What the exam asks
- Section I (Multiple Choice): Expect clinical or everyday scenarios where a person experiences a specific deficit after an injury or stroke (e.g., losing the ability to form new memories or regulate body temperature) and you must identify the affected structure. Set-based questions may present neuroimaging data comparing brain region volume or activity across groups.
- Section II (Free Response): On the EBQ, brain structures serve as strong biological concepts for parts B(ii) and C(ii) to explain why evidence supports your claim (for example, citing prefrontal cortex maturation to explain adolescent risk-taking, or amygdala hyperactivity in anxiety studies).
Core ideas
The brain stem, cerebellum, and reward center
The brain stem is the oldest, innermost region of the brain, connecting the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex. It controls automatic survival functions, and its crossover wiring means each side of the brain controls the contralateral (opposite) side of the body.
| Structure | Location & Key Functions | Result of Damage / Dysfunction |
|---|---|---|
| Medulla | Base of the brain stem; controls autonomic survival functions: heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, and reflexes like swallowing and vomiting. | Fatal respiratory or cardiac failure; need for life support. |
| Reticular Activating System (RAS) | Network of neurons running through the brain stem into the thalamus; regulates arousal, alertness, wakefulness, and filters incoming stimuli to focus attention. | Coma or severe drowsiness; inability to stay awake or filter background distractions. |
| Cerebellum | “Little brain” at the rear of the brain stem; coordinates fine voluntary movement, balance, posture, and implicit (procedural) memories (e.g., riding a bike, classical conditioning). | Jerky, uncoordinated movements (ataxia), loss of balance, difficulty judging timing. |
| Reward Center | Subcortical dopamine pathways (including the nucleus accumbens and hypothalamus) that reinforce survival behaviors (eating, social bonding) with pleasure. | Craving, compulsive drug-seeking, or inability to feel pleasure (anhedonia). |