Flashcards · Biology · Homeostasis and the Nervous System
The Brain
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What does the cerebral cortex control?
Conscious thought, memory, language and voluntary movement.
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What does the cerebellum control?
Coordination of movement and balance.
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What does the medulla control?
Automatic actions such as heart rate and breathing.
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Which part of the brain is joined to the spinal cord?
The medulla.
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Which part of the brain is at the back below the cerebral cortex?
The cerebellum.
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Name one way of investigating the brain. (Higher tier)
A case study, a scan or electrical stimulation.
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Give a difficulty of investigating the brain. (Higher tier)
It is complex and hard to reach, and there are ethical issues.
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Why are case studies of brain damage limited? (Higher tier)
Each injury is different, and it is hard to be sure which region is responsible.
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Why is brain damage hard to treat? (Higher tier)
Neurones repair poorly and the damage is often irreversible.
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Why is operating on the brain risky? (Higher tier)
Parts are hard to reach and surrounding tissue can be damaged.
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What can happen if the spinal cord is cut? (Higher tier)
Impulses cannot cross, so movement and feeling are lost below the injury.
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Name the part of the brain marked X and say what it controls. The cerebellum. It coordinates movement and keeps balance.
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Name each part of the brain and what it controls. 
Cerebral cortex: consciousness, intelligence, memory, language and voluntary movement. Cerebellum: coordination and balance. Medulla: heart rate and breathing.