BB1.3: Organization of the Brain

Question 1

Meninges

• what are they
• purpose
• 3 layers

Answer 1

• thick sheath of connective tissues that cover the brain
• Help protect the brain and anchor it in place, within the skull, and reabsorb the cerebrospinal fluid.
• dura matter, the arachnoid mater, and pia mater

Question 2

Cerebrospinal Fluid

• what is it
• what produces it

Answer 2

• Aqueos soltution in which the brain and spinal cord rest.

- Produced by specialized cells that line the ventricles (internal cavities) of the brain

Question 3

The 3 basic subdivisions of the human brain

• what are they
• which two make up the brain stem

Answer 3

• Forebrain, midbrain, and hindbrain

- Midbrain and Hindbrain

Question 4

Forbrain 
-Principal Structures and Functions
Midbrain 
-Principal Structures and Functions 
Hindbrain
-Principal Structures and Functions

Answer 4

-Cerbral Cortex: Complex perceptual, cognitive and behavioral processes
Basal Ganglia: Movement
Limbic System: Emotion and Memory(Agression, Fear, Pleasure, and Pain)
Thalamus:Sensory Relay Station
Hypothalamus: Hunger and thirst: emotion
-Inferior and Superior Colliculi: Sensorimotor Reflexes
-Cerebellum: Refinded Motor Movements
Medulla oblongata: Vital Functioning (breathing, digestion)
Reticular Formation: Arousal and alertness

Question 5

• What is the neural tube?

- What is the neural tube composed of?

Answer 5

• During prenatal life, it the development that spawns the brain
• it is composed of three swellings, which correspond to the hindbrain, midbrain, and forebrain

Question 6

• What are the five swellings of the neural tube?

- Names

Answer 6

-The five swellings of the neural tube form the embryonic brain.
-Forebrain: Telecephalon and Diencephalon (Together called Prosencephalon)
Midbrain: Mesencephalon
Hindbrain: Metencephalon and Myelencephalon (together called Rhombencephalon)

Question 7

Hindbrain (Rhombencephalon)

• Located where
• Controls what
• Rhombencephalon divides in embryonic development to form what
• Function of Medulla Oblongata, Pons, and Cerebellum

Answer 7

-Located where the brain meets the spinal cord
-Breathing, motor coordination, breathing, digestion and general arousal processes such as sleeping and walking. In short, manages vital functions necessary for survival.
-Myelencephalon (medulla oblongata) and Metencephalon (Pons and Cerebellum)
- Medulla Obolongata: heart rate, heart rate, and blood pressure
Pons: Contains sensroy and motor pathways between the cortex and medulla
Cerebellum: Helps maintain posture and balance and coordinates body movements

Question 8

Midbrain (Mesencephalon)

• Located where
• Controls what
• Made of what

Answer 8

-Located just above the hindbrain, which receives sensory information from the rest of the body.
-Associated with involuntary reflex responses triggered by visual or auditory stimuli.
-Several prominent nuclei called colliculi
Superior Colliculus: Receives Visual Sensory input
Inferior Colliculus: Receives sensory information from the auditory system, plays a role in reflexive reactions to loud noises

Question 9

Forebrain (Prosencephalon)

• Located where
• Controls what
• Prosencephalon divides in embryonic development to form what

Answer 9

• Located above the midbrain
• Complex perceptual, cognitive,and behavioral processes. Also associated with emotion and memory, it is the forebrain that has the greatest influence on human behavior.
• Telencephalon (cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, and limbic system) and Diencephalon (Thalmus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary gland, and pineal gland)

Question 10

-What are the main methods Nueropsychology utilizes to map the brain?

Answer 10

-Brain lesions in lab animals via extirpation or electrically stimulated electrodes
Cortical Maps: Utilizes electrical stimulation of neurons in the brain, relies on the assistance of an alert patient to describe the stimulation. They can also be place to illicit sleep , arousal, rage, and terror.
Electroencephalogram (EEG): Involves placing several electrodes on the scalp. Broad patterns of electrical activity can thus be detected and recorded. Non-invasive use for humans, used for sleep studies.
Regional Cerebral Blood Flow (rCBF): Detects broad patterns of neural activity based on increased blood flow to different parts of the brain. Relies on assumptions that when specific cognitive activates certain regions of the brain, the blood flow to those regions increases. Human breathes in radioactive guess than can be measured with CT, PET, or MRI scans.