Sheep Brain Practicum

Question 1

Meninges

Answer 1

A series of membranes that protects the central nervous system

Question 2

Dura mater

Answer 2

The toughest and outermost layer of the meninges, composed of fibrous connective tissue

Question 3

Arachnoid

Answer 3

The cobweb-like middle layer of meninges

Question 4

Cerebral spinal fluid

Answer 4

A nutrient rich solution that nourishes and cushions the brain

Question 5

Pia mater

Answer 5

The thin and delicate innermost layer of the meninges. Adheres tightly to the surface of the brain, dipping into each sulcus

Question 6

Gyrus

Answer 6

Foldings of cerebral cortical tissue, “the ridges”

Question 7

Sulcus

Answer 7

Furrows separating the gyri, filled with small blood vessels, “the spaces”

Question 8

Frontal lobe

Answer 8

Located in the anterior portion of the cerebral cortex. Involved in motor function, problem solving, memory, language, judgement, social and sexual behavior. Consists of PFC, premotor area, and motor area

Question 9

Parietal lobe

Answer 9

Located posterior to frontal lobe and superior to occipital lobe. Involved in the integration of sensory information and perception

Question 10

Temporal lobe

Answer 10

Located anterior to occipital lobe and inferior to frontal and parietal lobes. Involved in auditory perception, memory, speech, emotional responses, and visual perceptions. Contains the olfactory cortex, the hippocampus, the amygdala, etc.

Question 11

Occipital lobe

Answer 11

Located at the posterior of the cerebral cortex. Involved mostly in the processing of visual information from the visual cortex

Question 12

Myelencephalon

Answer 12

(medulla)

First region to process sensory information from the periphery. Contains primary motor neurons.

Question 13

Metencephalon

Answer 13

(cerebellum, pons)

Integration of sensory information from muscles and joints of your head and trunk with information from sensory receptors of the inner ear (vestibular receptors). Controls motor coordination, posture, and balance.

Question 14

Arbor vitae

Answer 14

White matter of the cerebellum, “tree of life”

Question 15

Pons

Answer 15

A major relay station for information that flows from the cerebral cortex to the cerebellum; thus, a major pathway by which your cortex can affect bodily movements.

Question 16

Tectum

Answer 16

(inferior and superior colliculi)

Question 17

Inferior colliculus

Answer 17

Integration of auditory senses

Question 18

Superior colliculus

Answer 18

Integration of visual senses

Question 19

Diencephalon

Answer 19

(thalamus and hypothalamus)

Relay for information that enters and leaves the telencephalon

Question 20

Mammillary bodies

Answer 20

Receive information from the hippocampus; plays an important role in memory processing

Question 21

Thalamus

Answer 21

Receives input from all major senses, with different nuclei for the eye, the ear, tongue, and skin. Synchronizes activity in brain.

Question 22

Massa intermedia

Answer 22

Connection between the left and right thalamic nuclei at the midline

Question 23

Hypothalamus

Answer 23

Involved in the regulation of many autonomic functions and metabolic processes, including reproduction, feeding, thermoregulation, and social bonding. This region coordinates these processes by the production of hormones which can cause cause changes in pituitary function and/or directly alter behaviors.

Question 24

Telencephalon

Answer 24

AKA the cerebrum. Contains the cerebral hemispheres and thus the cerebral cortex. Also includes corpus callosum, hippocampus, and amygdala.

Question 25

Olfactory bulb and tract

Answer 25

Receives information about odorants from olfactory nerves. Olfaction is the only sensory modality with direct inputs into the telencephalon.

Question 26

Pyriform lobe

Answer 26

Major target of the olfactory tract for olfactory processing

Question 27

Pineal gland

Answer 27

A small endocrine gland in the brain that produces melatonin (a hormone that is important for the regulation of sleep/wake and seasonal cycles).

Question 28

Pituitary

Answer 28

An endocrine gland that is located at the base of the brain, below the hypothalamus. Produces hormones important for the stress response, growth, blood pressure, reproduction, metabolism, and water balance.

Question 29

Corpus callosum

Answer 29

A thick band of nerve fibers that divides the brain into left and right hemispheres. Allows communication between both sides of the brain and transfers motor, sensory, cognitive information between hemispheres. Consists of 200-250 million contralateral axon projections.

Question 30

What is the posterior portion of the corpus callosum called?

Answer 30

Splenium

Question 31

What is the anterior portion of the corpus callosum called?

Answer 31

Genu

Question 32

Optic chiasm

Answer 32

A site at the base of the forebrain where the fibers of the left and right optic nerves cross to the opposite side of the brain

Question 33

Fornix

Answer 33

An output of the hippocampus that projects to the mammillary bodies. Involved in the regulation of memory formation.

Question 34

Cingulate gyrus

Answer 34

Located right above the corpus callosum, important for the supervision of attention, general emotional responses, and addiction.

Question 35

Infundibulum

Answer 35

AKA the pituitary stalk. It connects the hypothalamus to the posterior portion of the pituitary gland.

Question 36

Amygdala

Answer 36

Modulates aggressive, defensive, reproductive, and maternal behavior.

Question 37

Hippocampus

Answer 37

A bilateral structure located deep within the temporal lobes just beneath the thalamus and posterior to the amygdala. Damage to the hippocampus or to any region that it is connected to causes anterograde amnesia (the inability to learn new information). Resembles a sea-horse in cross section, hence the name.

Question 38

Lateral ventrical

Answer 38

An interconnected hollow space, filled with cerebral spinal fluid. Located in each side of the cerebral hemisphere.

Question 39

Third ventricle

Answer 39

Separates right and left halves of thalamus and hypothalamus

Question 40

Fourth ventricle

Answer 40

Large space between cerebellum and the medulla and pons.

Question 41

Cerebral aqueduct

Answer 41

A narrow cavity running through the midbrain; connects third ventricle to fourth ventricle

Question 42

Optic nerve

Answer 42

A sensory nerve that relays information about visual stimulus from the eye to the brain

Question 43

Oculomotor nerve

Answer 43

A motor nerve that controls activity of muscles that turn the eyeball in its socket and move the eyelid.

Question 44

Trigeminal nerve

Answer 44

The largest of the cranial nerves. Contains both sensory and motor fibers and carries sensory information from the skin, muscles, bone and teeth and motor information, etc., to the pons

Question 45

Abducens nerve

Answer 45

An efferent nerve that controls lateral motion of the eye.

Question 46

Caudate nucleus

Answer 46

Located within the basal ganglia. Involved in voluntary motor control. Also important for learning and memory.

Question 47

Internal capsule

Answer 47

Contains ascending and descending axons going to and from the cerebral cortex. Important in motor control and touch.

Question 48

Putamen

Answer 48

Located at the base of the telencephalon, important in regulation of movement and influences various forms of learning. Also has a role in Parkinson’s disease.