AQA GCSE Biology (8461), Higher tier · Homeostasis and response › The human nervous system
Practise The brain. 12 exam-style questions on this subtopic, at up to four difficulty levels, with full mark schemes and a progress tracker. Free, no account needed.
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Which part of the brain is responsible for the coordination of muscular activity?
Cerebellum
Sample questions
Written for this site in the style of AQA exam questions. They are not taken from real past papers.
Question 1Easy4 marks
The brain controls complex behaviour. It is made of billions of interconnected neurones and has different regions that carry out different functions.
(a) Which part of the brain controls unconscious activities such as the heartbeat and breathing? Tick (✓) one box.[1]
Cerebellum
Cerebral cortex
Medulla
Spinal cord
(b) Which part of the brain is responsible for the coordination of muscular activity?[1]
(c) Give two functions of the cerebral cortex.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)Answer: Medulla
(b)Answer: Cerebellum
cerebellum
(c)
consciousness
intelligence
memory
language
Question 2Medium7 marks
Doctors studied patients who had damage to different regions of the brain.
(a) Patient P had damage to the cerebellum after a head injury. Suggest one symptom that patient P might have.[1]
(b) Patient Q had a stroke that damaged part of the cerebral cortex. Patient Q could no longer speak in sentences. Explain why.[2]
(c) Serious damage to the medulla is often fatal. Explain why.[2]
(d) Explain how studying patients with brain damage has helped scientists to map the functions of different regions of the brain.[2]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
poor balance / poor coordination of movements / clumsiness
(b)
the cerebral cortex is responsible for language
the damaged region was the one involved in (producing) speech / language
(c)
the medulla controls unconscious activities such as breathing and heart rate
(so) breathing / the heartbeat may stop
(d)
scientists link the region that is damaged to the function / ability that is lost
patients with damage in the same region lose the same function
Question 3Hard8 marks
Parkinson's disease damages neurones in a region of the brain that helps to control movement. People with Parkinson's disease may have shaking hands and stiff muscles. In deep brain stimulation (DBS), a surgeon inserts thin electrodes deep into the brain. The electrodes are connected to a device placed under the skin of the chest, which sends small electrical impulses to the brain. The device can be adjusted or switched off. In one study of 250 patients who had DBS:
70% had much less shaking
4% had bleeding in the brain during the operation
3% developed an infection
12% had changes in mood or speech.
(a) Explain why it is difficult to investigate and treat diseases of the brain.[3]
(b) Calculate the number of patients in the study who had bleeding in the brain.[1]
(c) Evaluate the use of DBS to treat Parkinson's disease. Use the information given.[4]
Show the answer and mark scheme
(a)
the brain is very complex / made of billions of interconnected neurones
the brain is delicate / easily damaged
the brain is inside the skull, so it is hard to reach
the functions of many regions are not fully understood / one region may have several functions
damage to the brain may be permanent
(b)Answer: 10
10
(c)
benefit: 70% of patients had much less shaking, which improves their quality of life
benefit: the device can be adjusted / switched off if there are problems
risk: bleeding (4%) or infection (3%) could cause brain damage
risk: 12% had changes in mood or speech
it does not cure the disease / 30% did not have much less shaking
conclusion, e.g. the benefits outweigh the risks for patients whose symptoms are severe