Neuroanatomy
What part of a neuron transmits messages away from the cell body?
Axon — carries electrical impulses away from the cell body toward other neurons or muscles.
What is a synapse?
Synapse — the small gap where one neuron passes chemical or electrical signals to another neuron.
Where is Broca’s area located and what basic skill does it support?
Broca’s area — in the frontal lobe (usually left side); supports speech production and forming words.
What does an EEG record? Give one common use.
records electrical activity (brain waves) at the scalp; commonly used to detect seizures and study sleep patterns.
This test measures how much of a chemical the brain is using.
PET
Which structure connects the right and left cerebral hemispheres?
Corpus callosum — a large band of myelinated axons that allows communication and information transfer between the left and right hemispheres.
Which brain part analyzes fear, contributes to fight‑or‑flight responses, and is involved in reward processing?
Amygdala — central to processing fear and threat-related stimuli, modulating emotional responses and influencing reward- and threat-related behavior.
Where is Wernicke’s area located and what basic skill does it support?
located in the left temporal lobe (posterior superior temporal gyrus); supports language comprehension and meaningful language processing.
Which imaging method gives a detailed static picture of brain structure and is good for finding tumors?
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) — provides detailed images of brain anatomy and is useful for locating tumors and structural problems. (CT can be quicker in emergencies, but MRI has better soft‑tissue detail.)
What is the largest and most complicated region of the brain, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system and cerebrum?
Forebrain
Name the three major parts of the brain and give one simple function for each.
Hindbrain — medulla (controls breathing, heart rate, blood pressure), pons (bridge to higher brain regions; involved in sleep/REM and facial movements), cerebellum (coordinates fine motor control and balance).
Midbrain — coordinates basic movement with sensory information; contains reticular formation important for arousal and attention.
Forebrain — sensory relay, emotion and memory, higher thought, perception, voluntary behavior.
Which part of the brain is most involved in forming and consolidating early and long‑term memories?
Hippocampus — critical for encoding and consolidating new episodic and declarative memories and for transferring information into longer‑term storage.
Define aphasia in one sentence.
Aphasia — an acquired language disorder resulting from brain damage that impairs production, comprehension, or use of language.
Which imaging or recording method would you use to check for a small structural lesion (like a tumor or scar) that might cause seizures?
What is the function of the Occipital Lobe?
It processes visual information — it receives signals from the eyes and interprets them into images (e.g., shape, color, motion).
Which lobe contains Wernicke’s area, and what basic skill does it support?
Temporal lobe — Wernicke’s area (typically in the left temporal lobe) helps with understanding spoken and written language.
List three things the hypothalamus helps control.
Controls body temperature, hunger/thirst, and sleep/arousal.
If a patient understands language but cannot produce fluent speech, which area is likely damaged? Explain.
Broca’s area — damage here causes expressive problems (slow, effortful speech) while comprehension often remains relatively intact.
What is the major endocrine gland at the base of the brain and one of its main roles?
Pituitary gland — releases hormones that regulate growth, reproduction, and other endocrine glands (e.g., thyroid, adrenal).
What is the name given for the removal or destruction of some part of the brain?
Lesion
Give a simple role for each of the following limbic system structures:
A. Hippocampus B. Amygdala).
A. Hippocampus — helps form and store new memories.
B. Amygdala — processes emotions like fear and helps trigger fight‑or‑flight responses.
What are the two divisions of the Peripheral Nervous System?
Autonomic and Somatic Nervous System
How can left‑hemisphere brain damage can affect language?
Broca’s damage → trouble producing words; Wernicke’s damage → trouble understanding words.
What area of the brain coordinates information coming into and out of the spinal cord?
The Hindbrain
What test is a 3-D xray of the brain?
CAT