Brain anatomy

Question 1

What are the areas of the embrionic brain, and what do they do?

Answer 1

hindbrain - balance, motor coordination, respiration, digestion.
midbrain - sensorimotor reflexes.
forebrain - complex perceptual, cognitive and behavioral processes.

Question 2

Regions of the hindbrain + functions

Answer 2

Pons - relays information and regulates sleep.
Medulla oblongata - respiration.
Cerebellum - balance, posture, body movements.

Question 3

Regions of the midbrain + functions

Answer 3

Superior colliculus - receives visual sensory input

Inferior colliculus - receives auditory sensory input

Question 4

What was used to map the brain?

Answer 4

animal studies, electrode stimulation, EEG (detects electrical activity), rCBF (detects blood flow to brain)

Question 5

Thalamus

Answer 5

forebrain, diencephalon, relay station for sensory information, receives sensory input (except smell) and relays to a region of the cerebral cortex.

Question 6

Hypothalamus

lateral, middle, anterior functions

Answer 6

forebrain diencephalon, regulation of homeostasis, emotions, endocrine, regulation of autonomic system.
lateral - triggers eating/drinking
middle - satiety
anterior - sexual function

Question 7

Diencephalon (other regions)

Answer 7

posterior pituitary - secretion of ADH

pineal gland - circadian rhythm, secretion of melatonin

Question 8

Basal ganglia

Answer 8

forebrain, telencephalon, coordinate muscle movement by relaying info from peripheral to central nervous system.

Question 9

Limbic system

Answer 9

forebrain telencephalon.
Amygdala - emotion and memory - regulates defensive reactions to stimuli.
Hippocampus - memory formation and learning.

Question 10

Cerebral cortex

Answer 10

forebrain telencephalon.
Frontal - executive function - controls other parts of cerebral cortex. Contains motor cortex - coordinates motor movement in response to sensory stimuli.
Parietal - spatial orientation, body orientation. Contains somatosensory cortex - decides how to respond to senses.
Occipital lobe - visual.
Temporal - auditory, language, music, memory.

Question 11

Corpus callosum

Answer 11

connects hemispheres of cerebral cortex so that they can coordinate.

Question 12

Dominant/left brain

Answer 12

Analytical, language, logic, math, left-side hearing, right-side movement.

Question 13

Nondominant/right brain

Answer 13

Emotion, intuition, creativity, spatial processing, right-side hearing, left-side movement.