Neuroanatomy practical

Question 1

What does the cerebellum do?

Answer 1

Coordinates body movement and maintains the body’s balance and equilibrium

Question 2

What does the frontal lobe of the cortex do?

Answer 2

Contains many functions including movement, short term memory, language, social behaviour, problem solving, decision making, emotion and personality

Question 3

What does the parietal lobe of the cortex do?

Answer 3

Interprets sensory information, involved with language comprehension

Question 4

What does the temporal lobe of the cortex do?

Answer 4

Controls auditory perceptions, speech, language comprehension and visual recognition

Question 5

What does the occipital lobe of the cortex do?

Answer 5

Processes visual information and perception, including colour recognition, information goes to parietal and temporal lobes

Question 6

What does the striatum (caudate putamen) do?

Answer 6

Connects the basal ganglia system with the rest of the brain to coordinate motor control, cognition, learning and emotions. This area is controlled by the substantia nigra

Question 7

What does the amygdala do?

Answer 7

Has a major role in processing and memory of emotional reactions

Question 8

What does the corpus callosum do?

Answer 8

Connects the left and right hemispheres

Question 9

What does the brain stem do?

Answer 9

Contains the medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain, connects the spinal cord and controls involuntary movements such as heart rate and breathing

Question 10

What does the hippocampus do?

Answer 10

Part of the limbic system that involves memory retention and spatial orientation

Question 11

Which are the primary areas affected by Parkinson’s disease?

Answer 11

Substantia nigra, projects to striatum to control motor function

Question 12

Which are the primary areas affected by Alzheimer’s disease

Answer 12

Cortex (often parietal and temporal) and hippocampus

Question 13

Which are the primary areas affected by post traumatic stress?

Answer 13

Amygdala, frontal cortex, hippocampus

Question 14

Which are the primary areas affected by CJD (human form of BSE)?

Answer 14

Cortex and cerebellum

Question 15

Which are the primary areas affected by stroke?

Answer 15

Cortex, possibly striatum

Question 16

Why do stroke patients present with different symptoms?

Answer 16

Depriving the brain of oxygen causes damage. The function affected depends on where in the brain the stroke is. The function that is controlled by a particular area of the brain will therefore be affected if that brain area is affected.

Question 17

How do some stroke patients recover a degree of the function they have lost following a stroke?

Answer 17

The brain is plastic as it is able to form new connections from existing neurons, however this takes time needing rehabilitation and physiotherapy. New cells may be formed, and other parts of the brain may take over functions.

Question 18

Why would developing a long term condition such as Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s make a difference to how the brain copes with the disease?

Answer 18

In slow damage, the brain can compensate gradually for the effects of the disease, so can identify patients with the disease very early. In contrast, stroke/ spinal injury causes large areas of damage at once, so the brain or spinal cord takes a long time to compensate if at all

Question 19

What are the implications for treatment strategies for long term degenerative vs short term conditions e.g. stroke?

Answer 19

Treatment for stroke/spinal cord involve treatment after the event, whereas for Parkinsons’s/Alzheimers if we can identify the disease early we may be able to stop the progress