Cerebral Cortex Flashcards

1
Q

what does the cerebral cortex contains ? and how thick is it?

A

it covers the entrie surface of the brain. it is about 2-3mm thick.

Together with the deep nuclei, it contains grey matter.

organised into lobes and has folds called gyri

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2
Q

Describe the microscopic organsiation of the cerebral cortex?

A

it is organised into layers and columns

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3
Q

draw out and label the layers of the cerebral cortex

A
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4
Q

Draw out and label the columns of the cerebral cortex

A
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5
Q

Describe how Bordmann classifed the 52 different regions of the brain

A

Cytoarchitecture.

This is bascially cell size, spacing or packing density and layers.

these cytoarchitecture relates to different functions

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6
Q

what are the functions of the frontal lobe?

A
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7
Q

what are the functions of the parietal lobe?

A
  • sensation - pain and touch
  • sensory aspect of language
  • spatial orientation and self perception
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8
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

A

Processing visual information

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9
Q

what are the functions of the temporal lobe?

A
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10
Q

what does the limbic lobe entail and what does it do?

A

it contains the :

  • cingulate gyrus
  • Amygdala
  • Hippocampus
  • Mammillary body

it’s functions are: learning, memroy, emotion, motivation and reward

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11
Q

what is the insular cortex and what does it do

A

it lies deep top the lateral fissure.

it is concerend with:

  • interoception
  • visual-vestibular intergation
  • auditory processes
  • visceral sensations
  • autonomic control
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12
Q

what are the arrows poitning out and desciribe the features of the cells.

A

Grey matter- umyelinated cell bodies and glial cells. around 85 billions

Whtie matter- myelinated axons arranged in tracts

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13
Q

What are the 3 different types of white matter tracts and what do they each do?

A

they connect cortical areas of the brain.

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14
Q

What are the 2 different types of association fibres?

A

Short fibres (u-fibres)- connects adjacent cortical regions.

green in image.

Long fibres - other colours in image

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15
Q

The image below show the short and long association fibres.

label the long fibres and give function.

A
  • Pink - the SUPERIOR LONGITUDOINAL FASCICULUS: it connects frontal lobe to occipital lobe.
  • purple- ARCUATE FASCICULUS: connects frontal lobe with temporal lobe (broca’s area to wernicke)
  • blue- INFERIOR LONGITUDINAL fasciculus- connects temporal lobe to occipital lobe
  • orange- UNCINATE fasciculus- connects anterior frontal lobe to temporal lobe.
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16
Q

what are the 2 commisural fibres of the brain

A
17
Q

what are the types of projection fibres?

A

Afferent- towards cortex

Efferent- away from cortex

18
Q

Deeper to the cortex what do the projection fibres radiate as? and hwere do they converge?

A

Thye radiate as the corona radiata

They converge through the internal capsule between thalamus and basal ganglia

19
Q

What are the differences between primary and association cortices?

A
20
Q

label the respective areas in the frontal lobe

A
21
Q

What are the respective functions of the priamry motor cortex, premotor area and supplementary area of the frontal lobe?

A
22
Q

what are the functions of the primary somatosensory cortex and somatosensory association

A

Primary- it processes somatic sensations in the body arising from receptors

Assocation- interprets significance of sensory information ie. recognising information/thing placed in hands when eye is closed. it is also responsible for self awareness and personal space awareness.

23
Q

What are the functions of the primary visual cortex and association cortex

A

Primary- processes visual information.

Association- interprets and gives meaning to visual input

24
Q

What are the functions of the primary auditory cortex and assocation cortex?

A
25
Q

What are the functions of the prefrontal cortex?

A
  • attention
  • planning
  • adjusting social behaviour
  • personality erxpression
  • decision making
26
Q

What are the respective functions of the Broca’s and Wernicke’s area?

A

Broca- since it’s close to the motor area. it is responsible for PRODUCTION of speech

Wernicke’s area- understanding language, whether spoken or written

27
Q

What are the implications of frontal lobe lesions ?

A

Changes in personality

Inappropriate behaviour

28
Q

Whar are the implications of Parietal lobe lesions

A

Contralateral neglect of self and other world class (extrapersonal space). ie. if lesion is ont he right, he’d lack awareness the left side of the body and left side of the world

29
Q

What are the implications of lateral and medial lesiosn to temporal lobe

A

Lateral- agnosia- inabiltiiy to recognise things although you can still see it.

Medial- anteroregrade amnesia; can’t form NEW memories.

30
Q

What are the implications to lesions in Broca’s and Wernickes area?

A

Broca- Expressive aphasia

Wernicke- Receptive aphasia

31
Q

What are the implications of lesions to primary visual cortex and visual association cortex

A

Primary- blindness in corresponding visual field

Association- deficits in interpretation of visual information. e.g facial blindness (can’t learn new faces) or prosopagnosia (can’t recognsise familiar faces)

32
Q

In assesing cortical function, what are the 2 imaging methods and contrast them

A

PET- injects redioactive glucose (risky) and then tell them to do tasks and watch the brain area that lights up. it checks blood flow to particular brain region.

fMRI- action is taking and then it measures blood oxygen in brain region. ie. proportion of oxy: deoxy blood.

THEY BOTH HAVE DIFFERENT SPATIAL (detailed info you can see) AND TEMPORAL RESOLUTION (lowest amount of time)

33
Q

What are the types of encephalography used in assessing cortical function

A

EEG- MEASURES ELECTRIC signals produced by brain

MEG- measures magnetic signals produced by the brain.

it produces event related potentials

34
Q

Why is a flipped chessboard used as a stimulus to visually evoke potentials and give the signifcance oif the numbers and letters on the graph

A

Flipped chessboard is used as it produces 100s of stimulus for the brain so that the potential can be picked up.

P50 - postive but it shows NEGATIVE deflection 50ms after stimulus

35
Q

One of the ways of assesing cortical function is through brain stimulation. TMS can be used to stimulate the brain. Explain what this entails and give any clinical relevance for it

A

TMS uses electromagnetic induction to induce current in brain to bring about a function in the body as it stimulates neurons. Hence can be used ton assess fucntional intergroty of neural circuits.

MAY be used clinically for:

  • epilpesy
  • depression
  • tinnitus
  • migraine
36
Q

what is tDCS? give relevant details

A

Transcranial direct current stimulation

it uses low direct current over scalp to stimulate or inhibit neuronal firing rates.

can be used to inhibit chronic pain/ major depressive disorders or epilepsy

37
Q

what is DTI and what does it entail

A

Diffusor tensor imaging - based on diffusion of water molecules and hence can check the activity of the neuronal tracts

There is also DTI with tactography

38
Q

Explain how somatosensory evoked potenitals work in encephalography

A

Stimulus put in hand and then electrodes placed at diffferent points in body from spinal cord up until crown of head.

Potentials are measured sequentially along the somatosensory pathways

39
Q

Draw out the electrodes needed for encephalography

A