It’s Neuroanatomy Quiz time!!
This is a sagittal section through a human brain. Take one or more of the quizzes below to test your knowledge of neuroanatomy.
As you may know, I am working steadily on the second edition of my book, Medical Neurobiology (OUP, 2011) and have had no time for play. This blog is play for me, a total relaxing tonic for me. Yesterday, I received a bunch of brain pictures from a colleague. I really like this one but I cannot use it in my book [extra credit points if you can point out why]. So I thought I would put out a fun quiz. This has to take under 30 minutes of my time so it will be short but I promise it will be fun (it already is for me).
Get warmed up by finding the following structures:
- hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain, diencephalon, telencephalon
- medulla, pons, cerebellum
- corpus callosum, cerebral cortex, thalamus, hypothalamus
- fourth ventricle, third ventricle
Now let’s ratchet up the difficulty a notch
- basis pontis, inferior colliculus, superior colliculus
- calcarine sulcus, cingulate gyrus, optic chiasm
- vermis, cerebellar hemispheres, cerebellar cortex
And for the afficianados
- mammillary body
- basilar artery
- choroid plexus
- massa intermedia
- velum interpositum
- foramen of Monro (no -e)
- arachnoid granulations
- stalk of the pineal gland
- vertebral artery
- lamina terminalis
Which of the following are not in the picture above?
- pia
- dura
- lateral ventricle
- cerebral aqueduct
- pre-frontal cortex
- a piece of primary auditory cortex
- a piece of primary visual cortex
- a piece of primary somatosensory cortex
- a piece of primary motor cortex
Yes, I know that if I was nice, I would give you all of the answers in marked-up photos. But my lack of time precludes that. I do invite you to give it a shot and post your own marked up images. I will try to respond with a yay or nay. The answer to which structures are not in the picture is given below.
Have fun! And remember neuroanatomy makes your world go round. Mine too. And for those who want a score on this quiz, well, you get 100% for just playing and 125% if you guessed why I can’t use this image (answer below).
Here are the answers (in white). Highlight the next lines to see them.
Structures not in the picture: two, three, four, six.
Extra credit: I cannot use this picture because there is a hair on the body of the corpus callosum. Sadness.
Categories: Brain anatomy
The brain is sooooo cool! 
That was indeed fun! But what made it a bit difficult for me, most pictures in my neuroscience book are with the cerebellum at the right! I didn’t realize I always learned it that way. Thanks Peggy, I am looking forward to the second edition of your book.
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Hi Saskia, That is funny! Yes, the brain is very particular about context. Just try looking at a brain “upside down.” We have a hard time even with faces upside down.
Despite the agony involved, I am excited about this new edition. I’ve figured out new things and am really happy with the changes.
Best,
P
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I will try it, the upside down position, but I am not sure about the smile on my face!
Thanks a lot and good luck with all your hard work,
Saskia
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Hi ma’am thanks so much for the quiz, i didn’t remember many of the structures, which reminds me i need to practice. And i thought the reason you could not use this picture was because of a extra piece of brain close to the primary visual cortex but as you mentioned in the answer i was wrong. Always learn a lot from you. I enjoyed it. Thanks a lot.
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I got a few right on all the sections. Do you mean why you can’t use the brain image in your book?
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Yes – not up to prime time.
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It was fun and difficult to same level. This helped me find where i am in the learning of neurobiology. I have a pull towards neuroscience after coming to know you.
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