Basic Anatomy of the Brain

Question 1

The cerebrum consists of two hemispheres the right and left, which are derived embryologically from the ____1_________. The dominant hemisphere is the ____2_____ hemisphere in the vast majority as most people are _____3_______.

Answer 1

1) telencephalon
2) left
3) right handed

Question 2

List four important areas of the frontal lobe?

Answer 2

Precentral gyrus
Superior frontal gyrus
Middle frontal gyrus
Inferior frontal gyrus

Question 3

Explain the role of the precentral gyrus?

Answer 3

contains the primary motor area.

Question 4

Explain the role of the middle frontal gyrus?

Answer 4

contains the frontal eye fields which controls contralateral voluntary eye movement.

Question 5

Explain the role of the inferior frontal gyrus?

Answer 5

contains the Broca speech area in the dominant hemisphere, which is important for language production. Damage to Broca’s area causes expressive dysphasia, the patient can still comprehend words but produces faulty sentences and phonemic errors (i.e. parket vs. carpet).

Question 6

Name 3 important parts of the parietal lobe?

Answer 6

Postcentral gyrus
Superior parietal lobule
Inferior parietal lobule

Question 7

Explain the role of the post central gyrus?

Answer 7

contains the primary somatosensory area.

Question 8

Explain the role of the inferior parietal lobule?

Answer 8

contains the supramarginal gyrus and angular gyrus (damage to this area causes nominal aphasia which is characterized by problems recalling words, names, and numbers).

Question 9

Name 3 important parts of the temporal lobe?

Answer 9

Superior temporal gyrus
Middle temporal gyrus.
Inferior temporal gyrus.

Question 10

Explain the role of the superior temporal gyrus?

Answer 10

contains the auditory area of the cortex and also contains Wernicke’s speech area in the dominant hemisphere (damage to this area causes receptive dysphasia, in which an individual has impaired comprehension and produces jargon “word salad”, however, their speech is fluent).

Question 11

What does the occipital lobe contain?

Answer 11

the visual cortex

Question 12

Describe the role of the limbic system?

Answer 12

It is a group of structures that are located on the medial hemisphere surface surface that encircles the corpus callosum. The limbic system serves for higher emotional functions and contains a major component of the memory system. Important structures include the cingulate gyrus and the hippocampus.

Question 13

Explain the symptoms of cerebellar dysfunction?

Answer 13

memorised by the word “DANISH”:

Dysdiadochokinesia: impairment of rapid alternating movements. Ask the patient to perform quick, alternating pronation and supination of the hand.
Ataxia: patients may suffer from a ‘broad-based’ gait.
Nystagmus: carry out the H-test for extraocular muscle function and notice if there is any nystagmus.
Intention tremor: ask the patient to do the finger-nose test
Scanning dysarthria: patient speaks slowly with poor articulation of speech.
Hypotonia: reduced tone.