The human nervous system

Question 1

What are neurons?

Answer 1

They are specialised cells that generate and propagate electrical signals in the brain.

Question 2

What are glial cells?

Answer 2

There are three types of glial cells:

Astrocytes- maintain an appropriate chemical environment in the brain

Oligodendrocyte- cover axons with myelin sheath to aid nerve conduction

Microglial- play an important role in the immune response (similar to white blood cells)

Question 3

What is grey matter?

Answer 3

This contains cell bodies and dendrites.

Question 4

What is white matter?

Answer 4

This contains the axon tracts within the brain. It is white in colour due to the myelin sheath that surrounds the axons.

Question 5

What are the four lobes of the brain?

Answer 5

Frontal lobe: movement, language, thinking and planning

Parietal lobe: vision, sensory-motor integration, touch and balance

Occipital lobe: vision

Temporal lobe: vision, hearing, language, memory

Question 6

What does superior mean?

Answer 6

Above

Question 7

What does posterior mean?

Answer 7

Behind

Question 8

What does anterior mean?

Answer 8

In front of

Question 9

What does inferior mean?

Answer 9

Below

Question 10

What are the gyri (gyrus)?

Answer 10

These are the convex convolutions (hills) of the brain.

Question 11

What are the sulci (sulcus)?

Answer 11

These are the concavities (valleys) between the gyri. Large sulci are known as fissures

Question 12

What does the cingulate gyrus surround?

Answer 12

It surrounds the corpus callosum

Question 13

Where is the primary visual area found?

Answer 13

It is found in the calcarine sulcus

Question 14

What is the cerebral cortex?

Answer 14

It is a ribbon of grey matter that is involved in all higher cognitive activity.

Question 15

What is the internal capsule?

Answer 15

This is a white matter tract that conveys info from the cerebral cortex to the spinal cord

Question 16

What is the basal ganglia?

Answer 16

It regulates motor activity

Question 17

What is the amygdala?

Answer 17

It detects fearful or harmful stimuli

Question 18

What is the hippocampus?

Answer 18

It is important for learning and memory

Question 19

What is the thalamus?

Answer 19

It is important for processing sensory information

Question 20

What is the hypothalamus?

Answer 20

It is involved in homeostasis or maintenance of a constant internal body state (e.g temperature, hunger etc)

Question 21

What is the pineal gland?

Answer 21

It is important for circadian rhythms and seen as the master gland

Question 22

What is the cerebellum?

Answer 22

It is involved in motor coordination

Question 23

What is the brainstem?

Answer 23

It is made up of three main parts:

Midbrain- sensorimotor integration (vision, hearing)

Pons- integrates information from cerebellum to cerebrum

Medulla- regulates vital functioning (e.g breathing, swallowing etc)

Question 24

What are the three main connections in the brain (white matter tracts)?

Answer 24

Association tract (within hemisphere)

Commissure (between hemispheres)

Projection (cortical to subcortical)

Question 25

What are ventricles?

Answer 25

These are a number of fluid-filled chambers in the brain. They serve no obvious cognitive function, but their cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) provides a protective cushion for the brain

Question 26

What are the two main arteries that supply the brain?

Answer 26

The internal carotid and the basilar

Question 27

What is the circle of Willis?

Answer 27

This is where the internal carotid and basilar arteries converge before sending blood to different regions of the brain