CORTICAL ORGANISATION AND FUNCTION Flashcards

1
Q

How many layers is the cerebral cortex organised into?

A

6 layers

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2
Q

How many areas is the cerebral cortex split into based on cytoarchitecture?

A

52 regions

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3
Q

List the functions of the frontal lobe

A

Regulating and initiating motor function, language, cognitive functions, attention, memory

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4
Q

List the functions of the parietal lobe

A

Sensation - touch, pain
Sensory aspects of language
Spacial orientation, self-perception

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5
Q

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

A

Processing visual information

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6
Q

What is the function of the temporal lobe?

A

Processing auditory information
Emotion
Memories

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7
Q

What does the limbic lobe contain?

A

Amygdala, hippocampus, mamillary body, cingulate gyrus

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8
Q

What is the limbic lobe concerned with?

A

Learning, memory, emotion, motivation and reward

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9
Q

What is the insular cortex concerned with?

A

Visceral sensations, autonomic control, interoception, auditory processing, visual-vestibular integration

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10
Q

What makes up grey matter in the brain?

A

Neuronal cell bodies and glial cells

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11
Q

What makes up white matter?

A

Myelinated neuronal axons arranged in tracts

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12
Q

Describe the 3 types of white matter tracts in the brain

A

Association fibres - connect areas within same hemisphere

Commissural fibres - connect homologous structures in left and right hemispheres

Projection fibres - connect the cortex with lower brain structures (e.g. thalamus, brain stem and spinal cord)

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13
Q

Which association fibre connects the frontal and occipital lobes?

A

Superior longitudinal fasciculus

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14
Q

Which association fibre connects the frontal and temporal lobes?

A

Arcuate fasciculus

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15
Q

Which association fibre connects the temporal and occipital lobes?

A

Inferior longitudinal fasciculus

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16
Q

Which association fibre connects the frontal and temporal lobes?

A

Uncinate fasciculus

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17
Q

Name 2 commissural fibres

A

Corpus callosum, anterior commissure

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18
Q

What do projection fibres present as in the cortex?

A

Corona radiata

19
Q

Where do projection fibres converge through?

A

Internal capsule between thalamus and basal ganglia

20
Q

Whats the difference between primary and secondary/association cortices?

A

Primary - function predictable, organised topographically, symmetry between left and right

Secondary - function less predictable, not organised topographically and weak symmetry or none at all

21
Q

Name the areas secondary to the primary motor cortex and what they do

A

Both involved in planning complex movements

Supplementary area - internally cued (e.g. speech)
Premotor area - externally cued (external stimuli e.g. seeing object and reacting to it)

22
Q

Name the area associated with the primary somatosensory cortex and its function

A

Somatosensory association area - interprets the significance of sensory info e.g. recognising an object placed in your hand

Also gives awareness of self and personal space

23
Q

Name the area associated with the primary visual cortex

A

Visual association area - gives meaning and interpretation of visual input

24
Q

Name the area associated with the primary auditory cortex

A

Auditory association area - gives meaning and interpretation to auditory input

25
Q

What does it mean when I say that the primary auditory cortex is tonographic?

A

Different frequencies of sound are mapped onto different parts of the auditory complex

26
Q

What is Broca’s area?

A

Motor production of language

27
Q

What is Wernicke’s area?

A

Sensory understanding of language

28
Q

What does the prefrontal cortex control?

A

Attention, adjusting social behaviour, planning, personality expression, decision making

29
Q

What can a frontal lobe lesion present as?

A

Changes in personality

Inappropriate behaviour

30
Q

What can a parietal lesion present as?

A

Contralateral neglect
e.g. lack of awareness on self on contralateral side (internal neglect)
lack of awareness of extrapersonal space on contralateral side (external neglect)

31
Q

What can a lesion in the temporal lobe present as?

A

Agnosia - inability to recognise

32
Q

What can a lesion in Broca’s area present as?

A

Expressive aphasia - poor production of speech

33
Q

What can a lesion in Wernicke’s area present as?

A

Receptive aphasia - poor comprehension of speech

34
Q

What can a lesion in the primary visual cortex present as?

A

Blindness in corresponding part of visual field

35
Q

What can a lesion in the visual association area present as?

A

Deficits in interpretation of visual information e.g. prosopagnosia (inability to recognise familiar faces or learn new faces)

36
Q

Name 2 imaging techniques to see cortical function

A

Positron emission tomography (PET)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

37
Q

How does PET work?

A

A radioactive isotope is bound to glucose which is carried by the blood and allows viewer to see which part(s) is undertaking activity when patient carries out specific task

38
Q

How does fMRI work?

A

Allows you to see the amount of blood oxygen in a brain region whilst subject performs task

39
Q

What is the difference between EEG and MEG?

A

EEG - electroencephalography - measure electrical signals produced by brain

MEG - magnetoencephalography - measure magnetic signals produced by brain

40
Q

EEG is often used in the diagnosis of which condition?

A

Epilepsy due to out of control depolarisation of neurones in brain

41
Q

How do somatosensory evoked potentials help to recognise an abnormal nervous system?

A

A series of waves that reflect sequential activation of neural structures along the somatosensory pathways is created. These waves should occur at specific times after stimulation in normal people

42
Q

What is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

A

Use of electromagnetic induction to stimulate neurones and allows the assessment of functional integrity of neural circuits

43
Q

What is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)

A

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

44
Q

What is an imaging techniques used to asses structure of the brain?

A

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) - based on the diffusion of water molecules showing the pathways of the brain