Neuroscientific Nonsense Multiple Choice Quiz | Human Body

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The corpse coliseum is a collection of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres. What should replace 'corpse coliseum' to make sense of this statement?

Answer: Corpus callosum

Corpus callosum is the correct term for the bundle of nerve fibers in question. It is shaped like the letter 'C', and found just beneath the cerebral cortex. The four main parts of the corpus callosum, nerve tracts that connect the two hemispheres of the brain, are the rostrum, genu, trunk, and splenium. The term corpus callosum has its origins in Latin terms for 'body' and tough'.

2. The peripheral lobe is involved with the reception and processing of sensory information. 'Peripheral lobe' is nonsense - what is the actual lobe involved with processing sensory information?

Answer: Parietal lobe

The parietal lobe is part of the brain's cerebrum. It is one of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in mammals' brains. The parietal lobe is crucial for integrating sensory information and providing animals with spatial orientation. Parietal comes from the Latin word "paries" or "pariet-" for 'wall'.

3. The iambic system is located on the borders of the thalamus, and indirectly regulates autonomic function and hormone release. What should replace 'iambic system' in the preceding statement?

Answer: Limbic system

The word 'limbic' in limbic system comes from Latin for border, which definitely describes it appropriately. The limbic system forms the border between the more modernly evolved cerebral hemispheres of the brain and the most anciently evolved part of the brain: the brain stem. The hypothalamus is a limbic structure that influences autonomic (or automatic) function.

4. Roughly beneath the temples in humans, the tempura lobes are involved in hearing and memory storage. What should replace 'tempura lobes' to make a sensible statement?

Answer: Temporal lobes

Temporal refers to the temples of the head. The temporal lobe interacts with the hippocampus in the brain, playing a vital role in forming long-term memories. As with everything in neuroscience, the true workings of the brain and all the connections and interactions involved are more complex. People with damage to the temporal lobe may have difficulty identifying objects that are perceived visually.

5. Sensory neurons respond to stimuli, while power neurons receive brain and spinal cord signals to control muscles and glands. What replaces 'power neurons' to make sense of this?

Answer: Motor neurons

A motor neuron (or motoneuron) has an axon that projects to the spinal cord or outside of the spinal cord to control effector organs (that is - muscles or glands that contract or secrete). A sensory neuron, then, transmits information from sensory organs to a central location within the nervous system. And a motor neuron acts in reverse of that, transmitting its information from that central location to the muscle or gland.

6. The hospitable lobe is the visual processing center of the brain. Rather than 'hospitable', what lobe truly processes visual information?

Answer: Occipital lobe

The occipital lobe is located at the rear of the brain, and it's primarily concerned with vision. Most of the visual cortex is contained within the occipital lobe. Visual information from the eyes passes through the lateral geniculate nucleus to reach the visual cortex.

The word 'occipital' comes from the occipital bone which protects the occipital lobes. It comes from the Latin words "ob" for 'behind' and "caput", 'the head'.

7. The nylon sheath is a fatty insulating layer that surrounds axons, or nerve fibers, to increase the rate at which electrical impulses can be transmitted. Help me make sense of this. What should replace 'nylon sheath'?

Answer: Myelin sheath

Myelin is the fatty substance that encapsulates the axons of most nerve cells. It serves to insulate and protect the nerve fiber, which helps to speed up impulses so the brain can operate as efficiently as possible. This is certainly useful, in terms of survival, when danger is impending or any instantaneous action or reaction is necessary. Etymologically, the word myelin comes from Greek for 'marrow'.

8. The medusa oblongata is part of the brain stem, responsible for functions ranging from breathing to vomiting. What makes sense in this statement, rather than 'medusa oblongata'?

Answer: Medulla oblongata

Very simply, the medulla oblongata connects the higher levels of the brain to the spinal cord. Reflexes such as vomiting, sneezing, coughing, and swallowing are all in the domain of the medulla oblongata; the cardiac, respiratory, vasomotor, and vomiting centers are all contained within this brain region. 'Bulb' is an antiquated term for the medulla oblongata, and 'bulbar' is an adjective still used in medical conditions related to the medulla oblongata.

9. Neuropolyethylene refers to the ability of the brain to change, forming new synapses and neural connections in response to environmental factors. What should replace 'Neuropolyethylene' as the first word in this comment?

Answer: Neuroplasticity

The brain is a remarkable organ in terms of its ability to generate innumerable pathways, with countless connections, for its neurotransmitters and other neural activity. Neuroplasticity is the term used to describe this ability to undergo biological changes. Learning a new skill, sociocultural influences, and psychological stress or trauma are all examples of experiences that can lead to brain changes due to neuroplasticity.

10. The most recently evolved brain region is the frontal vortex, which covers the frontal lobe. Its functions include long-term planning, postponement of gratification, regulating emotions, and curbing impulsivity. What would a sense-making neuroscientist say rather than 'frontal vortex'?

Answer: Frontal cortex

Truly, the frontal cortex is involved in making difficult decisions involving impulse control when it is determined to be the right choice to make. It is the last region of the brain to mature completely - not being fully developed until people are in their mid-twenties. The very front of the frontal cortex, the prefrontal cortex (PFC), is essential for categorical thinking.

Source: Author Rizeeve

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor rossian before going online.
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Neuroscientific Nonsense Trivia Quiz

Each question presents a basic concept of neuroscience with one key component replaced with a malapropism (i.e. 'Nonsense'). Replace the erroneous terms with the answers that make the statements accurate.

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