The Brain

Question 1

State the function of the spinal cord: (2)

Answer 1

1. Carries signal between the brain and the rest of the body
2. Made of many nerves

Question 2

State the function of the cerebral cortex: (3)

Answer 2

1. Controls consciousness, intelligence memory and language
2. Used for most senses, consciousness and language
3. Contains 2 cerebral hemispheres

Question 3

State the function of the cerebellum: (2)

Answer 3

1. Coordinates how your muscles work 2. Involved in balance, memory and behaviour

Question 4

State the function of the medulla oblongata: (1)

Answer 4

Controls the unconscious activities such as heartbeat, breathing and digestion

Question 5

State the function of the hypothalamus: (1)

Answer 5

By communicating with the pituitary gland, it helps produce hormones that regulate the heart rate, body temperature, hunger and the sleep-wake cycle

Question 6

State the 3 ways scientists can use to study the brain:

Answer 6

1. Study brain damaged patients
2. Electrical stimulation
   3.

Question 7

How does ‘Studying Brain Damaged Patients’ help scientists study the brain?

Answer 7

Brain damage is caused by trauma or disease
When it is damaged you can use brain scans to see what part of the brain is damaged and then learn what each part of the brain is responsible for doing each job, which may have been affected by the brain damage

Question 8

How does ‘Electrical stimulation’ help scientists study the brain?

Answer 8

Scientist can stimaulate different parts of the brain with a weak electrical current and then ask patients experiences. For example, motor area leads to an involuntary movement

Question 9

How do ‘CT/PET Scans‘ help scientists study the brain?

Answer 9

The PET Scanner detects the radiation emitted, creating images that show which parts of the brain are active
This helps doctors and scientists understand brain functions and diagnose conditions like epilepsy, alzeihmers disease and tumours

Question 10

Give 3 reasons why it is difficult to study/treat the brain:

Answer 10

1. Wide range of things that can go wrong
   eg. Tumours, trauma, mental health issues and infections
2. Difficult to physically fix anything because the surrounding brain tissue is fragile
3. Difficult to fix with drugs and chemicals as the brain is complex

Question 11

How do CT/PET scans work?

Answer 11

1. FDG-PET imaging is a technique used to detect brain activity by injecting a special type of sugar (Fluoro-deoxyglucose) that contains a small amount of radioactive material into the bloodstream
2. Active brain cells absorb more of this sugar
3. The PET Scanner detects the radiation emitted creating images that show which parts of the brain are active