Structure and Function of Areas of the Brain

Question 1

Hindbrain

Answer 1

Found at the base of the brain. Contains lower level brain structures:

• Cerebellum
• Pons
• Medulla

Question 2

Medulla

Answer 2

• Found at the top of the spinal cord.
• Often referred to as the medulla oblongata due to its shape.
• Controls reflexive functions vital for survival (e.g. swallowing, breathing, heart pumping)

Question 3

Pons

Answer 3

• Connects the top of the spinal cord to the brain.
• Involved in sleep, dreaming and arousal.
• Has a relay/bridge function from the cerebrum to the cerebellum.

Question 4

Midbrain

Answer 4

Located deep within the brain.

• Collection of structures involved with movement, processing of sensory information and sleep and arousal.
• Contains Reticular Formation (includes the Reticular Activating System).

Question 5

Reticular Formation

Answer 5

• Filters incoming sensory information so the brain is not overloaded.
• Maintains consciousness, regulates arousal and muscle tension.

Question 6

Forebrain

Answer 6

Controls and regulates higher order functions (e.g. personality, cognitive functions, learning, perception). It contains the:

• hypothalamus
• thalamus
• cerebral cortex/cerebellum

Question 7

Hypothalamus

Answer 7

• Maintains the body’s internal environment (homeostasis).

- When sections of the hypothalamus are damaged or stimulated eating problems can occur.

Question 8

Thalamus

Answer 8

• Filters and transfers all sensory information (except smell) to relevant parts of the brain for processing.
• Transfers neural information (concerning alertness and attention) from the Reticular Formation to the cerebral cortex.
• Minimises sensory pathways during sleep.
• Damage can cause loss of any sense (except smell), attention difficulties and diminished arousal.

Question 9

Cerebral Cortex

Answer 9

The top layer of the cerebrum. Divided into two hemispheres and four lobes. Involved in:

• receiving and processing sensory information
• initiating motor responses

Question 10

Hemispheric Specialisation

Answer 10

The cerebral hemispheres are the two almost-symmetrical areas of the brain running from its front to its back that are connected by the corpus callosum. The cerebral hemispheres share many of the same functions, but perform these functions on different sides. These are central

Question 10

Hemispheric Specialisation

Answer 10

The cerebral hemispheres share many of the same functions, but perform these functions on different sides. These are contralateral, meaning that each hemisphere controls the opposite side of the body.

Question 10

Hemispheric Specialisation

Answer 10

The cerebral hemispheres are the two almost-symmetrical areas of the brain running from its front to its back that are connected by the corpus callosum. The cerebral hemispheres share many of the same functions, but perform these functions on different sides. These are central

Question 11

Frontal Lobe

Answer 11

Concerned with higher-order functions such as decision making, reasoning, planning and emotions. In involves the primary motor cortex.

Question 12

Primary Motor Cortex

Answer 12

Stores information about how to carry out different movements.

Question 13

Damage to the Frontal Lobe

Answer 13

• mood fluctuations
• inability to express language
• changes in social behaviour
• changes in personality
• inability to focus on a task and to filter out distractions (attention)
• loss of simple movement of various body parts

Question 14

Parietal Lobe

Answer 14

Concerned with processing sensory information (including temperature and touch), orientation and types of recognition and memory.

Question 15

Somatosensory Cortex

Answer 15

Receives and processes sensory information from skin and body.

Question 16

Damage to the Parietal Lobe

Answer 16

• difficulty with drawing objects
• difficulty in distinguishing left from right
• inability to focus visual attention
• lack of awareness of certain body parts and/or surrounding space (neglect)
• spatial disorientation and navigation difficulties

Question 17

Occipital Lobe

Answer 17

Contains the primary visual cortex. It is concerned with processing information from the eyes including vision, colour, shape and perspective.

Question 18

Damage to the Occipital Lobe

Answer 18

• difficulty locating objects in environment
• difficulty with identifying colours
• production of hallucinations
• difficulty reading and writing
• word blindness - inability to recognise words

Question 19

Temporal Lobe

Answer 19

Concerned with processing auditory information. Also involved in memory and encoding faces and expression.

Question 20

Damage to the Temporal Lobe

Answer 20

• persistent talking
• difficulty recognising faces
• impaired factual and long-term memory
• emotional disturbance
• difficulty with identification and categorisation of objects

Question 21

Language Centres

Answer 21

• Broca’s area located in the frontal lobe

- Wernicke’s area located in the temporal lobe

Question 22

Broca’s area

Answer 22

Responsible for the production of clear and articulate speech.

Question 23

Wernicke’s Area

Answer 23

Involved in the comprehension of speech.

Question 24

Aphasia

Answer 24

An impairment in language production or comprehension brought about by neurological damage.

Question 25

Broca’s Aphasia

Answer 25

Characterised by non-fluent speech. However, speech perception is not affected, and language comprehension is normal.