7.1: Higher Cortical Function

Question 1

What is the name of the white matter structure that connects the two cerebral hemispheres?

Answer 1

Corpus callosum

Question 2

Which lobes contain the motor cortex and the sensory cortex?

Answer 2

Motor cortex in the Precentral gyrus in the frontal lobe

Sensory cortex is the postcentral gyrus in the parietal lobe

Question 3

What characteristics does the frontal lobe control?

Answer 3

Thinking
Memory
Movement
Behaviour
Cognition
Speech expression (usually left hemisphere)
Continence

Question 4

What characteristics does the parietal lobe control?

Answer 4

Language
Touch
Sensory cortex
Body image (usually right)
Calculation
Writing

Question 5

A lesion to which lobe will cause “neglect”?

Answer 5

Parietal lobe

Eg RHS parietal lesion causes the px to neglect that the left side of the world exists

Question 6

A lesion to which lobe can cause dyslexia, dyscalculia, apraxia?

Answer 6

Parietal lobe

Question 7

What are the main functions of the temporal lobes?

Answer 7

Hearing
Learning
Olfaction
Memory
Speech comprehension (usually left)
Optic radiations pass through

Question 8

A lesion to which lobe can cause Wernicke’s aphasia?

Answer 8

Temporal lobe

Question 9

Which cerebral hemisphere is dominant in most people and what does this control?

Answer 9

Left is dominant in most
Dominant hemisphere will control language, mathematics and logic
Non dominant hemisphere will control body image, visuospatial awareness, emotion, music

Question 10

Where is Broca’s area and what is it involved in?

Answer 10

Inferiolateral frontal lobe

It is involved in the production of speech (makes sense as it is closer to the motor cortex, especially the face part of the motor homonculus)

Question 11

What is Broca’s aphasia?

Answer 11

When the px can understand and follow instruction but cannot articulate fluent speech

Question 12

Where is Wernicke’s area?

Answer 12

Superior part of the temporal lobe

Question 13

What is Wernicke’s area involved in?

Answer 13

Interpretation of language

Question 14

What is Wernicke’s aphasia?

Answer 14

When someone CN speak fluently but there is no comprehension

Question 15

What connects Wernicke’s and Broca’s area to one another?

Answer 15

The arcuate fasciculus

Question 16

What is the difference between declarative and non declarative memory?

Answer 16

Declarative is explicit, facts

Non declarative is emotion, motor skills, implicit

Question 17

Where are declarative and non declarative memories stored?

Answer 17

Declarative memories are stored all throughout the cerebral cortex

Non declarative memories are mainly stored in the cerebellum

Question 18

What does the hippocampus do?

Answer 18

Consolidates declarative memories by strengthening their synapses

Question 19

A px with epilepsy experience the smell of oranges immediately prior to a seizure. Which lobe is his lesion most likely to be in?

Answer 19

Temporal lobe, as this contains the primary olfactory cortex Hence his olfactory hallucination

Question 20

A px is unable to repeat the name of an object when spoken, but they can point to the physical object the word refers to. They can articulate words clearly. Where is the lesion?

Answer 20

Arcuate fasciculus

Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas are in tact, but problem resides in the connection between the two areas