Brain Structures & Functions

Question 1

Name 3 areas of the brain

Answer 1

• Hindbrain
• Midbrain
• Forebrain

Question 2

What is the hindbrain made up of?

Answer 2

• The cerebellum
• the pons
• the medulla

Question 3

Where are the cranial nerves found?

Answer 3

Brain stem

Question 4

What is the medulla oblangata?

Answer 4

Lowest part of the brain & lowest portion of brainstem

Question 5

What does the medulla contain?

Answer 5

Cardiac, respiratory & vasomotor centers

Question 6

List functions of the medulla

Answer 6

• Breathing
• Maintaining a steady heart rate & blood pressure
• Swallowing
• Inciting regurgitation
• Urination & defecation
• Coordinating lifesaving reflexes

Question 7

What does the pons connect?

Answer 7

Cerebral cortex with the medulla oblangata

Question 8

List functions of the pons

Answer 8

• Helps transfer messages between brain & spinal cord
• Involved in motor control & sensory analysis, acting as sensory/motor relay center
• Helps regulate resp system by assisting medulla oblangata in controlling breathing rate

Question 9

What cranial nerve nuclei does the pons contain?

Answer 9

• Trigeminal nerve sensory nucleus (V)
• Abducens nucleus (VI)
• Facial nerve nucleus (VII)
• Vestibulcochlear nuclei (VIII)

Question 10

What are located in the pons?

Answer 10

raphe nuclei

Question 11

What is the raphe nuclei?

Answer 11

Site of synthesis of serotonin

Question 12

What do chemicals produced in pons help maintain?

Answer 12

Sleep-wake cycle

Question 13

What is the cerebellum divided into?

Answer 13

two hemispheres

Question 14

What is the cerebellum responsible for?

Answer 14

Sensorimotor function

Question 15

What does damage to the cerebellum result in?

Answer 15

Cerebral palsy (neurological conditions that affect movement & co-ordination)

Question 16

What does the midbrain nuclei consist of?

Answer 16

• Substantia nigra (DA>parkinson’s)
• Ventral tegmental area (DA > reward & addiction)
• Periaqueductal gray (opioid: GABA > pain)
• Raphe nuclei (5-HT> antidepressants)

Question 17

The _____ _____ is located in the _____ > NA > arousal

Answer 17

locus coeruleus

pons

Question 18

What does the midbrain control?

Answer 18

Visual & auditory system

Eye movement, crucial for hearing & sight

Question 19

The _____ nucleus & ______ _____ control body movement

Answer 19

red

substantia niagra

Question 20

List the 2 sections of the forebrain

Answer 20

• Telencephalon

- Diencephalon

Question 21

What does the telencephalon consist of?

Answer 21

Two cerebral hemispheres of cerebrum & their interconnections

Question 22

What does the diencephalon contain?

Answer 22

Thalamus & hypothalamus

Question 23

What is the gray matter of the brain?

Answer 23

Cerebral cortex

Question 24

What are gyri (gyrus)?

Answer 24

bumps/bulges on the cortex

Question 25

List the 4 lobes in the cerebral cortex

Answer 25

- Frontal lobe - Parietal lobe - Occipital lobe - Temporal lobe

Question 26

List where the 4 lobes are located & what each are concerned with

Answer 26

- Frontal: front of central sulcus, parts of speech & movement - Parietal: behind central sulcus, stimuli to touch, pressure - Occipital: back of brain, aspects of vision - Temporal: below lateral fissure, auditory stimuli & memory

Question 27

What is the limbic system?

Answer 27

Parts of brain that control emotion, motivation & memory

Question 28

What is the hippocampus & where is it located?

Answer 28

Part of the forebrain Located in medial temporal lobe

Question 29

What does the hippocampus consist of?

Answer 29

Grey matter

Question 30

What disease is the hippocampus affected by?

Answer 30

Alzheimer's Disease

Question 31

What does the basal forebrain nuclei (BFN) include?

Answer 31

- nucleus basalis of meynert - medial septal nucleus - diagonal band nuclei

Question 32

What does the BFN neurons project cholinergic neurons to?

Answer 32

- Cerebral cortex - Hippocampal formation - Alzheimer disease

Question 33

What is the cingulate cortex?

Answer 33

Curved fold covering the corpus callosum

Question 34

What is the cingulate cortex divided into?

Answer 34

Anterior: processing emotions & behaviour regulation Posterior: movement, navigation & spatial orientation

Question 35

Where is the amygdala located?

Answer 35

Anterior to the hippocampus

Question 36

List functions of the olfactory bulb

Answer 36

- Transmits smell information from nose to brain | - Sends olfactory info to be processed in amygdala, olfactory cortex & hippocampus

Question 37

List what the thalamus is involved in

Answer 37

- Relaying of sensory & motor signals to cerebral cortex - Control of muscular movements - Regulation of consciousness, sleep & alertness

Question 38

List functions of the thalamus

Answer 38

- Motor control - Pain perception - Relays sensory signals - Controls sleep & awake states

Question 39

What is thalamic pain (central pain syndrome)?

Answer 39

Damage to spinal tracts

Question 40

What can damage to the thalamus lead to?

Answer 40

Permanent coma

Question 41

List functions of the hypothalamus

Answer 41

- Regulates release of hormones from pituitary gland - Maintains homeostasis - Regulates sensations e.g. hunger, thirst - Controls behaviour

Question 42

What does the anterior pituitary gland release?

Answer 42

- GH, THS, FSH, LH, Prolactin, ACTH

Question 43

What does the posterior pituitary gland release?

Answer 43

- ADH | - Oxytocin

Question 44

Is the pineal gland endocrine/exocrine?

Answer 44

endocrine

Question 45

Where is the pineal gland located and what does is produce?

Answer 45

Epithalamus between two cerebral hemispheres - Melatonin produced

Question 46

What does melatonin affect?

Answer 46

- Wake/sleep patterns - Seasonal functions - Influences sexual development