Topography of the Brain

Question 1

What sends inductive signals to neuroectodermal cells to cause them to thicken?

Answer 1

The notochord

Question 2

What do neuroectodermal cells thicken into?

Answer 2

Neural plate

Question 3

What can neural crest cells differentiate into?

Answer 3

• Neurons and glia of the sensory and autonomic nervous system
• Cells of the adrenal gland
• Epidermis
• Skeletal / Connective tissue of the head

Question 4

What is spina bifida?

Answer 4

Failure of the posterior end of the neural tube to close, leading to an open cerebral canal.

It is not fatal.

Question 5

What is anencephaly?

Answer 5

A fatal condition which is caused by the failure of the anterior neural tube to close.

Question 6

What proportion of pregnancies are affected by anencephaly?

Answer 6

1 in 1000

Question 7

What proportion of pregnancies are affected by spina bifida?

Answer 7

1-2 in 1000

Question 8

What are the primary brain vesicles?

Answer 8

• Prosencephalon = Forebrain
• Mesencephalon = Midbrain
• Rhombencephalon = Hindbrain

Question 9

What do secondary vesicles arise from?

Answer 9

Primary vesicles

Question 10

What are the secondary vesicles of the prosencephalon?

Answer 10

• Telencephalon (cerebral hemispheres)
• Optic Vesicles (eyes)
• Diencephalon (thalamus + hypothalamus)

Question 11

What are the secondary vesicles of the hindbrain?

Answer 11

• Metencephalon (pons + cerebellum)

- Myelencephalon (medulla)

Question 12

What type of matter makes up the inner and outer brain?

Answer 12

• Outer brain consists of gray matter

- Inner brain consists of white matter

Question 13

What can the cerebral hemispheres be divided into?

Answer 13

• Frontal lobe
• Parietal lobe
• Occipital lobe
• Temporal lobe

Question 14

What does the folding of the outer layer of the cerebral hemispheres form?

Answer 14

Gyri and sulci

Question 15

What does the central sulcus divide?

Answer 15

Parietal and Frontal lobe

Question 16

What does the lateral sulcus divide?

Answer 16

Parietal and Temporal lobe

Question 17

Where are the precentral and postcentral gyri located with respect to the central sulcus?

Answer 17

• Precentral = Anterior

- Postcentral = Posterior

Question 18

Are the precentral and postcentral gyri sensory or motor?

Answer 18

• Precentral = Motor

- Postcentral = Sensory

Question 19

What is the corpus callosum?

Answer 19

A white matter tract that links the two cerebral hemispheres

Question 20

What is the limbic system involved with?

Answer 20

Emotion and Memory

Question 21

What are the basal ganglia involved with?

Answer 21

Control of of posture and voluntary movement

Question 22

What are the main components of the limbic system?

Answer 22

• Cingulate cortex
• Fornix
• Hypothalamus
• Mammillary bodies
• Amygdala
• Hippocampus

Question 23

What is the fornix?

Answer 23

A semi-circular white matter tract that connect the hippocampus with the mammillary bodies.

Question 24

How is the hippocampus shaped and where does it sit?

Answer 24

Seahorse shaped

Sits in the floor of the lateral ventricles

Question 25

Where are the basal ganglia located?

Answer 25

Forebrain

Question 26

What is the corpus striatum made up of?

Answer 26

Caudate nucleus and Lentiform nucleus

Question 27

How is the caudate nucleus and lentiform nucleus shaped?

Answer 27

Caudate = C-shaped Lentiform = Lens shaped

Question 28

What is the lentiform nucleus made up of?

Answer 28

- Putamen | - Globus Pallidus

Question 29

What are the different parts of the caudate nucleus?

Answer 29

- Head - Body - Tail

Question 30

How is the lentiform nucleus and caudate nucleus located with respect to each other?

Answer 30

The lentiform nucleus is lateral to the caudate nucleus

Question 31

What is the internal capsule?

Answer 31

A white matter tract that connects the cortex to the brainstem. It is internal to the lentiform nucleus

Question 32

What is the thalamus and what is it involved with?

Answer 32

A paired structure that relays sensory information to the cortex. It is involved with voluntary movement, personality and consciousness.

Question 33

Where in the brain is the hypothalamus located?

Answer 33

Inferior to the thalamus and in between the optic chasm and mammillary bodies.

Question 34

What are the functions of the hypothalamus?

Answer 34

- Coordinates the autonomic system and endocrine responses - Involved in thermoregulation, feeding and drinking - Receives inputs from the limbic system

Question 35

What are the contents of the brainstem?

Answer 35

- Cranial nerve nuclei - Vital respiratory and cardiovascular centres - Vomiting centre - Nuclei involved with motor control and sleep - White matter tracts

Question 36

What are the contents of the midbrain?

Answer 36

- Cerebral peduncles - Superior colliculus - Inferior colliculus

Question 37

What are the cerebral peduncles?

Answer 37

Acts as the feet of the brain and has white matter tracts that connect the pons to the diencephalon

Question 38

What does the superior colliculus allow for?

Answer 38

Eye movements

Question 39

What is the inferior colliculus?

Answer 39

Contains relay nuclei which are involved in auditory function

Question 40

What are the contents of the medulla oblongata?

Answer 40

- Pyramid which contains the corticospinal tract (main voluntary motor pathway) - Olive (olivary nuclei) which relays motor information to the cerebellum - Cuneate and Gracile nuclei (nuclei in ascending tract)

Question 41

What are the three lobes of the cerebellum?

Answer 41

- Anterior - Flocculonodular - Posterior

Question 42

What connects the cerebellum to the brainstem?

Answer 42

Cerebellar peduncles

Question 43

Where is the vermis located?

Answer 43

Inbetween the two hemispheres of the cerebellum