Cerebral Cortex

Question 1

What does the cerebral cortex cover?

Answer 1

Entire surface of brain

Question 2

What does the cerebral cortex contain?

Answer 2

grey matter (with the deep nuclei)

Question 3

How is the cerebral cortex folded?

Answer 3

gyri + sulci

Question 4

How is the cerebral cortex organised?

Answer 4

lobes, layers, columns

Question 5

What are the layers in the cerebral cortex?

Answer 5

1. Molecular layer (I)
2. External granular layer (II)
3. External pyramidal layer (III)
4. Internal granular layer (IV)
5. Internal pyramidal layer (V)
6. Multiform layer (VI)

Question 6

How many regions are there in the brain?

Answer 6

52

Question 7

What are the functions of the frontal lobe?

Answer 7

1. Regulating and initiating motor function
2. Language
3. Cognitive Function (executive function {e.g. planning}
4. Attention
5. Memory

Question 8

What are the functions of the parietal lobe?

Answer 8

1. Sensation - touch, pain
2. Sensory aspects of language
3. Spatial orientation
4. Self perception

Question 9

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

Answer 9

Processing visual information

Question 10

What are the functions of the temporal lobe?

Answer 10

1. Processing auditory information
2. Emotions
3. Memories

Question 11

What does the limbic lobe include?

Answer 11

1. amygdala
2. hippocampus
3. mamillary body
4. cingulate gyrus

Question 12

What is the limbic lobe concerned with?

Answer 12

1. Learning
2. Memory
3. Emotion
4. Motivation
5. Reward

Question 13

Where is the insular cortex?

Answer 13

Deep within the lateral fissure

Question 14

What is the insular cortex concerned with?

Answer 14

1. Sensations
2. Autonomic control
3. Interoception
4. Auditory processing
5. Visual vestibular integration

Question 15

What do association fibres connect?

Answer 15

connect areas within the same hemisphere (short and long ones)

Question 16

What do commissural fibres connect?

Answer 16

connect homologous structure in left and right hemispheres

Question 17

What do projection fibres connect?

Answer 17

connect cortex with lower brain structure (e.g. thalamus, brain stem and spinal cord)

Question 18

What do superior longitudinal fasciculus connect?

Answer 18

connects frontal and occipital lobes

Question 19

What do arcuate fasciculus connect?

Answer 19

connects frontal and temporal lobes

Question 20

What do inferior longitudinal fasciculus connect?

Answer 20

connects temporal and occipital lobes

Question 21

What do uncinate fasciculus connect?

Answer 21

connects anterior and temporal lobes

Question 22

What is cytoararcheitecture?

Answer 22

cell size, spacing, packing density and layers

Question 23

What does grey matter contain?

Answer 23

Neuronal cell bodies + glial cells around 85 billion of each

Question 24

What does white matter contain?

Answer 24

Myelinated neuronal axons arranged in tracts

Question 25

What are afferent projection fibres?

Answer 25

Towards cortex

Question 26

What are efferent projection fibres?

Answer 26

Away from cortex

Question 27

What is the function of the primary cortices like?

Answer 27

predictable

Question 28

What is the organisation of the primary cortices like?

Answer 28

topographical

Question 29

What is the symmetry like in the primary cortices?

Answer 29

symmetry between left and right

Question 30

What is the function of the secondary/association cortices like?

Answer 30

less predictable

Question 31

What is the organisation of the secondary/association cortices like?

Answer 31

not organised topographically

Question 32

What is the symmetry like in the secondary/association cortices?

Answer 32

left-right symmetry weak or absent

Question 33

What is the function of the frontal lobe primary motor cortex?

Answer 33

- Controls fine, discrete precise voluntary movements | - Provides designs signals to execute movements

Question 34

What is the function of the front lobe supplementary area?

Answer 34

planning movements (e.g. external cued)

Question 35

What is the function of the frontal lobe premotor area?

Answer 35

planning complex movements (e.g. internally cued)

Question 36

What does the parietal lobe primary somatosensory area process?

Answer 36

somatic sensations arising from receptors in the body (e.g. fine touch, vibration, two point discrimination, proprioception, pain and temperature)

Question 37

What does the parietal lobe somatosensory association interpret?

Answer 37

- significance of sensory information, e.g. recognizing an object placed in the hand - Awareness of self and awareness of personal space

Question 38

What does the occipital lobe primary visual area process?

Answer 38

visual stimuli

Question 39

What does the occipital lobe visual association area do?

Answer 39

Gives meaning and interpretation of auditory input

Question 40

What is the prefrontal cortex involved in?

Answer 40

1. Attention 2. Adjusting social behaviour 3. Planning 4. Personality expression 5. Decision Making

Question 41

What is Broca's area involved in?

Answer 41

production of language

Question 42

What is Wernicke's area involved in?

Answer 42

understanding of language

Question 43

What would a frontal lobe lesion result in?

Answer 43

- Changes in personality | - Inappropriate behaviour

Question 44

What would a partietal lobe lesion result in if lesion in right hemisphere?

Answer 44

- Contralateral neglect - Lack of awareness of self on left side - Lack of awareness of left side of extra personal space

Question 45

What would a temporal lobe lesion result in?

Answer 45

agnosia (inability to recognise)

Question 46

What would a lesion in Broca's area result in?

Answer 46

Expressive aphasia – poor production of speech, comprehension intact

Question 47

What would a lesion in Wenicke's area result in?

Answer 47

Receptive aphasia – poor comprehension of speech, production is fine

Question 48

What would a lesion in the primary visual cortex result in?

Answer 48

Blindness in the corresponding part of the visual field

Question 49

What would a lesion in the visual association result in?

Answer 49

deficits in interpretation of visual information e.g. prosopagnosia: inability to recognise familiar faces or learn new faces (face blindness)

Question 50

What imaging is used to assess cortical function?

Answer 50

- Positron emission tomography (PET)brain region | - fMRI

Question 51

What encephalography used to assess cortical function?

Answer 51

- Electroencephalography (EEG): | - Magnetoencephalography – (MEG)

Question 52

What brain stimulation is sued to asses cortical function

Answer 52

TMS and tDCS

Question 53

What is DTI?

Answer 53

based on diffusion of water molecules

Question 54

What is tractography?

Answer 54

DTI with tractography: 3D reconstruction to assess neural tracts

Question 55

What is MEG?

Answer 55

Measures magnetic signals produces by the brain | event related potential / evoked potentials

Question 56

What is EEG?

Answer 56

Measures electrical signals produces by the brain

Question 57

What is PET?

Answer 57

blood flow directly to brain region (radiaoctive glucose)

Question 58

What if fMRI?

Answer 58

amount of blood oxygen in a brain region

Question 59

What is TMS?

Answer 59

- Assess the function integrity of neural circuits | - Uses electromagnetic induction to stimulation neurones

Question 60

What is tDCS?

Answer 60

Uses low direct current over the scalp to increase or decrease neuronal firing rates

Question 61

How are projection fibres organised?

Answer 61

- Deeper to cortex radiate as the corona radiate | - Converge through internal capsule between thalamus and basal ganglia