PSYC 304 Exam 1 Questions and Answers Graded A+
What is phrenology? - Answers An outdated theory that bumps on the skull reflect mental traits
and abilities; historically important for suggesting brain localization.
What is Broca's area? - Answers Region in the left frontal lobe responsible for speech
production; damage leads to Broca's aphasia.
Who was Phineas Gage? - Answers A railroad worker who survived damage to his prefrontal
cortex, resulting in personality changes and showing the frontal lobe's role in behavior.
What is the CNS? - Answers The central nervous system: brain and spinal cord.
What is the PNS? - Answers The peripheral nervous system: nerves outside the brain and spinal
cord.
What does dorsal vs ventral mean? - Answers Dorsal = back/top side; Ventral = front/belly side.
What does anterior vs posterior mean? - Answers Anterior = front; Posterior = back.
What does superior vs inferior mean? - Answers Superior = above; Inferior = below.
What does lateral vs medial mean? - Answers Lateral = toward the side; Medial = toward the
middle.
What does contralateral vs ipsilateral mean? - Answers Contralateral = opposite side; Ipsilateral
= same side.
What are coronal, sagittal, and horizontal planes? - Answers Coronal = front/back cut; Sagittal =
left/right cut; Horizontal = top/bottom cut.
What are meninges? - Answers Three protective layers around brain/spinal cord: dura mater,
arachnoid membrane, pia mater.
What is dura mater? - Answers Tough outer layer of the meninges.
What is the arachnoid membrane? - Answers Middle meninges layer with web-like appearance.
What is pia mater? - Answers Thin inner layer closely attached to the brain surface.
What is the subarachnoid space? - Answers Space between arachnoid and pia filled with
cerebrospinal fluid.
What is the lateral ventricle? - Answers Large paired ventricles in each hemisphere, filled with
CSF.
What is the cerebral aqueduct? - Answers A narrow channel connecting the third and fourth
ventricles.
, What is the third ventricle? - Answers A midline cavity between the thalami filled with CSF.
What is the fourth ventricle? - Answers A cavity between brainstem and cerebellum filled with
CSF.
What is the choroid plexus? - Answers Cells that produce cerebrospinal fluid within the
ventricles.
What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)? - Answers Fluid that cushions brain/spinal cord, provides
nutrients, and removes waste.
What are arachnoid granulations? - Answers Structures that absorb CSF into the bloodstream.
What is obstructive hydrocephalus? - Answers Blocked CSF flow leading to brain swelling; often
treated with shunts.
What is the forebrain? - Answers Major brain division including telencephalon and diencephalon.
What is the midbrain? - Answers Part of brainstem including tectum and tegmentum.
What is the hindbrain? - Answers Brain region including medulla, pons, and cerebellum.
What is the telencephalon? - Answers Region of forebrain including cerebral cortex,
hippocampus, basal ganglia.
What is the diencephalon? - Answers Region of forebrain including thalamus and hypothalamus.
What is gray matter vs white matter? - Answers Gray = neuron cell bodies; White = myelinated
axons.
What is a sulcus? - Answers A groove in the brain's surface.
What is a gyrus? - Answers A ridge on the brain's surface.
What is a fissure? - Answers A deep groove in the brain (e.g., longitudinal fissure).
What is the lateral fissure? - Answers Separates frontal/parietal lobes from temporal lobe.
What is the longitudinal fissure? - Answers Separates the left and right hemispheres.
What is the central sulcus? - Answers Separates frontal and parietal lobes; between motor and
somatosensory cortex.
What is the precentral gyrus? - Answers Frontal lobe ridge containing the primary motor cortex.
What is the postcentral gyrus? - Answers Parietal lobe ridge containing the primary
somatosensory cortex.
What is the primary motor cortex? - Answers Controls voluntary movements; located in
What is phrenology? - Answers An outdated theory that bumps on the skull reflect mental traits
and abilities; historically important for suggesting brain localization.
What is Broca's area? - Answers Region in the left frontal lobe responsible for speech
production; damage leads to Broca's aphasia.
Who was Phineas Gage? - Answers A railroad worker who survived damage to his prefrontal
cortex, resulting in personality changes and showing the frontal lobe's role in behavior.
What is the CNS? - Answers The central nervous system: brain and spinal cord.
What is the PNS? - Answers The peripheral nervous system: nerves outside the brain and spinal
cord.
What does dorsal vs ventral mean? - Answers Dorsal = back/top side; Ventral = front/belly side.
What does anterior vs posterior mean? - Answers Anterior = front; Posterior = back.
What does superior vs inferior mean? - Answers Superior = above; Inferior = below.
What does lateral vs medial mean? - Answers Lateral = toward the side; Medial = toward the
middle.
What does contralateral vs ipsilateral mean? - Answers Contralateral = opposite side; Ipsilateral
= same side.
What are coronal, sagittal, and horizontal planes? - Answers Coronal = front/back cut; Sagittal =
left/right cut; Horizontal = top/bottom cut.
What are meninges? - Answers Three protective layers around brain/spinal cord: dura mater,
arachnoid membrane, pia mater.
What is dura mater? - Answers Tough outer layer of the meninges.
What is the arachnoid membrane? - Answers Middle meninges layer with web-like appearance.
What is pia mater? - Answers Thin inner layer closely attached to the brain surface.
What is the subarachnoid space? - Answers Space between arachnoid and pia filled with
cerebrospinal fluid.
What is the lateral ventricle? - Answers Large paired ventricles in each hemisphere, filled with
CSF.
What is the cerebral aqueduct? - Answers A narrow channel connecting the third and fourth
ventricles.
, What is the third ventricle? - Answers A midline cavity between the thalami filled with CSF.
What is the fourth ventricle? - Answers A cavity between brainstem and cerebellum filled with
CSF.
What is the choroid plexus? - Answers Cells that produce cerebrospinal fluid within the
ventricles.
What is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)? - Answers Fluid that cushions brain/spinal cord, provides
nutrients, and removes waste.
What are arachnoid granulations? - Answers Structures that absorb CSF into the bloodstream.
What is obstructive hydrocephalus? - Answers Blocked CSF flow leading to brain swelling; often
treated with shunts.
What is the forebrain? - Answers Major brain division including telencephalon and diencephalon.
What is the midbrain? - Answers Part of brainstem including tectum and tegmentum.
What is the hindbrain? - Answers Brain region including medulla, pons, and cerebellum.
What is the telencephalon? - Answers Region of forebrain including cerebral cortex,
hippocampus, basal ganglia.
What is the diencephalon? - Answers Region of forebrain including thalamus and hypothalamus.
What is gray matter vs white matter? - Answers Gray = neuron cell bodies; White = myelinated
axons.
What is a sulcus? - Answers A groove in the brain's surface.
What is a gyrus? - Answers A ridge on the brain's surface.
What is a fissure? - Answers A deep groove in the brain (e.g., longitudinal fissure).
What is the lateral fissure? - Answers Separates frontal/parietal lobes from temporal lobe.
What is the longitudinal fissure? - Answers Separates the left and right hemispheres.
What is the central sulcus? - Answers Separates frontal and parietal lobes; between motor and
somatosensory cortex.
What is the precentral gyrus? - Answers Frontal lobe ridge containing the primary motor cortex.
What is the postcentral gyrus? - Answers Parietal lobe ridge containing the primary
somatosensory cortex.
What is the primary motor cortex? - Answers Controls voluntary movements; located in
