Question 19M.3.SL.TZ1.4
| Date | May 2019 | Marks available | [Maximum mark: 6] | Reference code | 19M.3.SL.TZ1.4 |
| Level | SL | Paper | 3 | Time zone | TZ1 |
| Command term | Explain, State | Question number | 4 | Adapted from | N/A |
The scan shows the brain of a patient affected by a stroke. The dark patch labelled X represents an area where cells have died.
[Source: Case courtesy of Dr Ahmed Abdrabou, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 36865]
State the name of the general area of the brain affected by this stroke.
[1]
cerebrum/cerebral hemisphere/cerebral cortex ✔
Specific areas (some incorrect) were often given rather than general and “cerebral” was often omitted.
Explain how patient recovery from a stroke illustrates the property of neural plasticity.
[2]
a. «neural plasticity» is the ability to form new neural connections/synapses ✔
b. the area that is damaged by the stroke had a specific function ✔
c. other area of the brain can take on these functions ✔
The concept of neural plasticity was generally understood but not that new connections are made in areas other than that damaged by a stroke.
Explain how studies of lesions have helped to identify the functions of different parts of the brain.
[3]
a. lesions are areas of brain injury ✔
b. diagnosed in living people using fMRI/CAT scan/PET scan ✔
c. autopsies reveal the position and extent of lesions/animal experimentation ✔
d. the behaviour/functioning of patient with lesion was observed ✔
Autopsies were more often mentioned than fMRIs. The link between position of a lesion and lost function was well understood.