Brain And Spinal Cord Problems

Question 1

What does a CT scan do?

Answer 1

It shows the shapes of structures in the brain. A patient is given a radioactive tracer, which allows different parts of the brain to show up. X-rays move in circles around the head to produce multiple images, which are put together to form a 3D image

Question 2

What does a PET scan do?

Answer 2

It shows brain activity. A patient is injected with radioactive glucose, which travels to where respiration is occurring rapidly. This shows up changes that might indicate damage or disease. The scanner detects the radioactivity and builds up images showing where the radioactive tracer is most concentrated

Question 3

What does spinal cord damage reduce?

Answer 3

The flow of information between the brain and other body parts

Question 4

What can nerve damage in the lower spinal cord cause?

Answer 4

Loss of feeling in, and use of, the legs

Question 5

What can damage in the neck cause?

Answer 5

Quadriplegia (loss of use of both arms and legs)

Question 6

Why is it difficult for the body to naturally repair the spinal chord?

Answer 6

The spinal cord doesn’t have adult stem cells that can differentiate into neurones, so new neurones can not be made to repair damage. However, wires can be used to electrically stimulate nerves and muscles.

Question 7

Name two ways in which brain tumours can be killed

Answer 7

Killed using radiotherapy (high energy X-rays) or chemotherapy (injecting drugs that kill cancer cells)

Question 8

Why might chemotherapy not work?

Answer 8

The blood-brain barrier: a natural filter that only allows certain substances to get from the blood to the brain

Question 9

What do the cerebral hemispheres do?

Answer 9

Control voluntary movement, interpret sensory info and are responsible for learning and memory

Question 10

What does the medulla oblongata do?

Answer 10

Regulates the heart beat and breathing

Question 11

What does the cerebellum do?

Answer 11

Controls movement