2 two sides / lateralization

Question 1

what connects the left and the right cerebral hemispheres? what is the largest one>

Answer 1

the cerebral commissures connect the left and right hemispheres, and the largest one is the corpus callosum

Question 2

where is the corpus callosum?

Answer 2

in between the left and right cerebral hemispheres (it’s basically what divides them)

Question 3

what is lateralization of function?

Answer 3

although the brain works as a whole to make us work, there are specific functions that are more dominated by either the left or right hemispheres

Question 4

due to brain damage, deficit to produce or comprehend LANGUAGE

Answer 4

aphasia

Question 5

apraxia

Answer 5

a disorder where patients have trouble performing movements when told to do so out of context BUT can naturally perform them in natural situations when they’re not thinking about the movement.

Question 6

if you have apraxia, when is it hardest to perform movements? when is it easiest?

Answer 6

hard: when you are asked to do it out of context.
easy: when it happens naturally and you’re not thinking about the movement

Question 7

where is broca’s area?
it’s in charge of ….

Answer 7

it’s in the area of the inferior prefrontal cortex of the left hemisphere. Broca hypothesized that it is the centre of speech production

Question 8

Broca’s aphasia is a hypothetical disorder of speech production where:
A) speech production and language comprehension is affected
B) speech production is affected but not language comprehension

Answer 8

B

Question 9

what’s the difference between cerebral dominance and lateralization

Answer 9

dominance: one hemisphere (usually the left) assumes the dominant role in the control of all complex behavioral and cognitive processes, and the other only plays a minor role

lateralization: although the brain works as a whole to make us work, there are specific functions that are more dominated by either the left or right hemispheres

Question 10

cerebral dominance

Answer 10

one hemisphere (usually the left) assumes the dominant role in the control of all complex behavioral and cognitive processes, and the other only plays a minor role

Question 11

which hemisphere is usually referred to as the dominant hemisphere and which is minor hemisphere

Answer 11

left is usually referred to as the dominant hemisphere and the right hemisphere is usually referred to as the minor

Question 12

corpus callosum (and other commissures)

Answer 12

a large bundle of fibres that links the left and right hemispheres of the brain. its made up of axons of neurons that communicate information between one half of the brain and the other.
Has the most neurons and white matter

Question 13

Contralateral organisation of the cerebral cortex

Answer 13

the cerebral cortex is the outer layer of the brain

Question 14

right hemisphere processes

Answer 14

view: faces, geometric patterns, emotional expression, left eye
hearing: non-language sounds, music
movement: movement in spatial patterns
memory: non-verbal memory, perceptual aspects of memory
language: emotional content
spatial ability: mental rotation, geometry, direction, distance
touch: tactile patterns, braille
other: taste info from both sides of the tongue, right nostril smell, general patterns

Question 15

left hemisphere processes

Answer 15

view: words, letters, right eye
hearing: language sounds
movement: complex movements, ipsilateral movement (on the same side of the body)
memory: verbal memory, finding meaning in memories
language: speech, read, writing, maths
other: taste information from both sides of the tongue, left nostril smell, details
**the main difference between the hemispheres is that the left hemisphere controls it

Question 16

split brain behaviors

Answer 16

visual half-field paradigm:

if someone has severe epilepsy they cut their corpus colosseum, it limits epileptic seizures, afterwards the person can use their hands independently, they will have difficulties with tasks that they previously easily practiced
Effects of Split Brain Operation:
Independence of Hemispheres: How then Split-Brain Patients Continue on Living in this Condition : they can draw two circles with each hand at the same time with different speed and do things that normal ppl can’t, you can self complete a half picture.
Cross cueing e.g helping hand phenomenon: the hemispheres of a split brain patient are helping each other, they can change action
Interpreter: LH invents something up when it does not understand the actions of the RH (experiment of how ppl rely more on their LH)

Question 17

optic chiasm

Answer 17

where the axons of each eye cross

Question 18

planum temporale

Answer 18

• posterior region of the lateral area and plays a role in the comprehension of language, it’s wernicke’s area
• generally larger in the left hemisphere than in the right.

Question 19

Heschl’s gyrus

Answer 19

located in the lateral fissure, it’s anterior to planum temporal in the temporal lobe and its the location of the primary auditory cortex ( difficulty studying these areas)
process incoming auditory info

Question 20

cerebral lateralisation theories: linguistic theory

Answer 20

primary role of the LH is language
Diff. what is the primary function - according to the theory linguistic is language.

Question 21

difference between right handers and left handers

Answer 21

Article: Understanding Left-Handedness: genetic defects, left handedness is more common in ppl with schizophrenia, epilepsy etc
Left handedness effects: footedness, eyedness, tendencies like smell, hearing, tasting, increased levels of testosterone can be a factor ( only based on animal research), emotions→ LH is more prone to positive emotions while RH to negative emotions. Ppl who are left handed have a bigger corpus colosseum.

Question 22

causes of left-handedness

Answer 22

Evolutionary causes - left-handed people had a fighting advantage, long developement of the left hemisphere, so right was more “convenient”
Origin - fetal developement, cerebral developement.
Most left handed people b orn between march and july. Lack of vitamin D, infection.

Question 23

Are there differences in facial perception between the left hemisphere and the right hemisphere?

Question 24

Which functions are more associated with the left hemisphere and which are more associated with the
right hemisphere?

Answer 24

right:
Function: The right hemisphere of the cerebrum is responsible for control of the left side of the body, and is the more artistic and creative side of the brain. The right side of the brain is responsible for:

Art awareness
Creative thinking
Imagination
Intuition
Insight
Holistic thought
Musical awareness
Interpretation of 3D forms
Left-hand control
left:
Function: The left hemisphere of the brain is responsible for control of the right side of the body, and is the more academic and logical side of the brain. The left side of the brain is responsible for:

Analytical thought
Logic
Language
Reasoning
Science and math processing
Writing ability
Numerical skills
Right-hand control

Question 25

What is a split-brain patient?

Answer 25

if someone has severe epilepsy they cut their corpus colosseum, it limits epileptic seizures, afterwards the person can use their hands independently, they will have difficulties with tasks that they previously easily practiced

Question 26

How are the eyes and primary visual cortex connected?

Answer 26

The visual cortex is made up of specialized neurons that turn the sensations they receive from the optic nerve into meaningful images. Because there are no photoreceptor cells at the place where the optic nerve leaves the retina, a hole or blind spot in our vision is created (see Figure 13.2.6 ). When both of our eyes are open, we don’t experience a problem because our eyes are constantly moving, and one eye makes up for what the other eye misses. But the visual system is also designed to deal with this problem if only one eye is open—the visual cortex simply fills in the small hole in our vision with similar patterns from the surrounding areas, and we never notice the difference. The ability of the visual system to cope with the blind spot is another example of how sensation and perception work together to create meaningful experience.

click for more info:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK482504/

Question 27

Why are split-brain patients unable to utter the words in the left visual field?

Question 28

What are the causes of left-handedness?

Question 29

Why is only 10% of the population left-handed?

Question 30

How are hand preference and brain lateralization linked?

Question 31

frontal operculum **

Answer 31

area of the frontal lobe cortex, lies in the frontal area of the LH and it’s the location of broca’s area
s associated with the prefrontal association cortex and plays a role in thought, cognition, and planning behavior.

Question 32

motor theory

Answer 32

LH is specialized for control of fine movement (does not explain why lateralization exists in the first place)
Primary function the left h. Motor cortex, language is part of the motor skills.
Disadvantages - it does not say that the motor function is lateralized

Question 33

analytic synthetic theory

Answer 33

Left brain is logical, analytical while the right brain is more synthetical (it is difficult to test)
Two modes of thinking (analytical - left, synthetic - right)
Disadvantages - too vague, you cannot distinguish between the parts.

Question 34

linguistic theory

Answer 34

Primary role of the LH is language