Chapter 5: Hindbrain, Midbrain, & Forebrain

Question 1

What is the hindbrain? What does it do?

Answer 1

The ‘lower brain’, it mainly supports bodily functions and is the link between the spinal cord and brain.

It is important for movement and balance.

Question 2

What is the midbrain? What does it do?

Answer 2

Sits above hindbrain and below forebrain.

Responsible for regulation of sleep, motor movement, and arousal.

Question 3

What is the forebrain? What does it do?

Answer 3

Includes a number of important upper level structures.

Question 4

What is the medulla?

Answer 4

Part of the hindbrain- it is a continuation of the spine.

Controls breathing, heartbeat and digestion.

Question 5

What are the pons?

Answer 5

In hindbrain- sits above medulla.

Receives info sent from visual areas to control eye and body actions.

Question 6

What is the cerebellum?

Answer 6

In hindbrain- walnut shaped area that receives info for, the pons.

Coordinates the sequence of body movement.

Question 7

What is reticular formation?

Answer 7

A network of neurons that is part of both the mid and hindbrain, connecting the two together.

Controls arousal and the ‘sleeping and waking’ cycle.

Question 8

What is the cerebrum?

Answer 8

Biggest part of forebrain- covered by the cerebral cortex.

Divides into the left and right cerebral hemispheres, which are separated by the longitudinal fissure.

Question 9

What is the hypothalamus?

Answer 9

In forebrain- important role in control of basic survival actions such as; sleep, regulation of body temp, expression of emotions.

Question 10

What is the thalamus?

Answer 10

In forebrain- the ‘communications centre’ of the brain, receives info from the ears, eyes, skin, and other sensory organs.

Also regulates overall activity in the cortex.

Question 11

Describe the structure of the cerebral cortex. What does it do? What is it responsible for?

Answer 11

The cortex is very thin (approx 3mm) and contains billions of neuron.

The cortex of each cerebral hemisphere comprises of four lobes (parietal, occipital, frontal, temporal- POFT).

It is responsible for receiving information from the environment and sensory info. Enables us to plan and carry out a series of body movements, and make intelligible conversation.

Question 12

What are the frontal lobes?

Answer 12

Largest lobe, includes primary motor cortex for each hemisphere.

Responsible for initiating movement of the body, language, planning, aspects of personality, regulation of emotions, and more.

Question 13

What are the parietal lobes?

Answer 13

Much of the lobe is taken up by the somatosensory cortex.

Receives sensations such as touch, pressure, temp, and pain from the body.

Question 14

What are the temporal lobes?

Answer 14

Process auditory info.

Perform complex auditory analysis that is necessary for understanding human speech or listening to music.

Question 15

What are the occipital lobes?

Answer 15

Entirely concerned with vision.

Info from left side of each retina is processed in the left occipital lobe, and same for right side.

Question 16

What is the primary visual cortex?

Answer 16

Part of the occipital lobes.

Different parts of the cortex process different types of visual stimuli, association areas organise these into more complex forms to enable perception.

Question 17

What is the primary auditory cortex?

Answer 17

Part of the temporal lobes.

Processes auditory info, performing basic and higher functions in hearing.

Question 18

What is the primary somatosensory cortex?

Answer 18

Part of parietal lobe.

Receives all sensory input from the body.

Question 19

What is the primary motor cortex?

Answer 19

Part of the frontal lobes.

Responsible for movement of the skeletal muscles of the body.

Left primary motor cortex controls movement of right side of body, vice versa (contralateral organisation.)

Question 20

What are the association areas of the cerebral cortex?

Answer 20

Makes up 75% of the cerebral cortex.

Involved in the integration of the info between the motor and sensory areas and higher order mental processes. Eg. Thinking, planning, etc.

Question 21

Explain Broca’s area:

Answer 21

Located in left frontal lobe.

Concerned with the production of speech. People with damage to this area may be characterized by fragmented speech with little structure.

Question 22

Explain Wernicke’s area:

Answer 22

Located in the left temporal lobe.

Concerned with storing receptor codes that interpret the meaning of language. People with damage to this area are likely to have difficulty comprehending both written and spoken language.

Question 23

Explain the case of Phineas Gage:

Answer 23

A railway worker involved in an accident that resulted in a metal rod being thrust through the top of his skull, behind his left eye socket and through his left cheekbone.

He survived the accident with an unaffected motor cortex and Broca’s area, thus able to speak and move. However, he was left with permanent brain damage to his prefrontal cortex.

The damage resulted in personality changes, he went from being a calm & responsible man, to one who was emotionally volatile, impulsive, & irresponsible.

Question 24

What is the homonculus man?

Answer 24

A distorted representation of the human body. It is based on a neurological ‘map’ of the areas & proportions of the human brain dedicated to processing motor or sensory functions for different parts of the body.

Question 25

What is meant by hemispheric specialization?

Answer 25

The lobes in the primary cortices in each hemisphere receive info from, or are responsible for, the opposite side of a persons or animals body.

Question 26

Give an example of hemispheric specialization:

Answer 26

The primary motor cortex in the right parietal lobe initiates the movement of the left hand to pick up a cup of coffee.

The somatosensory cortex of the right parietal lobe receives info about the feel of a warm cup of coffee in our left hand.

Question 27

What does each hemisphere specialize in?

Answer 27

Left hem: 
Logic
Language 
Science + Maths
Reasoning 

Right hem:
Creativity 
Imagination 
Arts
Music