Structure And Function Of The Brain

Question 1

how many neurones does average human brain contain?

Answer 1

86 billion neurones.

Question 2

what is the brain responsible for?

Answer 2

• processing all information collected by receptor cells about changes in internal and external environments
• recieves and processes information from the hormonal system through molecules in the blood.

Question 3

what are the advantages of having a central control centre for the whole body?

Answer 3

communication between billions of neurones involved is much faster than if control centres were distrubuted around the body.

Question 4

what are the different structures of the brain?

Answer 4

• cerebrum
• cerebellum
• medulla oblongata
• hypothalamus
• pituitary gland

Question 5

what is the role of the cerebrum?

Answer 5

• controls voluntary actions (learning, memory, personality, conscious thought.)

Question 6

what is the role of the cerebellum?

Answer 6

controls unconscious functions (posture, balance, non-voluntary movement.)

Question 7

what is the role of the medulla oblongata?

Answer 7

used in autonomic control. (heart rate and breathing rate)

Question 8

what is the role of the hypothalamus?

Answer 8

regulatory centre for temperature and water balance

Question 9

what is the role of the pituitary gland?

Answer 9

stores and releases hormones that regulate many body functions.

Question 10

what are the different methods of getting images of the brain?

Answer 10

• MRI scan
• photos during autopsies.
• CT Scan

Question 11

what does an MRI scan do?

Answer 11

investigates the structure of the brain. fMRi been developed and identifies active areas of the brain due to increased blood flow.

Question 12

what is the structure of the cerebrum?

Answer 12

• highly convoluted (increases its surface area and the capacity for complex activity.)
• split into to halves known as cerebral hemispheres.
• outer layer of cerebral hemispheres is known as the cerebral cortex.

Question 13

what is the role of the cerebral cotex?

Answer 13

the most sophosticated processes such as reasoning and decision making occur in the frontal and prefrontal lobe.

Question 14

why does the left side of the brain recieve signals from the right side of the body?

Answer 14

in the base of the brain, impulses from each side of the boy cross.

Question 15

does the cerebellum initiate movement or coordinate it?

Answer 15

coordinate.

Question 16

what happens if the cerebellum is damaged?

Answer 16

a person suffer from jerky and uncoordinated movements.

Question 17

how does the cerebellum work?

Answer 17

recieves information from the balance organs within the ear and relays it to the cerbral cortex involved in motor control.

Question 18

what are the functions of the hypothalamus?

Answer 18

• controlling complex patterns of behaviour (feeding, sleeping)
• monitoring the composition of blood plasma (therefore rich blood supply)
• produces hormones

Question 19

what are the two sections of the pituitary ?

Answer 19

• anterior pituitary - produces 6 hormones, including FSH)
• posterior pituitary - stores and releases hormones produced by hypothalamus.