Brain Structure and Function

Question 1

How is the brain separated?

Answer 1

The brain is separated into the prosencephalon (forebrain), mesencephalon (midbrain), and the rhombencephalon (hindbrain).

Question 2

What are the three M’s that compose the brain stem?

Answer 2

Mesencephalon, metencephalon, and the myelencephalon.

Question 3

How does cognitive complexity increase in the brain?

Answer 3

Hindbrain –> midbrain –> forebrain

Question 4

What does the hindbrain do?

Answer 4

It controls the most basic functions of life: respiration, alertness, and motor skills.

Question 5

What parts make up the hindbrain?

Answer 5

The pons, medulla oblongata, and the cerebellum.

Question 6

What is the midbrain responsible for?

Answer 6

Integration of different senses.

Question 7

What parts compose the midbrain?

Answer 7

Optic lobes (tectum), and the midbrain nuclei.

Question 8

What is the forebrain responsible for?

Answer 8

The forebrain controls complex cognitive thinking, emotions, and motor functions.

Question 9

What is the forebrain composed of?

Answer 9

It is split into the cortical and subcortical structures.

Question 10

What does the brainstem do?

Answer 10

Important for basic vital functions.

Question 11

What composes the diencephalon, and what are their functions?

Answer 11

The thalamus, and the hypothalamus. The thalamus is a primary processing centre for sensory information and autonomic control. Here you will find connections to the limbic system, basal ganglia, and primary sensory areas.

Question 12

What comprises the telencephalon?

Answer 12

The largest part of the human brain (85% of total weight).

It comprises the limbic system, cerebral cortex, basal ganglia, striatum, and olfactory bulb.

Question 13

What makes up the limbic system?

Answer 13

The hippocampus, hypothalamus, amygdala, and thalamus.

Question 14

Why is the brain convoluted?

Answer 14

Convolutions increase the surface area while maintaining a small volume. It allows us to store more brain, which is important for efficiency.

Question 15

If mammals do now have convulsions on their brain, what are they referred to?

Answer 15

Lissenphalic brains.

Question 16

What are the furrows in the cortex called?

Answer 16

Fissures or sulci.

Question 17

What are the ridges known as?

Answer 17

Gyri.

Question 18

How are the hemispheres connected?

Answer 18

They are connected by white matter tracts known as cerebral commissures. The largest one is known as the corpus callosum.

Question 19

What does the occipital lobe do?

Answer 19

Visual processing, reception, and interpretation.

Home to the primary sensory cortex.

Question 20

What does the parietal lobe do?

Answer 20

Receiving and processing sensory input.

Perception of body awareness, and spatial coordination.

Question 21

What does the temporal lobe do?

Answer 21

Auditory reception, language processing, the encoding of memory (short to long term), and emotion processing.

Question 22

What does the frontal lobe do?

Answer 22

The motor cortex is important for voluntary motor activity.

High order cognition such as planning, emotional regulation, judgment, attention, etc.

Question 23

What does the hippocampus do?

Answer 23

Memory and spatial navigation.

Question 24

What does the hypothalamus do?

Answer 24

Regulates pituitary temperature, behaviour, appetite, etc.

Question 25

What does the amygdala do?

Answer 25

Emotional processing, salience, and threat detection.

Question 26

What does the basal ganglia do?

Answer 26

Important for voluntary movement, procedural learning, habit learning, cognition, emotion and motivation, and reward.

Question 27

what makes up the striatum?

Answer 27

The caudate + putamen.