A patient has damage to one region of the brain. The table shows measurements taken before and after the damage.
| Condition | Breathing rate, in breaths per minute | Heart rate, in beats per minute |
|---|---|---|
| Before damage, awake and resting | 15 | 72 |
| After damage, awake and resting | 8 | 46 |
Doctors then record the patient's breathing rate under two further conditions.
| Condition after damage | Breathing rate, in breaths per minute |
|---|---|
| Following an instruction to breathe more quickly | 15 |
| Asleep | 6 |
Suggest which region of the brain has been damaged. Use the results to support your answer.
A doctor concludes that the patient can maintain their breathing rate at the value before the damage at all times.
Evaluate this conclusion using the results and your knowledge of how breathing is controlled.
111 exam-style questions on Edexcel GCSE Biology 2.3 The nervous system and brain, covering 2.3.1 Structures and functions of the brain, 2.3.2 Imaging brain function with scanning, 2.3.3 Limitations in treating nervous system damage, 2.3.4 Neurones and impulse transmission, and 2.3.5 Structure and function of a reflex arc. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.