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Example Questions
Example Question #41 : Brain And Nervous System
What part of the brainstem is responsible for coordinating movement?
Reticular formation
Hypothalamus
Medulla
Pons
Thalamus
Pons
The pons sits above the medulla, making up one of the two structures of the brainstem. It's responsible for aiding in coordinated movement. If a cat has had its reticular formation severed, which connects the pons to the thalamus, it will still carry out the function of the medulla and pons (heart rate and breathing and run, climb and groom) but because it lacks the connection to the higher parts of the brain, it will perform its movements without a purpose. For instance, it will run and climb without the intention of finding food.
Example Question #42 : Brain And Nervous System
What is the purpose of association areas?
They are involved solely in sensory stimuli reception
They are involved in maintaining the integrity of interneurons
They are involved in the higher mental processes of the brain
They are involved in maintaining the body's homeostasis
They are involved in depth perception
They are involved in the higher mental processes of the brain
Association areas are located in the cerebral cortex. They act in learning, speech, memory, etc. These functions are considered to be higher mental functions.
These are not involved in motor or sensory functions.
Example Question #43 : Brain And Nervous System
What part of the brainstem is responsible for controlling breathing?
Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Pons
Cerebellum
Medulla
Medulla
The brainstem is made up of the medulla and pons. Together, these make up the oldest (evolutionarily speaking) region of the brain. In cases of patients with brain damage, there have been observations made that no higher brain power is required to control heart rate and breathing because it's all managed by the medulla. The thalamus is not technically part of the brainstem, although it does attach to it via the reticular formation.
Example Question #44 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following is not an old structure of the brain?
Cerebellum
Pons
Broca's area
Amygdala
Medulla
Broca's area
The medulla and pons make up the brainstem. As does the cerebellum, also known as "the little brain. The cerebellum is responsible for nonverbal learning, memory and balance. The amygdala is considered to be a primitive structure in the brain, tied to fear response. All these structures can be observed in primitive animals.
Broca's area, however, is tied to language expression - a more recently evolved capability. The "old" structures of the brain are old in terms of their evolutionary development.
Example Question #45 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following is not true of the hypothalamus?
It monitors the body as to maintain homeostasis.
It is a structure that lies below the thalamus.
It contains "reward centers."
It is responsible for evoking fear and aggression.
It is responsible for stimulating the master gland.
It is responsible for evoking fear and aggression.
The amygdala is responsible for evoking fear and aggression.
The "reward centers" in the brain were observed in the 1954 study by James Olds and Peter Milner where they mistakenly placed an electrode in a rat's hypothalamus instead of the intended reticular formation. They observed the rat continuously visiting the location where it had previously received the electrode stimulation. The rat continued to return to that location for what appeared to be some perceived reward.
The hypothalamus is responsible for maintaining body temperature, regulating thirst and hunger, etc. In a sense, it's like maintaining a body's equilibrium - that is, homeostasis. In doing so, this may require the activation of the pituitary (master) gland, which will in turn release hormones.
Example Question #41 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following terms is best defined as the part of the brain that is in charge of processing visual information?
Amygdala
Occipital lobe
Temporal lobe
Hippocampus
Parietal lobe
Occipital lobe
The occipital lobe is located far in the back of the brain. It is in charge of processing visual signals.
Example Question #46 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following terms is best defined as the part of the brain that is in charge of processing auditory information?
Occipital lobe
Hippocampus
Temporal lobes
Parietal lobe
Frontal lobe
Temporal lobes
The temporal lobes are located on the sides of the brain, close to where the ears are. They are in charge of processing auditory information.
Example Question #47 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following terms is best defined as the part of the brain that is in charge of movement, balance, and coordination?
Cerebellum
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Frontal lobe
Brain stem
Cerebellum
The cerebellum is important in helping us maintain balance and coordination. It is also in charge of precise timing and other motion related activities. It is located in the back of the brain, under the occipital lobe, and near the brain stem.
Example Question #48 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following terms is best defined as the part of the brain that controls essential bodily functions such as heart rate and breathing?
Cerebellum
Frontal lobe
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Brain stem
Brain stem
The brain stem is one of the first parts of the brain to be formed during fetal development. It controls essential bodily functions such as heart rate, body temperature, and breathing. It is located at the base of the brain, near the cerebellum, and connects to the spine through a bundle of nerves.
Example Question #45 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following parts of a neuron are responsible for helping speed up neural impulses?
Myelin sheath
Axon
Terminal Buttons
None of these
Dendrites
Myelin sheath
The myelin sheath is the fatty layer that covers the axon. It helps to speed up nerve impulses and keeps them channeled on the neuron.
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