Question

brain scenarios
directions: read the following scenarios and explain the area of the brain that is affected.
scenario what area?

1. walking down a dark new york street late at night you suddenly feel the metal barrel of a pistol press against your head behind your ear and hear the instructions \dont move a muscle while i slip your wallet out of your pocket.\ unfortunately you do move, the gun is fired and the bullet enters the brain. breathing and heart beat stop almost immediately. where is the bullet?
2. \little mo\ was extremely short for his age. his doctors concluded his brain was not stimulating the proper release of hormones necessary for growth. what area of the brain are they probably focusing on?
3. youre in a parking lot at 2 am when a guy in a hockey mask holding a long - bladed knife jumps out at you. what system of nerves would arouse your body to action?
4. on justins 21st birthday he & his buddies celebrated a bit too much. when the police stopped his car justins speech was slurred, he couldnt walk a straight line or balance on one foot. he nearly missed his face altogether when asked to touch his nose while his eyes were closed. the impaired functioning of what part of justins brain is responsible for these difficulties with motor coordination and balance?
5. uncle ed suffered a stroke which damaged a portion of his cortex. he shows some weakness and partial paralysis of his right leg. what area of his cortex was affected by the stroke?
6. paul suffered from encephalitis (a brain infection) while in college. he received good medical attention but still the infection took its toll on certain parts of his brain, so that now paul cannot store new long - term memories. what part of the brain did the encephalitis damage?
7. leons car was broadsided by a truck causing leons head to smash against the drivers side window damaging his temporal lobe. what ability may be affected?
8. jeff suffered serious injuries when his car crashed but he was still able to crawl out of the car and pull his sister out as well. name one of the transmitters that helped him function in this situation and tell how.
9. philip is hooked on cocaine. what neurotransmitter is most closely related to the pleasure such drugs produce and their addictive qualities?
10. grandma mary had a stroke which impaired her ability to speak fluently although she can move all the necessary muscles. what is the most likely location of her brain damage?
11. gwens brain has a congenital anomaly (a difference in brain anatomy that she was born with) - it lacks the main connection

Explanation:

1. The medulla oblongata controls vital functions like breathing and heart - beat. If damaged, these stop.
2. The pituitary gland is responsible for releasing hormones necessary for growth.
3. The sympathetic nervous system arouses the body to action in a fight - or - flight situation.
4. The cerebellum is involved in motor coordination and balance.
5. The left motor cortex controls the right side of the body, so a stroke here can cause right - leg weakness.
6. The hippocampus is crucial for the formation of new long - term memories.
7. The temporal lobe is involved in auditory processing and some memory functions, so hearing or memory may be affected.
8. Adrenaline (epinephrine) is released in high - stress situations to increase energy and focus.
9. Dopamine is closely related to the pleasure and addictive qualities of drugs like cocaine.
10. Broca's area is responsible for fluent speech production, so damage here can impair speech.
11. The corpus callosum is the main connection between the two hemispheres of the brain.

Answer:

1. Medulla oblongata
2. Pituitary gland
3. Sympathetic nervous system
4. Cerebellum
5. Left motor cortex
6. Hippocampus
7. Hearing or memory (due to temporal lobe damage)
8. Adrenaline (epinephrine), increases energy and focus in high - stress
9. Dopamine
10. Broca's area
11. Corpus callosum