Brain and Nervous System (Specifics)

Question 1

Brain Stem

Location and Content

Answer 1

Top of the spinal cord.
Consists of Medulla and Pons.

Question 2

Medulla

Location and Function

Answer 2

(bottom) Part of the brain stem, right above the spinal cord.

Function: Regulates automatic bodily functions like breathing and heart rate.

Question 3

Pons

Location and Function

Answer 3

(middle) Part of the brain stem. Right above the medulla.

Function: Involved in sleeping, waking, and dreaming (as well as other things)

Question 4

Reticular Activiating System (RAS)

What it is, Location, and Function

Answer 4

A dense network of neurons in the core of the brain stem, extending to higher areas.

Function: Screens incoming information and arouses the higher centers when attention is needed. Makes us alert and conscious.

Question 5

Cerebellum

Location, Alternate Name, Size, Function

Answer 5

Location: Base of the brain behind the pons
Size: A small fist
Alternate name: “lesser brain”
Function: A sense of balance, coordinates muscles for precise movement. Involved in classical conditioning and remembering simple skills. Also involved in perceptual processes, emotion, and speech and language

Question 6

Thalamus

Location, Function

Answer 6

A brain structure that is deep in the brain’s interior.

Function: sensory relay station. Relays sensory messages to higher areas in charge of the specific sense.

Question 7

Which is the only sense that completely bypasses the Thalamus?

Answer 7

Sense of smell. The olfactory bulb is its own switching station.

Question 8

Why might odors sometimes elicit vivid memories?

Answer 8

The olfactory bulb lies near areas involved in emotion.

Question 9

Hypothalamus

Location, Function

Answer 9

A brain structure under (“hypo”) the thalamus.

Function: Maintain homeostasis, monitor body’s state and issue instructions. Regulates the ANS and body temp. Involved in survival drives (eating, fighting/fleeing, sex). Biological Clock.

Question 10

Pituitary Gland

Location, Function

Answer 10

A small endocrine gland that hangs from the hypothalamus at base of the brain.

Function: Releases hormones and regulates other endocrine glands. Hypothalamus tells it to ‘talk’.

Question 11

Limbic System

Contents, Function, and Current State in Scientific World

Answer 11

The hypothalamus and other interconnected structures.

Function: heavily involved in ‘emotions’ that other animals share (eg. anger/fear).

But currently the term is going out of favor, because other parts of brain are involved in emotion too.

Question 12

Amygdala

Location, Function

Answer 12

Located deep within the temporal lobe, under the temple. One in each side of the brain.

Function: Evaluate sensory information, determine its biological impact, and contribute to initial decision to approach/withdraw from situation. ‘fear center’ (but more than just that.) Mediates anxiety and depression, forms and retrieves emotional memories.

Question 13

What’s the ancient Greek of amygdala mean?

Answer 13

‘almond’

Question 14

Hippocampus

Location, Function

Answer 14

Located behind the amygdala (one on each side)

Function: Formation of new memories. Allows for combining components of experiences (sights, sounds, feelings) and binding into one memory. Helps retrieval of information in recall.

Question 15

What famous case teachers us a lot about the role of hippocampus? What were his symptoms?

Answer 15

Henry Molaison. He had a collision with cyclist, then had seizures. When adult, he removed hippocampi due to blackouts and convlusions. Epilepsy problem was solved, but he couldn’t form new memories. If he met you today, he would not remember you tomorrow. Can learn new skills and has memory of childhood.

Question 16

Cerebrum

Answer 16

The upper part of the brain above the pons and cerebellum. Separated into cerebral hemispheres (halves) and connected by corpus callosum (fibers).

Question 17

Hemispheric Lateralization

Answer 17

The phenomenon where the two hemispheres have different tasks and talents.

Question 18

Cerebral Cortex

Answer 18

Thin layers of densely packed cells that covers the cerebrum. Cell bodies appear gray (but white in other parts of nervous system).

Question 19

How thick is the cerebral cortex? How many cells of the brain does it contain?

Answer 19

3mm thick, but has 3/4 of all cells in the human brain.

Question 20

What do the crevices and wrinkles in the cortex allow the brain to do?

Answer 20

To have billions of neurons in its compact space

Question 21

What are the 4 lobes of the cortex?

Answer 21

Occipital, Parietal, Temporal, and Frontal

Question 22

Occipital Lobes

Location, Function

Answer 22

The lower back part of the brain. Contains visual cortex.

Function: Process visual signals, which are traveled through the Thalamus.

Question 23

What does damage to primary visual cortex cause? What about secondary/tertiary or higher levels?

Answer 23

Damage to primary can cause blind spots. Damage to secondary/tertiary can cause impaired recognition of people/objects.

Question 24

Parietal Lobes

Location, Function

Answer 24

The upper back part of the brain. Contains somatosensory cortex.

Function: Receive information about pressure, pain, touch, temperature, etc.

Question 25

What’s cool about the structure of the somatosensory cotex?

Answer 25

It can form a ‘little man’. Different parts of the somatosensory cortex correspond to different body parts.

Question 26

Which lobe has to do with spatial relationships?

Answer 26

Interestingly, parts of the parietal lobes. Hemispatial neglect can happen for those with these damaged parts (eg. can see, but don’t regard the left side of something)

Question 27

Temporal Lobes

Location, Function

Answer 27

At the sides of the brain just above the ears. Contains auditory cortex

Function: Process sound information from ears. Processing of visual features, like faces. Wernicke’s area is langauge comprehension.

Question 28

Frontal Lobes

Location, Function

Answer 28

Located toward the front of the brain. Under the skull in forehead area. Contains primary motor cortex, which produces voluntary movement.

Function: Broca’s area does speech production. Working memory tasks, emotions, impulses, planning, creative thinking, and empathy

Question 29

Association cortex

Answer 29

Do not have obvious response or sensation when directly stimulated. Involved in higher mental processes.

Question 30

The prefrontal cortex accounts for how much of the cortex in human beings?

Compare that to dogs and cats.

Answer 30

Humans: 1/3

Cats: 3.5%

Dogs: 7%