Introduction to the brain
In this lesson, you'll begin to get familiar with some of the major structures of the brain, as well as with the directional terms we use to orient ourselves to the nervous system. Over the next several lessons, we'll look more in depth at some of the structures introduced here.
1) Start with this video:
2) Then, read these articles:
Know Your Brain - Telencephalon
Know Your Brain - Diencephalon
3) Watch this video for an introduction to directional terms in neuroscience:
4) Finally, answer these questions to test your understanding:
1. This anatomical term means "toward the tail." In humans, it refers to the lower end of the spinal cord, but to the posterior (back) part of the brain.
- A. rostral
- B. dorsal
- C. ventral
- D. caudal
Show Answer
Correct answer: D
Caudal means "towards the tail." At the level of the spinal cord in humans, rostral points up towards the head while caudal points down towards the end of the cord. In the brain, however, caudal points toward the posterior part of the brain.
2. At the beginning of the new year, you are planning ahead and setting some goals. Which brain region below is most active in this long-term planning?
- A. cerebellum
- B. prefrontal cortex
- C. precentral gyrus
- D. hypothalamus
Show Answer
Correct answer: B
The prefrontal cortex is heavily involved with executive functions, which involve processes that focus on controlling short-sighted behavior to be able to act with a goal in mind.
3. Which of the following structures is part of the diencephalon?
- A. cerebral cortex
- B. hippocampus
- C. cerebellum
- D. pineal gland
Show Answer
Correct answer: D
The pineal gland is part of the epithalamus, a major structure in the diencephalon. The main function of the pineal gland is the secretion of melatonin, a hormone that is best known for its role in regulating circadian rhythms.
4. Damage to which of the following brain regions is most likely to produce a language deficit characterized by difficulty producing speech?
- A. Wernicke's area
- B. Broca's area
- C. Primary visual cortex
- D. Cerebellum
Show Answer
Correct answer: B
Broca’s area is important for language production; damage to it often leads to Broca’s aphasia, where comprehension is relatively preserved but speech is non-fluent, effortful, and halting.
5. When referring to brain structures above the brainstem, the term "dorsal" indicates:
- A. toward the front of the brain
- B. toward the back of the brain
- C. toward the top of the brain
- D. toward the bottom of the brain
Show Answer
Correct answer: C
When we are looking at the spinal cord, dorsal refers to the back and ventral refers to the region nearest the abdomen. Above the level of the brainstem, however, dorsal refers to the superior portion of the brain and ventral refers to the inferior portion.
