Biological🧠 • Brain Structure & Function + Studies

Question 1

The right hemisphere controls the ________ side of our body and the left hemisphere controls the ________ side of our body

Answer 1

The right hemisphere controls the left side of our body and the left hemisphere controls the right side of our body

Question 2

Label the 4 lobes of the brain and the 2 other additonal structures

Answer 2

Question 3

What is the cerebral cortex and in what areas does it play an important role?

Answer 3

The outer layer of neural tissue that covers the brain; It plays an important role in ** memory, attention, preception, awareness, thought, language & conciousness**

Question 4

What is the corpus callosum?

Answer 4

A wide, thick bundle of neural fibres that connect the two hemispheres of the brain allowing for the passing of information between them - this allows for optimum cognition levels

Question 5

What do ventricles in the brain contain?

Answer 5

Cerebralspinal fluid

Question 6

What is cerebralspinal fluid?

Answer 6

Flows around brain and spinal cord to provide nutrients

Question 7

What does the thalamus do?

Answer 7

Passes sensory information to the cerebral cortex

Question 8

What are the 4 main lobes of the brain called?

Answer 8

• Frontal lobe
• Parietal lobe
• Occipital lobe
• Temporal lobe

Question 9

What is the frontal lobe?

Answer 9

The area behind the forehead, heavily involved in itellectual activites such as planning and organising as well as being involved in personallity & the control of emotions of behaviour

Question 10

What is the temporal lobe?

Answer 10

Nestled behind the ears on each hemisphere, holds bulk of our memories and delas with sound information coming from the opposite ear to the lobes location, therefore it deals with location/volume/pitch of sounds and consequently ultimately understanding/ using language and speech

Question 11

What is the occipital lobe?

Answer 11

At the very back of your head are occipital lobes, they are responsible for sight; all sight from right eyes is initially processed by the left visual cortex before being shared with the right and vice versa. Damage to this area can cause partial or complete blindness

Question 12

What is the parietal lobe?

Answer 12

Located at the back of the brain above the ears, its responsible for perception, spatial awarness, manipulating objects and spelling

Question 13

What is the cerebellum?

Answer 13

The area of the brain that controls muscle movement, balance and coordination

Question 14

What is the amygdala?

Answer 14

Two almond-shaped structures located in the limbic system, deep within the temporal lobes, responsible for judging emotions and decision-making

Question 15

What is the brain stem?

Answer 15

Includes the midbrain, medulla and pons; controls breathing, heart rate, conciousness & blood circulation (subconcious activities)

Question 16

What is the hypothalamus?

Answer 16

Controls the pituitary gand in order to regulate temperature, blood pressure, appetite & sexual arousal; involved in some aspects of memory - involved in the limbic system

Question 17

What is the pituitary gland?

Answer 17

Pea-sized structure behind the bridge of the nose, responsible for proudcing hormones such as puberty hormones, thyroid stimulating hormones and stress hormones

Question 18

What is the hippocampus?

Answer 18

Involved in long-term memory, included in the limbic system

Question 19

What areas of the brain make up the limbic system?

Answer 19

• hippocampus
• hypothalamus
• amygdala

Question 20

What is the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 20

Cortex located in the frontal lobe, responsible for emotions and censoring impulses from the amygdala to keep emotions in check

Question 21

What are lesions?

Answer 21

cuts/ damage to the brain

Question 22

What can damage to the frontal lobe, more specifically the prefrontal cortex cause?

Answer 22

Damage to the prefrontal cortex can prevent the necessary ‘censoring’ of the amygdala, leading to uncontrolled, agressive behaviour in response to everyday actions that are normally handled with maturity/ normality

Question 23

What is the medulla?

Answer 23

Specifically whilst being part of the brain stem, it manages unconscious activities such as heart circulation and breathing.

Question 24

What is the midbrain?

Answer 24

The topmost part of the brainstem, the connection central between the brain and the spinal cord.

Question 25

What is the angular gyrus?

Answer 25

Asociated with semantic processsing located in the parietal lobe

Question 26

What is Wernicke’s area?

Answer 26

• very important with development of language
• located left side of prain in temporal lobe
• damage can result in problems in language comprehension and even an inablility to develop language skill - condition known as Wernicke’s aphasia

Question 27

What is Broca’s Area?

Answer 27

• controls the ability to produce language
• located in the left side frontal lobe
• controls the motor aspects of language e.g. ability to move ones lips and tounge in order to utter words
• damage can result in limited ability to speak regardless of a persons language comprehension - condition known as Broca’s aphasia

Question 28

What year is the case study of Phinneas Gage set in?

Answer 28

1848

Question 29

Explain the case study of Phinneas Gage (1848)

Answer 29

• Was a railroad construction foreman in the US known for his excellence in the craft and efficiency
• One day he was preparing for an explosion when gunpowder ignited under an iron rod he was holding, this propelled the rod up through Gage’s cranium and out the other side of his skull.
• The rod oblitterated his prefrontal cortex and therefore his ability to censor his amygdalas primal impulses ultimately leaving him unable to control his emotions, and much more aggressive
• After the event he was completly normal other than the fact he became rude and irreverent (showing a lack of respect for people or things that are generally taken seriously) and was described by his freinds as ‘no longer Gage’
• Ultimately he underwent a personality shift
• Case study acts for evidence behind the prefrontal cortexs’ ability to censor amygdalas impulses and therefore control over levels of aggression - inferring that without prefrontal cortex we are mor aggressive

Question 30

What year is the case study of Charles Whitman set in?

Answer 30

1966

Question 31

Explain the case study of Charles Whitman (1966)

Answer 31

• Was a Texan marine
• Murdered his family and shot multiple strangers before killing himself
• Whitman’s suicide note statedl: ‘I don’t really understand myself these days’ ‘Lately I have been a victim to many unusual and irrational thoughts’
• Before shootings Whitman had visited 5 psychiatrists for help with his urges ‘I felt overwhelming violent impulses’
• A psychiatrists noted once that he was ‘oozing with hostility’
• Autopsy carried out after shootings, it was found that he had a brain tumour the size of a pecan nut pressing on his amygdala
• Case study acts for evidence behind the amygdalas role in aggresson and in regulating aggressive/ primal impulses - ultimately implying that interferrance or damage/ lesions to the amygdala can catalyse increased aggressive behaviour