The cerebrum is the largest part of the brain and a core subject for B.Pharm students studying neuroanatomy and neuropharmacology. This concise, keyword-rich introduction covers cerebrum structure, cerebral cortex layers, lobes of cerebrum, hemispheric specialization, white and gray matter, basal ganglia connections, blood supply, functional areas (motor, sensory, association), and clinical correlations relevant to drug action. Understanding these concepts helps link neuroanatomy with mechanisms of CNS drugs, targets such as cortical receptors, and pathologies like stroke or epilepsy. Clear grasp of cerebrum structure and functions is essential for rational drug design, pharmacotherapy, and patient care. Now let’s test your knowledge with 50 MCQs on this topic.
Q1. Which layer of the cerebral cortex contains primarily neuronal cell bodies and is referred to as gray matter?
- Molecular layer
- Pyramidal cell layer
- Internal capsule
- Granular layer
Correct Answer: Pyramidal cell layer
Q2. The primary motor cortex is located in which gyrus of the frontal lobe?
- Precentral gyrus
- Postcentral gyrus
- Superior temporal gyrus
- Angular gyrus
Correct Answer: Precentral gyrus
Q3. Which cerebral lobe is mainly responsible for processing visual information?
- Frontal lobe
- Occipital lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Temporal lobe
Correct Answer: Occipital lobe
Q4. Brodmann area 17 corresponds to which functional region?
- Primary auditory cortex
- Primary visual cortex
- Primary somatosensory cortex
- Prefrontal cortex
Correct Answer: Primary visual cortex
Q5. The corpus callosum primarily facilitates which of the following?
- Motor output to spinal cord
- Interhemispheric communication
- Autonomic regulation
- Olfactory transmission
Correct Answer: Interhemispheric communication
Q6. Which white matter tract connects the frontal lobe to the occipital lobe within the same hemisphere?
- Corpus callosum
- Arcuate fasciculus
- Inferior longitudinal fasciculus
- Uncinate fasciculus
Correct Answer: Inferior longitudinal fasciculus
Q7. The primary somatosensory cortex is located in which gyrus?
- Precentral gyrus
- Postcentral gyrus
- Superior frontal gyrus
- Middle temporal gyrus
Correct Answer: Postcentral gyrus
Q8. Which cell type is the principal excitatory neuron in the cerebral cortex?
- Pyramidal neuron
- Purkinje cell
- Oligodendrocyte
- Microglia
Correct Answer: Pyramidal neuron
Q9. The basal ganglia are best known for regulating which function?
- Conscious visual perception
- Movement initiation and modulation
- Primary auditory processing
- Language comprehension
Correct Answer: Movement initiation and modulation
Q10. Which artery primarily supplies the lateral surface of the cerebral hemispheres, including motor and sensory cortices?
- Anterior cerebral artery
- Middle cerebral artery
- Posterior cerebral artery
- Anterior communicating artery
Correct Answer: Middle cerebral artery
Q11. Which cortical area is critical for planning complex voluntary movements and is often involved in executive functions?
- Primary motor cortex
- Premotor and supplementary motor areas
- Primary visual cortex
- Primary auditory cortex
Correct Answer: Premotor and supplementary motor areas
Q12. In terms of laminar organization, which cortical layer is the main output layer to subcortical structures?
- Layer I (molecular)
- Layer V (internal pyramidal)
- Layer IV (granular)
- Layer II (external granular)
Correct Answer: Layer V (internal pyramidal)
Q13. Wernicke’s area, important for language comprehension, is typically located in which lobe?
- Frontal lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Occipital lobe
- Insular cortex
Correct Answer: Temporal lobe
Q14. Which neurotransmitter is most closely associated with excitatory synaptic transmission in the cerebral cortex?
- GABA
- Glutamate
- Dopamine
- Serotonin
Correct Answer: Glutamate
Q15. Damage to Broca’s area predominantly causes which clinical deficit?
- Receptive aphasia
- Expressive aphasia (motor aphasia)
- Visual agnosia
- Prosopagnosia
Correct Answer: Expressive aphasia (motor aphasia)
Q16. The blood–brain barrier in the cerebrum is mainly formed by which cellular element?
- Microglia
- Endothelial tight junctions
- Pyramidal neurons
- Ependymal cells
Correct Answer: Endothelial tight junctions
Q17. Which structure separates the frontal and parietal lobes from the temporal lobe?
- Central sulcus
- Lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure)
- Calcarine sulcus
- Parieto-occipital sulcus
Correct Answer: Lateral sulcus (Sylvian fissure)
Q18. Which cortical area integrates multimodal sensory information to support higher cognitive functions?
- Primary sensory cortex
- Association cortex
- Primary motor cortex
- Thalamic nuclei
Correct Answer: Association cortex
Q19. The insular cortex is involved in which of the following functions?
- Primary motor control
- Viscerosensory processing and interoception
- Equilibrium and balance
- Olfactory bulb output
Correct Answer: Viscerosensory processing and interoception
Q20. Long-term potentiation (LTP), a mechanism for synaptic plasticity in the cerebrum, is heavily dependent on which receptor type?
- GABA-A receptor
- NMDA receptor
- Adrenergic receptor
- Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor
Correct Answer: NMDA receptor
Q21. The cingulate gyrus is part of which larger brain system implicated in emotion and memory?
- Basal ganglia
- Circle of Willis
- Limbic system
- Reticular activating system
Correct Answer: Limbic system
Q22. Which area is primarily responsible for primary auditory processing?
- Primary visual cortex (area 17)
- Primary auditory cortex (Heschl’s gyrus)
- Broca’s area
- Angular gyrus
Correct Answer: Primary auditory cortex (Heschl’s gyrus)
Q23. The internal capsule contains which type of fibers?
- Commissural fibers only
- Association fibers only
- Projection fibers connecting cortex to subcortical structures
- Peripheral nerve fibers
Correct Answer: Projection fibers connecting cortex to subcortical structures
Q24. Which neurotransmitter deficit in cortical and hippocampal neurons is most associated with Alzheimer’s disease pharmacology?
- Excess glutamate
- Acetylcholine deficiency
- Excess dopamine
- Reduced GABA
Correct Answer: Acetylcholine deficiency
Q25. The phenomenon of cortical homunculus best illustrates which principle?
- Equal cortical representation for all body parts
- Somatotopic organization and disproportionate representation
- Random distribution of sensory maps
- Exclusive representation of visceral organs
Correct Answer: Somatotopic organization and disproportionate representation
Q26. The primary function of pyramidal neurons in layer V includes sending projections to which site?
- Other cortical layers only
- Spinal cord and brainstem motor nuclei
- Peripheral sensory receptors
- Cerebellar Purkinje cells
Correct Answer: Spinal cord and brainstem motor nuclei
Q27. Which cortical area is most associated with working memory and decision-making?
- Primary somatosensory cortex
- Prefrontal cortex
- Primary visual cortex
- Parietal association cortex
Correct Answer: Prefrontal cortex
Q28. A lesion in the right parietal lobe can produce which deficit?
- Aphasia with preserved comprehension
- Left-sided neglect (hemineglect)
- Contralateral motor paralysis only
- Prosopagnosia exclusively
Correct Answer: Left-sided neglect (hemineglect)
Q29. Which structural component contains myelinated axons that give the cerebrum its white matter appearance?
- Neuronal cell bodies
- Glial scar tissue
- Myelinated axons
- Capillary beds
Correct Answer: Myelinated axons
Q30. The limbic-related cortex on the medial surface of the temporal lobe important for memory formation is called:
- Hippocampus
- Primary visual cortex
- Fusiform gyrus
- Insula
Correct Answer: Hippocampus
Q31. Which layer of the cortex receives the majority of thalamic sensory input?
- Layer I
- Layer II
- Layer III
- Layer IV
Correct Answer: Layer IV
Q32. Which cortical phenomenon is most relevant when considering focal seizures originating in the cerebrum?
- Excessive synchronized neuronal firing
- Loss of oligodendrocytes only
- Isolated BBB breakdown without neuronal effect
- Selective astrocyte proliferation
Correct Answer: Excessive synchronized neuronal firing
Q33. The arcuate fasciculus connects which two language-related cortical areas?
- Visual cortex and auditory cortex
- Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area
- Precentral gyrus and postcentral gyrus
- Insula and cingulate gyrus
Correct Answer: Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area
Q34. Which procedure would most directly assess cortical electrical activity in a patient?
- Electrocardiogram (ECG)
- Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- EMG of peripheral nerve
- Pulmonary function test
Correct Answer: Electroencephalogram (EEG)
Q35. Which receptor type in the cortex is a common target for benzodiazepines to produce inhibitory effects?
- NMDA receptor
- GABA-A receptor
- Muscarinic M1 receptor
- D1 dopamine receptor
Correct Answer: GABA-A receptor
Q36. Damage to the visual association cortex can produce which condition?
- Blindness due to eye pathology
- Visual agnosia — inability to recognize objects
- Auditory hallucinations
- Complete anosmia
Correct Answer: Visual agnosia — inability to recognize objects
Q37. The limbic cortical area critical for fear conditioning and emotional modulation is the:
- Amygdala
- Caudate nucleus
- Primary motor cortex
- Occipital pole
Correct Answer: Amygdala
Q38. The term “heteromodal association cortex” refers to cortical regions that:
- Process only a single sensory modality
- Integrate information across multiple modalities
- Are limited to motor execution
- Are located exclusively in the occipital lobe
Correct Answer: Integrate information across multiple modalities
Q39. Which structure forms the roof of the lateral ventricle and contributes fibers to the limbic system?
- Septum pellucidum
- Fornix
- Pons
- Olfactory tract
Correct Answer: Fornix
Q40. In cortical column organization, neurons responding to similar sensory inputs are arranged:
- Randomly dispersed
- Vertically across layers forming columns
- Only within layer V
- As horizontal sheets without vertical alignment
Correct Answer: Vertically across layers forming columns
Q41. The middle cerebral artery infarct often affects language areas in which hemisphere for right-handed individuals?
- Right hemisphere
- Left hemisphere
- Both hemispheres equally
- Brainstem only
Correct Answer: Left hemisphere
Q42. Which cortical neurotransmitter system is a primary target for many antipsychotic drugs?
- GABAergic system
- Serotonergic 5-HT2 only
- Dopaminergic D2 receptor system
- Glutamatergic NMDA exclusively
Correct Answer: Dopaminergic D2 receptor system
Q43. The term “arachnoid granulations” in relation to the cerebrum refers to structures involved in:
- Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) absorption into venous sinuses
- Generation of CSF in ventricles
- Axonal myelination
- Synaptic pruning during development
Correct Answer: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) absorption into venous sinuses
Q44. Which cortical change is characteristic of long-term learning and is important for pharmacology of cognitive enhancers?
- Decreased dendritic spine density
- Synaptic plasticity and increased spine density
- Immediate neuronal apoptosis
- Myelin loss in cortex
Correct Answer: Synaptic plasticity and increased spine density
Q45. The primary function of callosal fibers is best described as:
- Projecting from cortex to spinal cord
- Connecting homologous cortical areas between hemispheres
- Connecting cortex to the cerebellum
- Carrying olfactory information to cortex
Correct Answer: Connecting homologous cortical areas between hemispheres
Q46. Which cortical pathology is commonly implicated in focal epilepsy and may require surgical resection?
- Gliosis or cortical dysplasia
- Subdural hematoma only
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Degeneration of dorsal root ganglia
Correct Answer: Gliosis or cortical dysplasia
Q47. Which cortical receptor subtype is commonly targeted by cholinesterase inhibitors to improve cognition in Alzheimer’s disease?
- Muscarinic M1 receptors in cortex and hippocampus
- GABA-B receptors in cortex
- NMDA receptors in spinal cord
- Alpha-adrenergic receptors in cerebellum
Correct Answer: Muscarinic M1 receptors in cortex and hippocampus
Q48. The phenomenon of cerebral lateralization means:
- Each hemisphere has identical functions
- Certain cognitive functions are dominant in one hemisphere
- Only the left hemisphere controls movement
- The cerebellum governs language
Correct Answer: Certain cognitive functions are dominant in one hemisphere
Q49. Which cortical area is most involved in facial recognition and is often linked to prosopagnosia when damaged?
- Fusiform gyrus (fusiform face area)
- Primary visual cortex
- Primary auditory cortex
- Primary motor cortex
Correct Answer: Fusiform gyrus (fusiform face area)
Q50. Which of the following best describes the role of astrocytes in the cerebral cortex relevant to pharmacology?
- They generate action potentials for information transfer
- They support neurotransmitter recycling and maintain blood–brain barrier
- They form myelin sheaths around cortical axons
- They are primary immune cells producing antibodies
Correct Answer: They support neurotransmitter recycling and maintain blood–brain barrier
I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.
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