RO Topic 8

Question 1

cerebrum

Answer 1

divided into parts that are involved in vision, learning, thinking, emotions and movement

Question 2

hypothalamus

Answer 2

automatically maintains body temperature at its normal level (thermoregulation)

controls the pituitary gland

Question 3

medulla oblongata

Answer 3

controls heart and breathing rate

Question 4

cerebellum

Answer 4

coordinates movement and balance

Question 5

ocular dominance columns

Answer 5

• neurones that receive visual info are arranged into ocular dominance columns
• right eye –> right ocular dominance columns etc
• same size arranged in an alternating pattern

Question 6

critical period

Answer 6

• must be exposed to visual stimuli during early life for visual cortex to develop properly
• e.g. babies amd cataracts
• born with lots of visual neurons that need to be stimulated in order to be organised
• proper stimulation causes the removal of synapses that are not used and remains those that are needed to process visual information
• during the critical period synapses that receive visual stimulation pass and pass on nerve impulses in to the visual cortex are retained and those that do not are removed
• this means if the eyes are not stimulated with visual information