3 - Brain Localisation + Lateralisation Flashcards
What is localisation?
The theory that different areas of the brain are responsible for specific behaviours, processes or activities
What is another term for brain localisation?
Cortical specialisation
What was the belief about brain function before the localisation theory?
Holistic theory (all parts of the brain work together to cause processes/behaviours)
What will damage to a certain area of the brain cause?
The loss/impairment of the certain function associated with that area
What are the three concentric layers that make up the brain?
- The central core
- The limbic system
- The cerebrum
Which concentric layer do we look at predominantly regarding brain localisation + lateralisation?
The cerebrum
Outline the features + function of the central core
Features…
- Bottom layer of brain
- Includes: brain stem, cerebellum, hypothalamus
Functions…
- Regulates primitive functions (eating, sleeping, etc)
- Helps with homeostasis (maintaining constant bodily state)
Outline the features + functions of the limbic system
Features…
- Middle layer of brain
- Includes: connection to hypothalamus, hippocampus
Functions…
- Regulates emotions
Outline the features + functions of the cerebrum
Features:
- Made of left + right hemispheres
- Hemispheres connected by corpus callosum
Functions:
- Regulating higher intellectual processing
- Lateralisation suggests left + right side have differently functions
What is lateralisation?
Theory that the two hemispheres of the brain (of the cerebrum) are functionally different + responsible for different mental processes + behaviours
What is the right hemisphere’s function?
- Controls left side of body
- The ‘synthesiser’ (holistic)
- Specifically important for: emotion, holistic thought, creativity, face recognition
What is the left hemisphere’s function?
- Controls right side of body
- The ‘analyser’ (breaks down + analyses)
- Specifically important for: language, analytical thought, logic + sequencing
What is the corpus callosum
The bundle of fibres that connects the two cerebral hemispheres
- Enables communication between hemispheres
How many lobes is each hemisphere divided into?
4
What are the names of the hemispheres’ lobes + their basic function?
- Frontal lobe (movement, thinking, emotions)
- Parietal lobe (senses, attention)
- Temporal lobe (hearing)
- Occipital lobe (vision)
What are the lobes of the cerebral hemisphere covered in?
Cerebral cortex (grey, 3mm thick, divided into multiple cortices)
What are the cerebral cortex’s cortices?
- Motor cortex
- Somatosensory cortex
- Auditory cortex
- Visual cortex
Motor cortex - location? Function? Effect of damage?
Location: back of frontal lobes
Function: conscious movement (control opposite sides of body)
Effect of damage: loss of control over fine movements
Somatosensory cortex - location? Function? Effect of damage?
Location: front of parietal lobes
Function: representation of sensory info, e.g. feeling pain, heat, etc
Effect of damage: issues processing sensory info
Auditory cortex - location? Function? Effect of damage?
Location: temporal lobe (by ears)
Function: receiving + processing auditory info (hearing)
Effect of damage: loss of hearing
Visual cortex - location? Function? Effect of damage?
Location: back of occipital lobes
Function: sending visual info from visual field to opposite visual cortex (sight)
Effect of damage: loss of vision (blindness)
Which side of the brain is language lateralised to?
Left
What are the two language centres of the brain?
- Broca’s area
- Wernicke’s area
Broca’s area - location? Function? Effect of damage? Discovered by?
Location: left frontal lobe
Function: language production (speech)
Effect of damage: Broca’s aphasia - cannot produce speech properly (slow + broken)
Discovered by: Looking at Patient Tan (could understand language heard but could only say one syllable: ‘Tan’)