skin areas on the contralateral surface of the body

Answer 34

Somatosensory Cortex

Question 35

Is a rendering of the body in which each part is shown in proportion to how much of the somatosensory cortex is devoted to it

Answer 35

Homunculus

Question 36

Functions that were assigned to certain areas of the brain may be capable of being reassigned to other areas of the brain to accommodate changing input from the environment.

Answer 36

Brain plasticity