The brain

Question 1

mesencephalon

Answer 1

(midbrain)

an expansion caudal to the prosencephalon

Question 2

Prosencephalon

Answer 2

(forebrain)

at the anterior tip of the neural tube

Question 3

rhombencephalon

Answer 3

(hindbrain)

most caudal of the primary vesicles, continuous with the spinal cord

Question 4

@ 5 weeks of development, what are the subdivisions of the prosencephalon? What is the function of the subdivisions?

Answer 4

diencephalon: becomes major relay and processing centre for info headed to and from the cerebrum
telencephalon: begins to expand rapidly to become cerebrum

Question 5

@ 5 weeks of development, what are the subdivisions of the rhombencephalon?

Answer 5

metencephalon: caudal to the midbrain, will form the cerebellum and the pons
myelencephalon: becomes medulla oblongata

Question 6

what is the function of the cerebral cortex?

Answer 6

conscious thought, memory storage and processing, sensory processing and regulating skeletal muscle contractions

Question 7

What are fissures, Gyri and sulci?

Answer 7

fissures: deep grooves that subdivide each hemisphere
gyri: folds in the cerebral hemispheres that increase its SA
sulci: shallow grooves in the cerebral hemispheres that separate adjacent gyri

Question 8

What is the function of the thalamus?

Answer 8

contains relay and processing centres for sensory information

Question 9

what is the function of the hypothalamus?

Answer 9

contains centres involved with emotions, autonomic function and hormone production

Question 10

What is the diencephalon? What parts of the brain are included in it?

Answer 10

• the structural and functional link between cerebral hemispheres and the rest of the CNS

thalamus and hypothalamus

Question 11

What is included in the brainstem?

Answer 11

midbrain, pons and medulla oblongata

Question 12

What is the function of the midbrain?

Answer 12

• contains nuclei that process visual and auditory information and control relaxes triggered by these stimuli
• maintains consciousness

Question 13

What is the function of the pons?

Answer 13

• connects cerebellum to brainstem

- functions in somatic and visceral motor control

Question 14

What is the function of the medulla oblongata?

Answer 14

relays sensory info to other parts of the brain

- autonomic functions such as heart rate and BP

Question 15

What is the function of the cerebellum

Answer 15

coordinating and modulating motor commands from the cerebral cortex

Question 16

Where are the lateral ventricles?

Answer 16

in each cerebral hemisphere

Question 17

How do the lateral ventricles communicate with the third ventricle?

Answer 17

via the ventricular foramen

Question 18

Where is the third ventricle located?

Answer 18

in the diencephalon

Question 19

What connects the third and fourth ventricles of the brain?

Answer 19

the cerebral aquaduct

Question 20

Where is the fourth ventricle?

Answer 20

begins in the mesencephalon and extends into the superior portion of the medulla oblongata

Question 21

what is the corpus callosum?

Answer 21

a thick tract of white matter that interconnects the two cerebral hemispheres

Question 22

What is the septum pellucidum?

Answer 22

a thin partition that separates the two lateral ventricles

Question 23

What are dural folds?

Answer 23

inner layer of dura mater that extends into the cranial cavity– they dip inwards, then return

Question 24

What are dural venous sinuses?

Answer 24

large collecting veins located within the dural folds

Question 25

What is the tentorium cerebelli?

Answer 25

a venous sinus that separates the cerebral hemispheres from the cerebellum

Question 26

What is the falx cerebelli?

Answer 26

a venous sinus that separates the two cerebellar hemispheres along the midsagittal line inferior to the tenorium cerebelli

Question 27

What is the falx cerebri?

Answer 27

a fold of dura mater between the cerebral hemispheres

Question 28

What are the three functions of CSF?

Answer 28

1: support weight of brain
2: cushioning the brain and spinal cord against physical trauma
3: transporting nutrients, chemical messengers and wastes

Question 29

What produces CSF?

Answer 29

choroid plexus (located in each ventricle)

Question 30

What are arachnoid granulations and what is their function?

Answer 30

finger like extensions of arachnoid membrane that penetrates the meningeal layer of the dura mater and extends into the superior sagittal sinus

function: CSF is absorbed into the venous circulation

Question 31

How does the CSF reach the subarachnoid space?

Answer 31

through two lateral apertures and a single median aperture in the roof of the fourth ventricle

Question 32

what is the limbic system? what are the functions of the limbic system?

Answer 32

a functional group of tracts and nuclei located in the cerebrum and diencephalon

functions:
1) establishing emotional states
2) linking the conscious/intellectual functions of the cerebral cortex with the unconscious and autonomic functions of the brainstem
3) facilitating memory storage and retrieval
4) affecting motivation

Question 33

What are the components of the limbic system?

Answer 33

in the diencephalon:
- anterior thalamic nuclei, hypothalamus, mammillary body, reticular formation
in the cerebrum:
- cingulate gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus, dentate gyrus
- fornix
- amygdala, hippocampus

Question 34

What is the function of the amygdaloid body?

Answer 34

interface among the limbic system. cerebrum and other sensory systems
- regulation of heart rate and fight or flight, links emotions with memories

Question 35

What is the function of the hippocampus?

Answer 35

elongated nucleus, important in learning, especially in the storage and retrieval of long term memories

Question 36

What are the basal nuclei

Answer 36

masses of gray matter that lie within each cerebral hemisphere

provides subconscious control of skeletal muscle tone and help coordinate learned movement patterns

• once movement is underway the basal nuclei provide the general pattern and rhythm especially for movements of the trunk and limbs

Question 37

What are the functions of the left cerebral hemisphere?

Answer 37

language based skills (reading, writing, speaking), mathematics and logic

Question 38

What are the functions of the right cerebral hemisphere ?

Answer 38

analyzes sensory info, recognizes faces and 3D relationships, emotional context