B10.4 The brain Flashcards
What is the protective membrane that protects the brain?
Meninges
What is the brain made up of?
Billions of interconnected neurons that form different regions and control complex behaviour
What is the purpose of the cerebral cortex?
Concerned with consciousness - intelligence - memory and language
What is the purpose of the cerebellum?
Concerned mainly with coordinating muscular activity and balance
What is the purpose of the medulla?
Concerned with unconscious activities such as controlling the heartbeat - the movement of the guy - and breathing
What is the purpose of the hypothalamus?
Controlling body temperature
How can studying people with brain damage help them to understand the brain?
Matching changes in behaviour or memory with the damaged area has helped scientist map the functions of some parts of the brain
How can electrically stimulating different parts of the brain help to learn more about the brain?
Scientists expose the brain by removing the top of the skull - Can stimulate difference areas and see what affect this has. People can experience hunger - anger or fear.
How can MRI scans help learn more about the brain?
A magnetic resonance imaging scan will show which area of the brain is affected - Enables scientists to link the loss of certain functions such as speech with damage to a particular region of the brain
What are the problems with the brain?
Range of different chemicals released in the synapses and the brain is very delicate - as a result it is very difficult to investigate brain disorders and treat them
What are the problems with drugs and surgery on the brain?
Drugs do not always reach the brain through the membranes which surround it
Surgery is difficult as it is not fully understood what each area of the brain actually does - it is easy to cause unintended damage
