Cortical organisation and function

Question 1

What are the functions of the frontal lobe?

Answer 1

• regulating and initiating motor function
• language
• cognitive functions e.g. planning
• attention
• memory

Question 2

What are the functions of the parietal lobe?

Answer 2

• sensation: touch, pain
• sensory aspects of language
• spatial orientation and self-perception

Question 3

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

Answer 3

• processing visual information

Question 4

What are the functions of the temporal lobe?

Answer 4

• processing auditory information
• emotions
• memory

Question 5

What structures make up the limbic lobe?

Answer 5

• amygdala
• hippocampus
• mammillary body
• cingulate gyrus

Question 6

What are functions of the limbic lobe?

Answer 6

• learning
• memory
• emotion
• motivation and reward

Question 7

Where is the insular cortex found?

Answer 7

deep within lateral tissue (between frontal and temporal lobe)

Question 8

What are the functions of the insular cortex?

Answer 8

• visceral sensations
• autonomic control
• interoception
• auditory processing
• visual-vestibular integration

Question 9

What is grey matter?

Answer 9

neuronal cell bodies and glial cells

Question 10

What is white matter?

Answer 10

myelinated neuronal axons arranged in tracts

Question 11

What are association fibres?

Answer 11

white matter tracts that connect areas within SAME hemisphere
–> short fibres and long fibres (superior longitudinal fasciculus, arcuate fasciculus, inferior longitudinal fasciculus and uncinate fasciculus)

Question 12

What are commissural fibres?

Answer 12

white matter tracts that connect similar structures in the left and right hemispheres
e.g. corpus callosum, anterior commissure

Question 13

What are projection fibres?

Answer 13

white matter tracts that connect the cortex w/ lower brain structures e.g. thalamus, brainstem, spinal cord
(corona radiata, internal capsule)

Question 14

What are the differences between primary and secondary/association cortices?

Answer 14

• 1y= predictable function, whereas 2y less predictable
• 1y organised topographically, but 2y not
• 1y has symmetry between left and right, whereas weak/absent symmetry in 2y cortices (some only found on one hemisphere)

Question 15

What are the motor areas in the frontal lobe?

Answer 15

• primary motor cortex: somatotopic, fine/precise voluntary movements
• supplementary area: planning movements (INternally cued)
• premotor area: planning complex movements (EXternally cued)

Question 16

What is the difference between the primary somatosensory cortex and the somatosensory association cortex?

Answer 16

• 1y processes somatic sensations arising from receptors in body (e.g. fine touch, vibration etc…)
• association cortex interprets significance of sensory info (e.g. recognising object placed in hand)

Question 17

What is the difference between the primary visual cortex and the visual association cortex?

Answer 17

• primary visual processes visual stimuli

- visual association gives meaning and interpretation fo visual input

Question 18

What is the difference between the primary auditory cortex and the auditory association cortex?

Answer 18

• primary auditory processes auditory stimuli

- auditory association gives meaning and interpretation of auditory input

Question 19

What is the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 19

• attention
• adjusting social behaviour
• planning
• personality
• decision making

Question 20

What is the Broca’s area and what would occur if there was a lesion here?

Answer 20

• association area in left (usually) frontal lobe
• involved in PRODUCTION of language
• N.B. if lesion, expressive aphasia- poor production of speech, but comprehension intact

Question 21

What is the Wernicke’s area and what would occur if there was a lesion here?

Answer 21

• association area in left temporal lobe
• involved in the COMPREHENSION of language
• N.B. if lesion, receptive aphasia- poor comprehension of speech, but production is fine

Question 22

What are classic symptoms of a parietal lobe lesion?

Answer 22

• contralateral neglect
• lack of awareness of self on contralateral side
• lack of awareness of extra personal space on contralateral side

Question 23

What are classic symptoms of a temporal lobe lesion?

Answer 23

• agnosia (inability to recognise)

- anterograde amnesia (inability to form new memories)

Question 24

What is prosopagnosia?

Answer 24

inability to recognise familiar faces or learn new faces (face blindness)

Question 25

What does a PET scan indicate when it lights up?

Answer 25

blood flow directly to that brain region

Question 26

What does fMRI assess?

Answer 26

amount of blood oxygen in an area of the brain

Question 27

What does EEG measure?

Answer 27

electrical signals produced by the brain

Question 28

What does MEG measure?

Answer 28

magnetic signals produced by the brain

Question 29

What is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)?

Answer 29

• uses electromagnetic induction to stimulate neurons (with a coil outside the head)
• assesses functional integrity of neural circuits
• can also be used as a therapeutic intervention

Question 30

What is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS)?

Answer 30

• uses low direct current over the scalp to increase or decrease neuronal firing rates
• potential therapy

Question 31

What is diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)?

Answer 31

• brain imaging based on diffusion of water molecules

- gives insight into connections within brain