1.1.1 Localisation of Brain Function (Bi) x

Question 1

How do we know which areas of the brain control which behaviour?

Answer 1

•Brain scans (functional) •Brain surgery

Question 2

What are the two halves of the brain called?

Answer 2

The cerebral hemispheres

Question 3

What are the cerebral hemispheres connected by and why?

Answer 3

The corpus callosum (250 million nerve cells) they need to be connected for the brain to function

Question 4

How is behaviour explained?

Answer 4

In terms of different areas of the brain having specific functions (localisation of brain function)

Question 5

What is the function of the left brain?

Answer 5

• logic • science and maths

Question 6

What is the function of the right brain?

Answer 6

• creativity • art and music • holistic thought

Question 7

What is the cerebral cortex? And what does it do?

Answer 7

The deeply folded area covering the surface of the brain, responsible for higher cognitive functions such as: • logic • dreams • hopes

Question 8

What is the cerebral cortex divided into?

Answer 8

4 lobes: • frontal lobe • parietal lobe • occipital lobe • temporal lobe

Question 9

What is the function of the frontal lobe?

Answer 9

Main site of higher cognitive functions, it is involved in: • attention • thought • voluntary movement • decision making • language

Question 10

What would the results be of damage to the frontal lobe?

Answer 10

emotional instability, irrational decision making

Question 11

Give an example of the effects of damage to the frontal lobe:

Answer 11

Phineas Gage was injured by a blasting rod which intersected the left side of his face, tearing through his prefrontal cortex. “The damage involved both left and right 4 prefrontal cortices in a pattern that, as confirmed by Gage’s modern counterparts, causes a defect in rational decision making and the processing of emotion”

Question 12

+ Supporting evidence for localisation of brain function

Tulving et al

Answer 12

Tulving et al used PET scans

demonstrated that semantic memories were recalled from the left prefrontal cortex, whilst episodic memories were recalled from the right prefrontal cortex.

This shows that different areas of the brain are responsible for different functions, as predicted by localisation theory.

Question 13

+ Supporting evidence for localisation of brain function

Petersen et al (1988)

Answer 13

Found that Wernicke’s area activation is required for listening tasks, whereas Broca’s area is required for reading tasks. This confirms the idea that Wernicke’s area is involved in speech comprehension, whilst broca’s area is responsible for language production.

Question 14

— Contradictory Theory for localisation of brain function

Answer 14

The opposite to localisation theory would be a holistic view of brain function, suggesting that each function requires several brain areas to be activated and that these functions are not restricted to these areas. For example, after removing 20-50% of the cortices belonging to rats, found that no specific brain area or lesion was associated with learning how to traverse through a maze. This suggests that intelligence, or even learning, is too complex and advanced a cognitive ability to be restricted to certain areas of the brain. Therefore, this suggests that localisation theory may provide a better explanation for ‘simple’, rather than complex, brain functions.

Question 15

What are the functions of the parietal lobe?

Answer 15

Part of the brain building a picture of the world, and our response to our environment involved in: • location of objects • coordination of movement

Question 16

What can result of the parietal lobe is damaged?

Answer 16

• inability to locate and recognise objects, events and parts of the body • disorientation • lack of co-ordination

Question 17

What is the function of the occipital lobe?

Answer 17

Primary visual area of the brain

Question 18

What can result if damage occurs to the occipital lobe?

Answer 18

• hallucinations
• blindness
• inability to see colour

Question 19

What is the function of the temporal lobe?

Answer 19

learning and memory

Question 20

What can result of the temporal lobe is damaged?

Answer 20

• difficulty understanding speech, faces and objects • persistent talking • memory loss • aggression

Question 21

What does localisation of the brain help us understand?

Answer 21

Why specific functions of the brain may be lost if an individual suffers damage to the brain

Question 22

Give an argument against localisation of brain function to explain human behaviour:

Answer 22

• localisation is not always clear cut • the brain shows plasticity • the brain is highly integrated

Question 23

Explain the argument that localisation is not always clear cut:

Answer 23

• lacks population validity- not representative of the entire group •e.g. The findings are usually reported on the location of cerebral hemisphere functioning and are most representative of right handed male subjects

Question 24

Explain the argument that the brain shows plasticity:

Answer 24

• the brain is flexible and can physically adjust the location of function if brain damage occurs •e.g. Children experiencing damage to the left cerebral hemisphere would be expected to have issues with language however they were able to recover language

Question 25

Explain the argument that the brain is hugely integrated:

Answer 25

• there are many different brain areas involved in one function e.g vision, language, memory • activity in one area of the brain is influenced by the background activity of the rest of the brain