Anatomy of the Brain Flashcards
What two main parts comprises the brain?
Brain stem and the cerebral hemispheres
What is the brain stem divided into? (3)
Hind-brain
Mid-brain
‘Between-brain’
What is the ‘between-brain’ called?
Diencephalon
The hind-brain is an extension of the ______ ____
Spinal cord
The hind-brain contains networks of neurons that constitute centres for the control of vital functions?
Breathing, blood pressure and others
What arises from the roof of the hind-brain?
The cerebellum
What role does the cerebellum?
Absolutely central role in the control and timing of movements
What do the midbrain neurons use?
Use predominantly a particular type of chemical messenger
Where does midbrain neurons project to?
Project up to cerebral hemispheres
What is midbrain neurons thought to be able to modulate?
The activity of neurons in the higher centres of the brain
What is the midbrain neurons thought to mediate?
Functions such as sleep, attention or reward
What is the diencephalon divided into?
The thalamus and the hypothalamus
What is the function of the thalamus?
Relays impulses from all sensory systems to the cerebral cortex, which in turn sends messages back to the thalamus
Does information travel one way in the brain?
Not it doesn’t, information travels back and forth in the brain
What is the function of the hypothalamus?
Controls functions such as eating and drinking, and also regulates the release of hormones involved in sexual functions
What does the cerebral hemispheres consist of?
A core
The basal ganglia
An extensive but thin surrounding sheet of neurons making up the grey matter of the cerebral cortex
What is the function of the basal ganglia?
Plays a central role in the initiation and control of movement
What enables the cerebral cortex to have a much larger surface area for neurons?
The folds that weave in and out, as it is packed in a limited space of the skull
Cortical tissue in humans is ____ times bigger than in gorillas
Four
What are the sensory areas receiving from the skin called?
Somaesthetic areas
True or False:
The pathways from the sensory receptors to the cortex and from cortex to the muscles cross over from one side to the other
True
What is the large fibre tract that connect the left and right cerebral cortex?
Corpus callosum
Who is the father of modern neuroscience?
Ramon y Cajal
