Textbook neuro Ch 1

Question 1

What are brain ventricles, and what functions have been ascribed to them over the ages?

Answer 1

Hollow spaces within the brain; hold CSF. Thought to carry the four vital “humors”. Fluid forced through ventricles to the nerves might “pump up” muscles.

Question 2

What experiment did Bell perform to show that the nerves of the body contain a mixture of
sensory and motor fibers?

Answer 2

Cut the dorsal (sensory; incoming) and ventral (motor; outgoing) roots to deprive function

Question 3

What did Flourens’ experiments suggest were the functions of the cerebrum and the cerebellum?

Answer 3

Flourens destroyed parts of the brain (experimental ablation) to determine function. Cerebellum = movement; cerebrum = sensation/perception.

Question 4

What is the meaning of the term animal model?

Answer 4

Nervous systems are connected through common ancestors; may be studied and commonalities may be assumed.

Question 5

A region of the cerebrum is now called Broca’s area. What function do you think this region
performs, and why?

Answer 5

Speech. When a lesion formed, a loss of word processing occurred.

Question 6

List the steps of the scientific process and what each one does.

Answer 6

observation(testing a hypothesis), replication(repeating on various subjects; eliminating uncertainty based upon chance), interpretation(depends upon state (or lack) of knowledge), verification(other researchers can come to similar conclusions)