The Brain Flashcards
What do these terms mean?
Sagittal
Coronal
Axial
They are viewpoints of the brain:
Sagittal - side.
Coronal - end.
Axial - plan.
What is this structure:
‘approximately thumb-sized, contains a lot of important structures to do with the heart and respiration’.
Brain stem.
What is this structure:
‘enormous in humans! Controls posture and movement and it is the reason we can move smoothly. Approximately one metre long and one hundred and fifty millimetres wide, all folded up’.
Cerebellum.
Which structure functions as a conduit in the central nervous system?
Spinal cord.
Name the FOUR lobes of the brain.
Frontal, temporal, occipital and parietal.
Which lobe is found at the front of the brain?
Frontal lobe.
Which lobe is found at the back of the brain? Why might this seem odd?
Occipital lobe. It is to do with vision - but is at the opposite end of the head to the eyes!
Which lobe is at the ‘bottom’ of the brain, closer to the brain stem?
The temporal lobe.
Which lobe of the brain is is the ‘back half’ of the brain, between the frontal lobe and the occipital lobe?
The parietal lobe.
Where does the spinal cord exit the cranial cavity?
Through a big hole in the base of the skull.
What is the job of the cranial cavity?
To confine and protect the brain.
What is the dura mater?
A very thick membrane which lines the cranial cavity, protecting the brain from the sharp bones of the skull.
How many membranes surround the brain?
Three.
What is an epidural haematoma? What happens to the brain?
A haemorrhage between the membrane and the cranial cavity whch can cause swelling to press on the soft tissues of the brain. It is even more serious if the swelling presses on the brain stem.
Which structure goes between the hemispheres of the brain and all around the cerebellum?
Dura mater.
Name the large cavities in the brain which are filled with cerebrospinal fluid.
Ventricles.
What is the suggested ratio for grey matter to white matter?
4:3.
What are the names for the ridges and furrows in the white matter?
Ridges - gyri.
Furrows - sulci.
What are gyri and sulci?
Ridges and furrows in white matter.
If the cerebellum is damaged, what effect does this have on movement?
Damage to the cerebellum can cause a loss of smooth movement and lead to jerky movements instead.
Which lobe of the brain is only found in primates?
Temporal lobe.
Is the brain BILATERAL or SYMMETRICAL?
It is bilateral but it is not symmetrical.
In a coronal view of the brain, which lobes are visible as projections around the sides?
Temporal lobes.
Where is the core found?
Near to the brain stem.
What is the less well-defined area at the centre of the brain called?
Thalamus.
What information passes through the thalamus on its way to the cortex?
Sensory information.
What are the triangular areas in the centre of the brain called?
Basal ganglia.
There are large, very deep grooves in the brain. What are they called and what is their purpose.
Lateral ventricles, they increase surface area.
The cerebellum has massive ………………. matter connections coming out of the …………… ………….. .
White, brain stem.
The area where the spinal cord exits the brain is very well protected by what three things?
Bone, fluid and dura.
Where is the cerebellum found?
At the ‘bottom’ of the brain, behind the brainstem.
What is the purpose of the gyri and sulci?
To allow the brain to fit in the skull - if it were unfolded the head would need to be twice the size!
The principal division of the brain is into two…?
…hemispheres.
Name the lobe of the brain:
‘associated with higher mental functions,, such as planning and language. It is also the site of the primary motor cortex’.
Frontal lobe.
An individual’s behaviour can change if which lobe of their brain is damage?
Frontal lobe.
What is the role of the primary motor cortex? Where is it located?
Associated with motor control, it is located in the frontal lobe.
Name the lobe of the brain:
‘The site for incoming sensation from the body. Contains the somatosensory cortex (pain, heat, touch etc.) and the somatosensory association cortex (receives information through the spinal cord via the hypothalamus)’.
Parietal lobe.
Where are the somatosensory cortex and somatosensory association cortex located?
Parietal lobe.
What information is received in the somatosensory cortex? Where is it located?
Information from the body, e.g. pain, heat, touch etc. It is located in the parietal lobe.
Where does the somatosensory association cortex receive information from? Where is it located?
It receives information through the spinal cord, via the hypothalamus. It is located in the parietal lobe.
Name the lobe of the brain:
‘processes sound, is one of the sites for language and is involved in memory and vision’.
Temporal lobe.
Which lobe of the brain contains the hippocampus?
Temporal lobe.
What is the function of the hippocampus?
Memory.
What happens if the hippocampus is damaged?
The person will only live in the present.
Which lobe of the brain is the principal area for vision?
Occipital lobe.
Which structure is a ‘belt’ of tissue associated with processing emotion?
The cingulate gyrus.
In which lobe of the brain is the visual cortex located?
Occipital lobe.
The basal ganglia are part of the system for controlling…?
…movement.
Which three structures are found in the central core of the brain?
Basal ganglia, hypothalamus and thalamus.
Where are the basal ganglia, thalamus and hypothalamus found?
In the central core of the brain.
Which structure is the principal site for the initial processing of sensory information?
Thalamus.
Which structure is important for homeostasis and endocrine regulation?
Hypothalamus.
Which structure is this?:
‘a large band of white matter connecting the two hemispheres’.
Corpus colosum.
What is the corpus colosum?
A large baind of white matter connecting the two hemispheres of the brain.
Which structure has a role in movement, posture and autonomic function?
Brain stem.
Which structure is important for controlling posture and movement?
Cerebellum.
Which part of the central nervous system could be said to have a ‘butterfly’ structure of grey matter surrounded by white matter tracts?
Spinal cord.
The ONLY information that DOES NOT pass through the spinal cord is information that controls…?
…the face.
If information that controls the face does not pass through the spinal cord, where does it come from?
Cranial nerves.
Why do rats have such large cranial nerves?
To control their whiskers!
True or false? The spinal cord is simply a conduit for information.
False. The spinal cord is a conduit for sensory input and motor output but it also processes these signals.
What are the four main types of nervous system as seen in evolution?
- Nerve net, e.g. sea anemone.
- Segmented nerve trunk, e.g. flatworm.
- Ganglia, e.g. squid.
- Brain, e.g. frogs.
True or false? Brain structure can vary between vertebrates.
False. All vertebrates have essentially the same brain structure.
