The Cerebral Hemispheres Flashcards
What is the basal ganglia?
Collection of neuronal cell bodies buried in the white matter
Where does the corpus callosum sit?
Between the cerebral hemispheres
Where in the brain is the primary motor cortex?
Area 4 - precentral gyrus
Where is Broca’s area located?
Inferior fronta gyrus (area 44,45)
What is the function of the prefrontal cortex?`
Cognitive functions of higher order: intellect, judgement, prediction and planning
Where is the primary sensory?
Post central gyrus - areas 3,1,2
What is the function of the superior parietal lobe?
Interpretation of general sensory information (sensory association and conscious awareness of contralateral half of body
What is the function of the inferior parietal lobe?
Interface between somatosensory cortex, visual and auditory association areas. Dominant hemisphere contributes to language functions
Where is the primary auditory cortex found??
Superior temporal gyrus - areas 41, 42
Where is the auditory association area (Wernicke’s area) found?
Posterior to areas 41, 42 in dominant hemisphere
What is the function of the inferior surface?
Receives fibres from the olfactory tract - conscious appreciation of smell
Where is the primary visual cortex located?
On either side of the calcarine sulcus in the occipital lobe (Area 17)
Where is the visual association cortex and what is its function?
Occipital Lobe (Area 18,19) -interpretation of visual images
What is the function of the limbic system?
Memory and emotional aspects of behaviour
Which structures make up the limbic system?
Cingulate gyrus, hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala
What is Broca’s area?
Motor speech area
What is Wernicke’s area?
Auditory association area necessary for recognition of speech - found in dominant hemisphere
What are the three types of myelinated axon fibres found in the brain?
Commisural, association and projection fibres
What do commissural fibres do?
They connect the corresponding parts of the cerebral hemispheres (corpus callosum)
What do association fibres do?
Connect one part of the cortex with another
What do projection fibres do?
They run between the cerebral cortex and subcortical centres (pass through the corona radiata and internal capsule)
Where is the internal capsule located?
Between the thalamus, caudate nucleus and lentiform nucleus
Which artery supplies the internal capsule?
Middle cerebral artery
What are the basal ganglia?
Subcortical nuclei deep within the cerebral hemispheres
What are the names of the basal ganglia?
Caudate nucleus, lentiform nucleus (putamen + globus pallidus) and substantia nigra
What is the function of the caudate nucleus and putamen?
They receive input from the motor cortex, premotor cortex and thalamus and are connected to the output regions
What is the function of the globus pallidus and substantia nigra?
Output regions - globus pallidus projects to the thalamus
What is the function of the basal ganglia?
Regulation of initiation and termination of movements
