Nova: How the Brain Works

What is the brain responsible for?

• All the facets of our personality

• Regulating heart rate and temperature

• Processing visual information

• Controlling movement

Which brain region is responsible for deliberate choices and self-awareness?

• Thalamus

• Prefrontal cortex

• Visual cortex

• Motor cortex

What happens to brain wave activity when someone is under anesthesia?

• It stops completely

• It remains the same as when awake

• It becomes more diverse and dynamic

• It becomes dull and slow-rolling

What is the central way station for all types of information processing in the brain?

• Thalamus

• Visual cortex

• Motor cortex

• Prefrontal cortex

What is the purpose of the corpus callosum in the brain?

• Controlling movement

• Connecting the two hemispheres

• Processing visual information

• Regulating heart rate and temperature

What happens when a seizure is unable to cross to the other side of the brain?

• The patient becomes unconscious

• The seizure stops completely

• The patient is unable to communicate verbally

• The patient experiences split-brain surgery

Which part of the brain controls most of the right side of the body?

• Thalamus

• Left hemisphere

• Right hemisphere

• Prefrontal cortex

What is the main difference between being conscious and being unconscious?

• The level of communication among brain regions

• The size of the brain

• The number of neurons in the brain

• The color of the brain

What is the main function of the thalamus in the brain?

• Regulating heart rate and temperature

• Processing visual information

• Central information processing

• Connecting the two hemispheres

What is the purpose of split-brain surgery?

• To improve memory

• To control emotions

• To enhance creativity

• To treat epilepsy