Neuroanatomy

Question 1

What are the parts of the brainstem from superior to inferior?

Answer 1

midbrain, pons, and medulla

Question 2

What is the function of the midbrain?

Answer 2

connects the brain to the cerebellum; has nuclei for CNs III and IV and is involved in postural reflexes and eye movements

Question 3

What is the function of the pons?

Answer 3

has nuclei for CNs V and VII; plays a key role in speech production, balance, and hearing

Question 4

What is the function of the brain?

Answer 4

an organ responsible for consolidating information, coordinating activity, and sending messages

Question 5

What is the function of the medulla?

Answer 5

has nuclei for CNs 8-12; it is responsible for vital life functions, such as heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, and digestion

Question 6

What is the reticular activating system?

Answer 6

Found in the midbrain, brainsteam, and upper parts of the spinal cord; responsible for executing motor activity; combines motor impulses and sensory impulses; main site of attention and consciousness

Question 7

What is the thalamus?

Answer 7

part of the diencephalon; responsible for relaying sensory impulses; controlling sensory information; crucial for maintaining alertness and consciousness

Question 8

What is the hypothalamus?

Answer 8

controls emotions; integrates actions from the autonomic nervous system

Question 9

What is the basal ganglia? What happens when it’s damaged?

Answer 9

subcortical brain structure made up of gray matter; when damaged, it causes dysarthria, changes in body tone and involuntary/voluntary movements, and unusual body postures

Question 10

What is the cerebellum? What happens when it’s damaged?

Answer 10

called little brain; it controls posture and coordinates body movements; if damaged, then it results in an abnormal gait; poor balance; ataxic dysarthria, and other communication disorders

Question 11

What is the difference between the corticospinal tract and the corticobulbar tract?

Answer 11

Corticospinal tract innervates the trunks and limbs contralaterally and its fibers ends at the spinal cord. Corticobulbar tract innervates muscles of the pharynx, larynx, lips, tongue, soft palate, and face and its fibers end at the brainstem

Question 12

What is the difference between the pyramidal motor system and extrapyramidal motor system?

Answer 12

pyramid motor system is the direct activation motor pathway, whereas the extrapyramidal motor system is the indirect activation motor pathway which controls the postural support needed by fine motor movements and helps maintain pressure, tone, and regulates movements that results from lower motor neuron activity.

Question 13

Primary motor cortex is Brodmann area _______ .

Answer 13

4

Question 14

Broca’s area is Brodmann areas ______. It role is

Answer 14

44 and 45; controls movements of the tongue, lip, jaw, and larynx and is very involved in speech production

Question 15

Wernicke’s area is Brodmann area

Answer 15

22

Question 16

Supplementary motor cortex is Brodmann area

Answer 16

6

Question 17

What role does the frontal lobe play?

Answer 17

planning and intention of a person’s conscious behavior

Question 18

What role does the primary motor cortex (B.A. 4) play?

Answer 18

controls contralaterally voluntary and fine motor movements by working together with the pyramidal system and extrapyramidal system; located in the precentral gyrus

Question 19

What role does the supplementary motor cortex (B.A.6) play?

Answer 19

involved in the motor planning of speech and plays a secondary role in controlling muscle movements

Question 20

Postcentral gyrus is found in the _______ and is Brodmann Area ______. It is known as _________. What is its function?

Answer 20

parietal lobe; 3,1, and 2; primary somatosensory cortex; integrates somatic sensory impulses

Question 21

Supramarginal gyrus is found in the _______ and is Brodman Area _______. What is its function?

Answer 21

parietal lobe; 40; crucial for speech and language; if damaged, results in agraphia and conduction aphasia

Question 22

Angular gyrus is found in the ______ and is Brodmann Area ______ . What is its function?

Answer 22

parietal lobe; 39; crucial for speech and language; if damaged, results in trouble with reading, writing, naming, and transcortical sensory aphasia

Question 23

Heschl’s gyrus is found in the _____ and is Brodmann Areas ______ and ______. What is its function?

Answer 23

temporal lobe; 41 and 42; crucial for speech and hearing; has the primary auditory cortex (gets sound from the acoustic nerve bilaterally) and the auditory association cortex (puts the auditory information together to make sense of it

Question 24

What fibers connect the cerebral cortex to subcortical structures?

Answer 24

projection fibers

Question 25

What fibers connect areas with the hemispheres together?

Answer 25

association fibers

Question 26

What fibers connect the hemispheres together?

Answer 26

commisural fibers, most notably the corpus callosum