Neuropsychology 2

Question 1

Name two of the major anatomical structures of the midbrain.

Answer 1

Substantia nigra, reticular formation.

Question 2

What brain structures comprise the extrapyramidal motor system?

Answer 2

Substantia nigra, cerebellum, and basal ganglia.

Question 3

What are the primary functions of the extrapyramidal motor system?

Answer 3

Controlling initiation, smoothness, directedness, and termination of movement.

Question 4

What motor disease is associated with degeneration of the neurons of the extrapyramidal motor system?

Answer 4

Parkinson’s

Question 5

What brain structures comprise the reticular activating system?

Answer 5

Reticular formation, thalamus, some brain sensory areas.

Question 6

What are the primary functions of the reticular activating system?

Answer 6

Maintaining waking state, general arousal, and focused attention; selective facilitation of reception by neural structures, e.g., waking at a baby’s cry, but sleeping through a truck backfire.

Question 7

Describe the overall structure of the reticular formation, part of the reticular activating system.

Answer 7

Diffuse network of neurons extending from spinal cord up through hindbrain and into midbrain.

Question 8

What are some of the primary functions of the reticular formation, part of the reticular activating system?

Answer 8

Involved in sleep and arousal, pain and touch sensation, respiration, reflex control.

Question 9

Name the five major anatomical structures of the forebrain.

Answer 9

Hypothalamus, thalamus, basal ganglia, limbic system, cerebral cortex.

Question 10

Describe a primary means of control for the hypothalamus.

Answer 10

Pituitary gland is attached to hypothalamus, which thus is able to control autonomic and endocrine system functions.

Question 11

What are some of the primary functions of the hypothalamus?

Answer 11

Regulation of temperature, fluid, metabolism, specific appetites. Control of motivated behaviors: eating, drinking, sex, aggression, maternal behavior. Translation of strong emotion, e.g., rage, fear, excitement, into physical responses, e.g., increased heart rate, shallow breathing.

Question 12

What are some of the primary functions of the suprachiasmic nucleus of the hypothalamus?

Answer 12

Control of circadian rhythms through interpretation of day length based on retinal information; regulation of pineal gland’s secretion of melatonin.

Question 13

What are some of the primary functions of the thalamus?

Answer 13

A “central switching station” routing incoming sensory data to cortex (all senses but olfaction), data between cortical regions, and between cortex and subcortical regions. Involved in language, memory, motor activity. Relays cortical data initiating voluntary movement.

Question 14

What brain structures comprise the basal ganglia?

Answer 14

Caudate nucleus, globus pallidus, putamen. These are all closely interconnected and connected to the substantia nigra and cerebellum (collectively the extrapyramidal motor system).

Question 15

What are some of the primary functions of the basal ganglia?

Answer 15

Code and relay data controlling voluntary movement, motoric expression of emotion, and sensorimotor learning.

Question 16

What are some diseases and disorders associated with dysfunction of the basal ganglia?

Answer 16

Tourette’s, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, depression/mania, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, psychosis.

Question 17

What brain structures comprise the limbic system?

Answer 17

Amygdala, septum, hippocampus.

Question 18

What is the primary functions of the limbic system as a whole?

Answer 18

Mediation of emotional behavior.

Question 19

What are some of the primary functions of the amygdala in the limbic system?

Answer 19

Integration and direction of emotional behavior, attaching emotional significance to sensory data, mediation of defensive/aggressive behavior.

Question 20

What are some of the effects of dysfunction of the amygdala in the limbic system?

Answer 20

In humans, lack of emotional response.

In monkeys, reduced fear and aggression, increased docility, diet alteration, loss of significance, hypersexuality.

Question 21

What are some of the primary functions of the septum in the limbic system?

Answer 21

Inhibition of emotion. Electrical stimulation of hypothalamus and regions near the septum appears to induce ecstasy in rats.

Question 22

What are some of the primary functions of the hippocampus in the limbic system?

Answer 22

Transfer of data from short-term to long-term memory (memory consolidation).

Question 23

What is the last part of the brain to stop growing?

Answer 23

Cerebral cortex. It undergoes greater structural change after birth than any other part of the CNS.

Question 24

Name the three principal parts of the frontal lobes.

Answer 24

Motor cortex, premotor cortex (a.k.a., association motor cortex), and prefrontal cortex.

Question 25

What is the pyramidal motor system?

Answer 25

The motor cortex and the tract of motor axons projecting from it to the brain stem and spinal cord. It is responsible for voluntary movement, esp. fine, intricate movement, and control of speed and strength of movement.

Question 26

What is the motor cortex?

Answer 26

The portion of the frontal lobes immediately anterior to the central sulcus. It controls contralateral skeletal muscle activity.

Question 27

What is the premotor cortex?

Answer 27

Portion of the frontal lobes anterior to the motor cortex. Contains Broca's area. Activation of the the premotor cortex is associated with action simulation, e.g., visualization and observation of action.

Question 28

What is Broca's area?

Answer 28

Portion of the premotor cortex involved in speech production. Damage to it can result in expressive aphasia.

Question 29

What is expressive aphasia?

Answer 29

A deficit in ability to produce spoken language. People with this type of aphasia have difficulty speaking and may be limited to a few words, mostly nouns and verbs, and are aware of the deficit.

Question 30

What is the prefrontal cortex?

Answer 30

Portion of the frontal lobes anterior to the premotor cortex. Associated with emotion, memory, executive and complex cognitive function, and expression of personality.

Question 31

How might damage to the prefrontal cortex affect an individual?

Answer 31

Disruption in self-regulation, abstract thinking, decision making, and planning. Deficits in self-awareness, initiative, and social control. Two common types of personality change: pseudodepression and pseudopsychopathy.

Question 32

What is pseudodepression?

Answer 32

Characterized by apathy, lack of drive, minimal verbal output, and inability to plan or focus attention.

Question 33

What is pseudopsychopathy?

Answer 33

Characterized by sexual disinhibition, coarse language, peculiar/sarcastic sense of humor, inappropriate social behavior, lack of empathy.

Question 34

What disorders are associated with decreased prefrontal cortex function?

Answer 34

Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, ADHD, and normal age-related cognitive declines.