Intermediate Primary Somatosensory Cortex Quiz

Q1. Which thalamic nucleus relays somatic sensation from the body to the primary somatosensory cortex?

• Ventral posterolateral nucleus
• Anterior thalamic nucleus
• Medial geniculate nucleus
• Lateral geniculate nucleus

Q2. Which thalamic nucleus principally relays somatic sensation from the face to the primary somatosensory cortex?

• Lateral geniculate nucleus
• Ventral posterolateral nucleus only
• Ventral posteromedial nucleus
• Pulvinar

Q3. Which cortical layer is especially prominent as a recipient of thalamocortical sensory input in primary somatosensory cortex?

• Layer IV
• Layer I only
• Layer VI only
• Subcortical white matter

Q4. Which Brodmann area is located most anteriorly within the primary somatosensory cortical complex?

• Brodmann area 3
• Brodmann area 1
• Brodmann area 2
• Brodmann area 17

Q5. Which artery supplies most of the lateral primary somatosensory cortex?

• Middle cerebral artery
• Posterior inferior cerebellar artery
• Basilar artery directly
• Anterior spinal artery

Q6. Which artery principally supplies the medial lower limb representation of the primary somatosensory cortex?

• Anterior cerebral artery
• Posterior cerebral artery exclusively
• Middle meningeal artery
• Superior cerebellar artery

Q7. Why are the hand and face disproportionately large in the sensory homunculus?

• They receive no thalamic input
• They are physically the largest body parts
• They are represented only ipsilaterally
• They require extensive cortical processing for fine sensory discrimination

Q8. Which structure lies immediately anterior to the primary somatosensory cortex across the central sulcus?

• Primary visual cortex
• Primary motor cortex in the precentral gyrus
• Hippocampus
• Primary auditory cortex

Q9. What is the relationship between cortical magnification and receptor density?

• Receptor density affects only motor cortex
• Cortical size depends only on limb length
• Greater receptor density eliminates cortical representation
• Greater receptor density is generally associated with larger cortical representation

Q10. Which white matter pathway carries many thalamocortical sensory fibers toward the postcentral gyrus?

• Posterior limb of the internal capsule
• Optic chiasm
• Fornix only
• Middle cerebellar peduncle