Unit III: The Nervous System (3)

Question 1

Where is the primary motor cortex located?

Answer 1

Frontal lobe

Question 2

What is the function of the primary motor cortex?

Answer 2

Conscious, voluntary, precise, skilled control of the skeletal muscles.

Question 3

What is the corticospinal or pyramidal tract?

Answer 3

A collection of axons that carry movement relay info from the cerebral cortex to the spinal cord to control movement.

Question 4

Where is the primary somatosensory cortex located?

Answer 4

Parietal lobe, postcentral gyrus.

Question 5

What type of information enters in the primary somatosensory cortex?

Answer 5

Receives general somatic sensory info from receptors for touch, pain, pressure, vibration, and temperature.

Question 6

Where is the primary visual cortex located and what special sense enters this part of the brain?

Answer 6

Located in the occipital lobe, for visual information.

Question 7

Where is the primary auditory cortex located, and what special sense enters this part of the brain?

Answer 7

Temporal lobe, receives information about the hearing.
Pitch, rhythm and loudness.

Question 8

Where is the primary olfactory cortex located and what special sense enters this part of the brain?

Answer 8

Located deep in the temporal lobe, for smell.

Question 9

Where is the primary gustatory cortex located and what special sense enters this part of the brain?

Answer 9

Located deep in the temporal lobe, for taste.

Question 10

Where are the association areas located in general?

Answer 10

Connected to nearby sensory and motor areas.

Question 11

Premotor Cortex (aka motor association area)

Answer 11

Coordinates learned movements- refines the signal going to the skeletal muscles.

Question 12

Somatosensory Association Area

Answer 12

Monitors activity in the primary somatosensory cortex.
Allows you to recognize what signal it is receiving.

Question 13

Visual Association Area

Answer 13

Monitors the pattern of activity in the visual cortex and interprets the results. Identifies what you see

Question 14

Auditory Association Area

Answer 14

Monitors sensory activity in the auditory cortex. Word recognition takes place in this association area. Identifies what you hear

Question 15

What are the three “higher-order” centers?

Answer 15

Wernicke’s Area, Broca’s Area, and Prefrontal Cortex.

Question 16

Wernicke’s Area

Answer 16

Ability to interpret what is read or heard (Language Comprehension)
Usually present in only one hemisphere, mainly on the left.

Question 17

Broca’s Area

Answer 17

Regulates patterns of breathing and vocalization needed for normal speech
Near the motor cortex.

Question 18

Prefrontal Cortex

Answer 18

Coordinates information from the association area of the entire cortex
Abstract intellectual functions- predicting future consequences of events or actions.

Question 19

Damage to what part of the brain results in a person making sounds but not words?

Answer 19

Broca’s area

Question 20

Damage to what part of the brain results in difficulties in estimating temporal relationships between events?

Answer 20

Prefrontal cortex

Question 21

What is the limbic system?

Answer 21

Groups of neurons and tracts of white matter along the border of the cerebrum and diencephalon.

Question 22

Where is the limbic system located?

Answer 22

Beneath the cerebral cortex, above the brainstem and lateral to the thalamus.

Question 23

What is the function of the limbic system?

Answer 23

Long-term memory storage, Control of instincts, emotions, and motivation.

Question 24

What two other parts of the brain does the limbic operate with?

Answer 24

Hypothalamus and cerebrum.

Question 25

What are the three parts of the diencephalon?

Answer 25

Thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithalamus.

Question 26

Thalamus
Function and Location

Answer 26

Function: relay center, receives sensory input and transmits the signals to the appropriate area of the cerebrum.
Location Between hypothalamus and epithalamus.

Question 27

Hypothalamus
Function and Location

Answer 27

Function Controls functions that are important in maintaining homeostasis. Controls the release of hormones from the pituitary gland
Location: below the thalamus.

Question 28

Epithalamus
Function and Location

Answer 28

Function:* Pineal gland- produces melatonin.
Choroid Plexus- produces cerebrospinal fluid.
Location: most dorsal portion of the diencephalon.

Question 29

Midbrain
Function and Location

Answer 29

Function: Reticular Activating system! Coordinates head movements related to vision and hearing. Controls eye movements and size of the pupils.
Location: Superior part of the brainstem.

Question 30

Pons
Function and Location

Answer 30

Function: Autonomic and endocrine functions, posture, alertness and sleep, and reflexes. Respiratory centers
Located: Middle part of the brainstem

Question 31

Medulla Oblongata
Function and Location

Answer 31

Function: Respiratory centers, cardiovascular center, coughing, vomiting, and swallowing center.
Location: Lowest part of brain stem
Contains nuclei of reticular formation.

Question 32

Where is the cerebellum located?

Answer 32

Partially hidden by the cerebral hemispheres, the posterior part of the brain

Question 33

What is the function of the cerebellum?

Answer 33

Adjusting the postural muscles of the body. BALANCE and programming and fine-tuning movements are controlled at the conscious and subconscious levels.

Question 34

What occurs when the cerebellum is damaged?

Answer 34

Ataxia- lack of balance.

Question 35

Reticular Activating System

Answer 35

Alertness- increases your attention, movement of your head, monitor the environment, vision.