5B - The Hindbrain, Midbrain, Forebrain, And Cerebral Cortex 🧠

Question 1

what are the four major regions of the brain?

Answer 1

the hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain and cerebral cortex

Question 2

what is the hindbrain?

Answer 2

a region of the brain composed of the cerebellum, medulla oblongata and pons. This region is involved in supporting vital bodily processes such as breathing and sleep

Question 3

what is the cerebellum?

Answer 3

a region of the hindbrain involved in coordinating voluntary movements, balance, posture, and movements associated with speech and vision

Question 4

what is the medulla oblongata?

Answer 4

an area of the hindbrain which is responsible for the autonomic functions of the body such as heart rate and breathing

Question 5

what is the role of the ‘pons’

Answer 5

an area of the hindbrain that acts as a bridge between the cerebellum and cerebral cortex

Question 6

what is the midbrain?

Answer 6

an area of the brain at the topmost part of the brainstem which is involved in auditory and visual processing, motor control, pain inhibition and reward based learning patterns

Question 7

what is the forebrain?

Answer 7

the area of the brain which includes the cerebrum, thalamus, hypothamulus, pineal gland, and limbic system. This area is involved in coordinating brain activity

Question 8

what is homeostasis?

Answer 8

the condition of maintaining a stable internal environment of the body that is necessary for survival

Question 9

what is the hypothalamus?

Answer 9

an area of the forebrain that connects the hormonal and nervous systems and helps the body in maintaining homeostasis

Question 10

what is the limbic system?

Answer 10

a set of interconnected brain structures in the center of the forebrain, that play a role in emotions, behaviour control, and the formation of long-term memories

Question 11

what is the thalamus?

Answer 11

an area of the forebrain that processes and relays sensory information

Question 12

what is the cerebrum?

Answer 12

an area of the forebrain that directs conscious motor activity and receives and processes sensory information

Question 13

what is the cerebral cortex?

Answer 13

the thin layer of neurons covering the outer region of the cerebrum, characterised by extensive folding

Question 14

define ‘cerebral hemispheres’

Answer 14

located on the left and right side of the brain, these areas control the motor and sensory functions on opposing sides of the body

Question 15

name 3 roles of the left hemisphere

Answer 15

• analytical processing
• language (verbal)
• ordered sequencing
• rational thought
• logic and planning
• right field vision
• right side motor skills

Question 16

name 3 roles of the right hemisphere

Answer 16

• spatial and visual thinking
• emotional recognition and thought
• creativity
  -imagination
• left side vision
• left side motor skills
• non-verbal

Question 17

what is hemispheric specialisation?

Answer 17

when one cerebral hemisphere has a specialised function that is not possessed by, or is controlled to a lesser extent, by the other hemisphere

Question 18

what is the frontal lobe?

Answer 18

an area of the brain that plays an important role in planning, sequencing, and executing voluntary movement

Question 19

what is the broca’s area?

Answer 19

an area of the frontal lobe which is responsible for clear and fluent production of speech

Question 20

what is the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 20

an area of the frontal lobe involved in planning the required motor sequences to carry out voluntary movement. Also involved in reasoning, problem-solving, emotional regulation, attention, symbolic thinking, and initiating and inhibiting behaviours

Question 21

what is the premotor cortex?

Answer 21

an area of the frontal lobe that prepares the sequence of movements and sends this information to the primary motor cortex

Question 22

what is the primary motor cortex?

Answer 22

an area of the frontal lobe which sends neural messages to skeletal muscles and initiates and executes voluntary movements.

Question 23

what is the temporal lobe?

Answer 23

an area of the brain that plays a significant role in receiving and processing sounds from the ears

Question 24

what is the primary auditory cortex?

Answer 24

an area of the temporal lobe which assists us in identifying and responding to sound, with different parts of the cortex responding to different types of sounds such as high or low pitch

Question 25

what is the wernicke’s area?

Answer 25

a specialised area of the left temporal lobe that plays a critical role in understanding the sounds we hear in speech. Also plays a role in speech production and has a connection to the broca’s area

Question 26

what is the parietal lobe?

Answer 26

an area of the brain involved in attention, spatial awareness and reasoning, and receiving and processing somatosensory information

Question 27

what is the role of the primary somatosensory cortex?

Answer 27

to receive and process sensory information from a range of different body areas, including the fingers, hands, arms, feet, face, ect. it is an area in the parietal lobe

Question 28

what is the occipital lobe?

Answer 28

an area of the brain that plays an crucial role in vision. Involved in receiving and processing visual information.

Question 29

what is the primary visual cortex?

Answer 29

an area of the occipital lobe which receives and processes information from visual sensory receptors in the retina of both eyes