Lecture 1 - The Human Brain

Question 1

What is a sulcus?

Answer 1

Shallow groove that lies between 2 folds

Question 2

What is a fissure?

Answer 2

A deeper grove that lies between two folds.

Question 3

Most prominent fissure is?

Answer 3

Longitudinal fissure which separates the cerebrum into two hemispheres

Question 4

Most notable sulci are?

Answer 4

Central sulcus = separates frontal lobe and parietal lobe

Lateral sulcus = separates temporal lobe with frontal

Question 5

Meaning of gyrus?

Answer 5

Folds that are found on the cerebral cortex

Question 6

Main lobes of the brain?

Answer 6

Frontal lobe
Temporal lobe
Parietanal lobe
Occipital lobe

Question 7

Role of cerebellum?

Answer 7

• Coordination of skeletal muscle contraction
• Posture and balance
• Sometime involved in speech

Question 8

What does cerebrum consist of?

Answer 8

Cerebral cortex and internal regions of cerebral white and grey matter nuclei deep within white matter

Question 9

White matter characteristics?

Answer 9

Consists mainly of myelinated axons in 3 diff types of tracts:

1) association tract = impulses in same hemisphere
2) commissars tract = impulses from gyri in diff hemisphere
3) projection tract = impulses from cerebrum to lower parts of the CNS

Question 10

Basal nuclei consist of?

Answer 10

• putamen = closer to the cerebral cortex
• globus pallidus = closer to the thalamus
• caudate nucleus

Question 11

Role of basal nuclei?

Answer 11

Motor output

Initiation and termination of some cognitive processes

Question 12

Grey matter is also known as?

Answer 12

Basal nuclei

Question 13

Parkinson’s disease is a result of?

Answer 13

Dysfunctional circuits between circuits of the basal nuclei and the limbic system

Question 14

Limbic system is responsible for?

Answer 14

Regulating emotional behaviours and memory recollection

Question 15

Damage to the limbic system results in?

Answer 15

Memory loss/ impairment and may result in disease that affect emotional behaviour e.g schizophrenia

Question 16

Brain stem consists of?

Answer 16

Pons
Midbrain
Medulla

Question 17

Arrangement and thickness of cerebral cortex?

Answer 17

2-4mm thick

Billions of neurons arranged in layers

Question 18

Lesions lead to?

Answer 18

Speech or hearing impairments

Question 19

Damage to Broca’s area results in?

Answer 19

For stroke sufferers = inability to form words aphasia (non fluent)

Question 20

Aphasia is?

Answer 20

Language disorder inability to communicate

Question 21

Damage to Wernicks area results in?

Answer 21

Inability to form coherent words but can still speak. This is known as fluent aphasia

Question 22

What is the Broca’s area?

Answer 22

Planning area in frontal lobe responsible for sending impulses to the larynx and pharynx.

Question 23

Wernicks area is?

Answer 23

Responsible for understanding speech and is found in the temporal lobe.

Question 24

Exener’s area is?

Answer 24

Found in parietal lobe another function for writing has 2 gyri that look like an M

• supamarginac gyri = reading
• Angular gyri = writing and understanding visual symbols

Question 25

Pre central gyrus consist of?

Answer 25

Primary motor cortex

- impulses to control muscles generated here

Question 26

Post central gyrus consists of?

Answer 26

Primary somatosensory cortex

• has homuculla arrangement
• responsible for sensation and touch
• receives impulses from the body though neurons

Question 27

How are the hemispheres connected?

Answer 27

Corpus callosum (internal) = broad matter of white matter containing axons that extend between the two hemispheres.