The Brain

Question 1

Surgical removal of brain tissue.

Answer 1

Ablation

Question 2

Subcortical structures of the cerebral hemispheres involved in voluntary movement.

Answer 2

Basal ganglia

Question 3

The “trunk” of the brain comprised of the medulla, pons, midbrain, and diencephalon.

Answer 3

Brain stem

Question 4

Surgical procedure in which the corpus callosum is severed (used to control severe epilepsy).

Answer 4

Callosotomy

Question 5

The outermost gray matter of the cerebrum; the distinctive convolutions characteristic of the
mammalian brain.

Answer 5

Cerebral cortex

Question 6

Surgical procedure in which the corpus callosum is severed (used to control severe epilepsy).

Answer 6

Cerebellum

Question 7

The cerebral cortex, underlying white matter, and subcortical structures

Answer 7

Cerebral hemispheres

Question 8

Usually refers to the cerebral cortex and associated white matter, but in some texts includes
the subcortical structures.

Answer 8

Cerebrum

Question 9

Literally “opposite side”; used to refer to the fact that the two hemispheres of the brain process
sensory information and motor commands for the opposite side of the body (e.g., the left
hemisphere controls the right side of the body).

Answer 9

Contralateral

Question 10

Similar findings reported from multiple studies using different methods.

Answer 10

Converging evidence

Question 11

A slice that runs from head to foot; brain slices in this plane are similar to slices of a loaf of
bread, with the eyes being the front of the loaf.

Answer 11

Coronal plane

Question 12

A neuroimaging technique that infers brain activity by measuring changes in light as it is
passed through the skull and surface of the brain.

Answer 12

Diffuse optical imaging

Question 13

A neuroimaging technique that measures electrical brain activity via multiple electrodes on
the scalp.

Answer 13

Electroencephalography

Question 14

The front most (anterior) part of the cerebrum; anterior to the central sulcus and responsible
for motor output and planning, language, judgment, and decision-making

Answer 14

Frontal lobe

Question 15

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI): A neuroimaging technique that infers brain
activity by measuring changes in oxygen levels in the blood.

Answer 15

Functional magnetic resonance imaging

Question 16

The outer grayish regions of the brain comprised of the neurons’ cell bodies.

Answer 16

Gray matter

Question 17

A fold between sulci in the cortex.

Answer 17

Gyrus/ Gyri(plural)

Question 18

A slice that runs horizontally through a standing person (i.e., parallel to the floor); slices of
brain in this plane divide the top and bottom parts of the brain; this plane is similar to slicing
a hamburger bun.

Answer 18

Horizontal plane

Question 19

To the side; used to refer to the fact that specific functions may reside primarily in one hemisphere or the other (e.g., for the majority individuals, the left hemisphere is most
responsible for language).

Answer 19

Lateralized

Question 20

A region in the brain that suffered damage through injury, disease, or medical intervention.

Answer 20

Lesion

Question 21

Includes the subcortical structures of the amygdala and hippocampal formation as well as
some cortical structures; responsible for aversion and gratification.

Answer 21

Limbic system

Question 22

A substance necessary for a living organism to maintain life

Answer 22

Metabolite

Question 23

Region of the frontal lobe responsible for voluntary movement; the motor cortex has a
contralateral representation of the human body

Answer 23

Motor cortex

Question 24

Fatty tissue, produced by glial cells (see module, “Neurons”) that insulates the axons of the
neurons; myelin is necessary for normal conduction of electrical impulses among neurons.

Answer 24

Myelin

Question 25

Naming convention

Answer 25

Nomenclature

Question 26

The back most (posterior) part of the cerebrum; involved in vision

Answer 26

Occipital lobe

Question 27

The part of the cerebrum between the frontal and occipital lobes; involved in bodily sensations,
visual attention, and integrating the senses

Answer 27

Parietal lobe

Question 28

A now-discredited field of brain study, popular in the first half of the 19th century that
correlated bumps and indentations of the skull with specific functions of the brain.

Answer 28

Phrenology

Question 29

A neuroimaging technique that measures brain activity by detecting the presence of a
radioactive substance in the brain that is initially injected into the bloodstream and then pulled
in by active brain tissue.

Answer 29

Positron emission topography

Question 30

A slice that runs vertically from front to back; slices of brain in this plane divide the left and
right side of the brain; this plane is similar to slicing a baked potato lengthwise.

Answer 30

Sagittal plane

Question 31

The region of the parietal lobe responsible for bodily sensations; the somatosensory cortex
has a contralateral representation of the human body

Answer 31

Somatosensory cortex

Question 32

A term that refers to how small the elements of an image are; high spatial resolution means
the device or technique can resolve very small elements; in neuroscience it describes how
small of a structure in the brain can be imaged.

Answer 32

Spatial resolution

Question 33

A patient who has had most or all of his or her corpus callosum severed

Answer 33

Split brain pateint

Question 34

Structures that lie beneath the cerebral cortex, but above the brain stem

Answer 34

Subcortical

Question 35

A groove separating folds of the cortex.

Answer 35

Sulci (plural)/Sulcus

Question 36

The part of the cerebrum in front of (anterior to) the occipital lobe and below the lateral fissure;
involved in vision, auditory processing, memory, and integrating vision and audition.

Answer 36

Temporal lobe

Question 37

A term that refers to how small a unit of time can be measured; high temporal resolution
means capable of resolving very small units of time; in neuroscience it describes how precisely
in time a process can be measured in the brain.

Answer 37

Temporal resolution

Question 38

A neuroscience technique that passes mild electrical current directly through a brain area by
placing small electrodes on the skull

Answer 38

Transcranial direct current stimulation

Question 39

A neuroscience technique whereby a brief magnetic pulse is applied to the head that
temporarily induces a weak electrical current that interferes with ongoing activity.

Answer 39

Transcranial magnetic stimulation

Question 40

The half of visual space (what we see) on one side of fixation (where we are looking); the left
hemisphere is responsible for the right visual hemifield, and the right hemisphere is
responsible for the left visual hemifield.

Answer 40

Visual hemifield

Question 41

The inner whitish regions of the cerebrum comprised of the myelinated axons of neurons in
the cerebral cortex

Answer 41

White matter