Parts of the Brain and their Functions

Question 1

What is the cortex?

Answer 1

A thin layer of interconnected neurons (cell bodies, grey matter)

Question 2

What is the cerebrum?

Answer 2

Has two hemispheres and each hemisphere has 4 lobes:
Frontal
Parietal
Occipital
Temporal

Question 3

What does the frontal lobe do?

Answer 3

Speaking, muscle movements, planning, judgement

Question 4

What does the parietal lobe do?

Answer 4

Sensory input for touch and body position

Question 5

What does the occipital lobe do?

Answer 5

Receives information from visual fields (vision)

Question 6

What does the temporal lobe do?

Answer 6

Receives information from ears (language, music, hearing)

Question 7

What are the older brain structures?

Answer 7

Less complex brain in primitive vertebrates handles basic survival functions.

Question 8

What is the function of the medulla?

Answer 8

Located at the base of the brainstem
Controls heartbeat, breathing and swallowing

Question 9

What is the function of the pons?

Answer 9

Located above the medulla
The bridge between upper and lower structures
Helps regulate arousal
Coordinates sensory information with information from the cerebellum

Question 10

What is the reticular activating system?

Answer 10

A nerve network running through the medulla and pons
Involved in the ability to focus on the task at hand
Filters irrelevant stimuli

Question 11

What is the limbic system?

Answer 11

Contains a loop of connected structures and pathways
Regulates our endocrine (hormone) systems
Regulates emotions
Part of memory functions

Question 12

What terms are in the limbic system?

Answer 12

Hypothalamic nuclei
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Thalamus
Cingulate gyrus

Question 13

What does the amygdala do?

Answer 13

Linked to emotion, fight/flight system
Emotional memory
Overactivity associated with anxiety
Damage here leads to inappropriate behaviour in emotional situations

Question 14

What does the hippocampus do?

Answer 14

Neurons are activated when we are forming memories
New memories and imagination
Spatial navigation
Connected to the amygdala for memory of emotionally important events

Question 15

What does the hypothalamus do?

Answer 15

Directs several maintenance activities (hunger, sex)
Helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland

Question 16

What does the cingulate gyrus do?

Answer 16

Ventral to the neocortex
Increased activity in this area in response to pain and social exclusion
Activated when experiencing physical pain

Question 17

What does the thalamus do?

Answer 17

Your thalamus serves as the main relay station for your brain. All motor and sensory signals (except smell) pass through this structure in the center of your brain.

Question 18

What is the basal ganglia?

Answer 18

These structures receive information from cells in the midbrain
Responsible for voluntary movement (starting and stopping)
Learning to make complex movements automatic
Receives a lot of information from other areas concerning the internal state, external environment, and memory movements.

Question 19

What does the basal ganglia consist of?

Answer 19

Caudate nucleus
Global pallidum
Putamen

Question 20

What is the cerebellum?

Answer 20

‘Little brain’
Coordinates with different brain areas via the pons
Function is the adjustments of timing, planning, and rhythm of movement
Coordinates sensory input with ongoing movement
Posture and balance