The Brain Basics

Question 1

What is the cerebrum responsible for?

Answer 1

It controls all of our voluntary functions

Question 2

Which side of the cerebrum controls which side of the body?

Answer 2

The opposites 
(Left = right side)

Question 3

The left and right sides of the brain are connected by a dense set of nerve fibres called what?

Answer 3

Corpus Callosum

Question 4

Name the 4 lobes of the brain

Answer 4

Frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal

Question 5

What is sulcus?

Answer 5

The grooves of the brain

Question 6

What is gyrus?

Answer 6

The ridges of the brain

Question 7

What are the three main sulci called?

Answer 7

Central sulcus, lateral sulcus, Lunate sulcus

Question 8

What are the three main gyrus called?

Answer 8

Precentral, post central and superior temporal gyrus

Question 9

What is the frontal lobe responsible for?

Answer 9

Mainly motor =
Learned motor skills like writing, speech, thought, concentration, problem solving and problem solving.

Also voluntary actions like facial expressions, hand and arm gestures

Question 10

What is the parietal lobe responsible for?

Answer 10

Mainly interpretation of sensory information =

Touch, temperature, taste, spacial balance and navigation. Position of own body parts

Question 11

What is the occipital lobe responsible for?

Answer 11

Visual and visual memory

Question 12

What is the temporal lobe responsible for?

Answer 12

Memories and emotion=

Generates memory and emotions (like hearing an ambulance), storage of memory

Question 13

What is the brain stem responsible for?

Answer 13

Connects spinal cord to cerebrum.

Automatically regulates breathing, swallowing, BP, HR and posture, consciousness and alertness

Question 14

What are the main arteries supplying the brain?

Answer 14

Internal carotid artery and ventral arteries

Question 15

What makes up the Circle of Willis?

Answer 15

Anterior and posterior cerebral arteries
Anterior and posterior communicating arteries
Internal carotid artery

Question 16

What is the brain stem made up of?

Answer 16

Pons, midbrain and medulla oblongata

Question 17

Where is the cerebellum?

Answer 17

Little brain at the back

Question 18

What is the diencephalon made up of?

Answer 18

Thalamus, hypothalamus and pituitary gland

Question 19

What is the grey matter in the brain?

Answer 19

Outer brain - Nerve cells

Question 20

What is the white matter in the brain?

Answer 20

Inner brain - covered in myelin sheath

Question 21

What is the somatosensory cortex?

Answer 21

It is a part of the brain responsible for processing somatic sensory input like touch, temperature, pain and procrioception

Question 22

What is the motor cortex?

Answer 22

A part of the brain which initiates the impulses to initiate voluntary muscle movement

Question 23

What does the thalamus do?

Answer 23

Acts as a sensory integration system - relays sensory signals from the body to the cerebrum

Question 24

What does the hypothalamus do?

Answer 24

Autonomic functions of the body - Sleep, wakefulness, releasing hormones and regulating temperature, appetite, thirst

Question 25

What does the basal ganglia do?

Answer 25

Coordinates and smoothens movements, cannot isolate movements. If this is damaged you can get PD. Habit learning, cognition

Question 26

What is the brain meninges?

Answer 26

Wrapping paper which protects the brain

Question 27

What are the three layers of brain meninges?

Answer 27

Pia, arachnoid and dura

Question 28

What is CSF and what does it do?

Answer 28

Central spinal fluid | It protects the brain, gives buoyancy and excretes waste

Question 29

Where is CSF made?

Answer 29

Lateral ventricles

Question 30

What is the cerebellum responsible for?

Answer 30

Refinement of fine motor limb movement, posture and balance

Question 31

What does the limbic system do?

Answer 31

Controls emotions like fear, anger, pleasure and sadness

Question 32

What does the midbrain do?

Answer 32

Motor movements (particularly of the eye and in auditory and visual, temperature and sleep/wakefulness)

Question 33

What does the pons do?

Answer 33

Connects upper and lower parts of the brain, message station between areas of the brain, relays from cortex and cerebellum

Question 34

What does the medulla oblongata do?

Answer 34

Regulates breathing, HR, blood vessel dilation, swallowing. Sensory and motor neurone from the forebrain and midbrain travel through here

Question 35

What is the reticular formation?

Answer 35

Mediates overall levels of consciousness (sleep and wakefulness)