Integrated higher brain function

Question 1

What is the Telencephalon composed of?

Answer 1

Cortex and Basal ganglia

Question 2

What are the main structures of the Diencephalon?

Answer 2

Thalamus and Hypothalamus

Question 3

Which structures are included in the Mesoencephalon?

Answer 3

Tegmentum and Tectum

Question 4

What are the components of the Rhombencephalon?

Answer 4

Medulla, Pons, and Cerebellum

Question 5

What does the Neocortex refer to?

Answer 5

The remainder of cortex, including projection and association areas

Question 6

What is the Archicortex and its components?

Answer 6

Non-olfactory rhinencephalon, including hippocampus and limbic system

Question 7

What does the Paleocortex represent?

Answer 7

Olfactory portion of rhinencephalon, including piriform lobe and Special Visceral Afferent (SVA)

Question 8

How is cortical development associated with evolution?

Answer 8

Cortical development is linked to evolutionary development

Question 9

What is the relationship between cortical size and intelligence?

Answer 9

Cortical size and level of convolution are often associated with intelligence, but not always

Question 10

What are the components of the Limbic System?

Answer 10

• Limbic lobe: cingulate gyrus
• Hippocampal formation: fornix
• Amygdala: striae terminalis
• Hypothalamus: mamillary bodies
• Olfactory bulb
• Septal area

Question 11

What role does the Limbic System play in memory?

Answer 11

Highly linked to memory via senses like vision and smell

Question 12

What is the function of the Amygdala?

Answer 12

Generates emotional states

Question 13

What are the main roles of the Hypothalamus?

Answer 13

Prepares body physiologically for situations such as fight or flight

Question 14

What are the functions of the Hippocampus?

Answer 14

• Pattern completion
• Pattern separation

Question 15

What are the types of sensory cortices?

Answer 15

• Visual cortex
• Olfactory cortex
• Auditory cortex
• Gustatory cortex
• Somatosensory cortex

Question 16

What are the components of the Visual Cortex?

Answer 16

• Primary Visual Cortex V1 (striate cortex)
• Visual association areas (V2-V5)

Question 17

What are the two streams of the Visual Cortex and their functions?

Answer 17

• Ventral stream: form recognition and object representation
• Dorsal stream: motion, representation of object locations, and control of eyes and arms

Question 18

What happens when there is damage to the dorsal stream?

Answer 18

• Optic ataxia: can’t use visuospatial information to guide arm movements
• Akinetopsia: inability to perceive motion

Question 19

What are the consequences of damage to the ventral stream?

Answer 19

Agnosia: inability to recognize objects and faces or interpret facial expressions

Question 20

What are the components of the Association Cortices?

Answer 20

• Parietal cortex
• Prefrontal cortex
• Motor cortex

Question 21

What is the role of the Parietal cortex?

Answer 21

Integration of retinotopic information to create egocentric and allocentric maps

Question 22

What are the stages of sleep?

Answer 22

• Stage 1 (NREM sleep)
• Stage 2 (NREM sleep)
• Stage 3 (NREM sleep)
• Stage 4 (NREM sleep)
• Stage REM sleep

Question 23

What characterizes REM Sleep?

Answer 23

Rapid eye movements, autonomic activation, and loss of postural muscle tone (atonia)

Question 24

What initiates REM Sleep paralysis?

Answer 24

Activation of neurons in the ventral medial medulla that release GABA and glycine onto skeletal motoneurons

Question 25

What are the functions of different types of sleep?

Answer 25

* Restorative function: tissue repair and protein synthesis * Energy conservation: decreased metabolism * Immune function regulation: immuno-competence * Memory consolidation * Synaptic homeostasis: brain plasticity

Question 26

What mechanisms promote sleep?

Answer 26

* Lack of light stimulation of the retinohypothalamic tract reduces input to the suprachiasmatic nucleus * Sleep-promoting cells produce GABA to reduce activity of arousal centers

Question 27

What is a seizure?

Answer 27

Temporary disruption of brain function due to excessive, abnormal neuronal activity

Question 28

What are common symptoms of seizures?

Answer 28

* Tonic (rigidity) * Clonic (jerking) * Absent (starring)

Question 29

What are the types of seizures?

Answer 29

* Focal (one region or unilateral) * Generalised (bilateral)

Question 30

What distinguishes intracranial from extracranial seizures?

Answer 30

Extracranial diseases are mainly metabolic or toxic disturbances and often have additional signs

Question 31

What is the treatment for seizures dependent on?

Answer 31

Whether the seizures are intracranial or extracranial

Question 32

How do anticonvulsants work?

Answer 32

* Blocking neural excitation * Blocking voltage-gated NA+ channels * Enhancing inhibition (GABA)