Counselor Preparation Comprehensive Practice Examination

What major part of the brain holds the left and right hemispheres?

1. Cerebral Cortex

2. Hindbrain

3. Forebrain

4. Corpus Callosum

The correct answer is: Forebrain

The forebrain is a crucial part of the brain that encompasses various structures, including the cerebral cortex, thalamus, and hypothalamus, and it is responsible for higher cognitive functions. While the forebrain includes the left and right hemispheres of the brain, it is more specifically the cerebral cortex that coordinates the vast range of complex functions like thinking, learning, and memory. However, if we focus on the question regarding which major part holds both hemispheres, the forebrain is indeed the right choice as it constitutes the most significant part of the brain and includes both hemispheres. The cerebral cortex, a layer of the forebrain, also contributes greatly to our understanding of these hemispheres, but the forebrain as a whole encompasses them. The corpus callosum is another critical structure as it is the bundle of nerve fibers that connects the left and right hemispheres, facilitating communication between them. However, it is not the part that "holds" the hemispheres, but rather serves to connect them. The hindbrain, on the other hand, is primarily involved with fundamental life-support functions like respiration and heart rate, playing a lesser role in the higher cognitive processes associated with the forebrain.