Bio - Localisation of function Flashcards

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1
Q

Broca’s area

A

An area in the frontal lobe of the brain, usually in the left hemisphere, related to speech production.

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2
Q

Localisation of function

A

Refers to the belief that specific areas of the brain are associated with specific cognitive processes.

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3
Q

Motor cortex

A

A region of the brain responsible for the generation of voluntary motor movements.

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4
Q

Somatosensory cortex

A

A region of the brain that processes input from sensory receptors in the body that are sensitive to touch.

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5
Q

Wernicke’s area

A

An area in the temporal lobe of the brain important in the comprehension of language.

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6
Q

Where is the motor cortex located?

A

Frontal lobe along the precentral gyrus.

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7
Q

Which hemisphere has a motor cortex?

A

Both

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8
Q

Which motor cortex controls which side of the body’s muscles?

A

The left motor cortex controls the right and the right motor cortex controls the left.

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9
Q

Where is the somatosensory cortex located?

A

In the parietal lobe along the postcentral gyrus.

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10
Q

What is the postcentral gyrus?

A

An area of the somatosensory cortex dedicated to the processing of sensory information related to touch.

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11
Q

What does the motor cortex do?

A

Responsible for the generation of voluntary motor movements.

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12
Q

What does the somatosensory cortex do?

A

Detects sensory events arising from different regions of the body - it uses sensory information from the skin to produce sensations of touch, pressure, pain and temperature, which it then localises to specific body regions.

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13
Q

Which hemisphere has a somatosensory cortex?

A

Both

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14
Q

Which somatosensory cortex receives sensory information from which side of the body?

A

Each hemisphere receives sensory information from the opposite side of the body.

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15
Q

Where is the primary visual centre in the brain located?

A

In the visual cortex in the occipital lobe of the brain.

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16
Q

Where is the visual cortex located in the brain?

A

In the occipital lobe.

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17
Q

Where does visual processing begin?

A

In the retina, at the back of the eye, where light enters and strike the photoreceptors (rods and cones).

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18
Q

How are signals sent from the retina to the brain?

A

Nerve impulses from the retina are transmitted to the brain via the optic nerve.

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19
Q

Where do some of the nerve impulses from the retina travel to in the brain?

A

Some travel to areas of the brain involved in the coordination of circadian rhythms, but the majority terminate in an area called the thalamus, which acts as a relay station, passing this information on to the visual cortex.

20
Q

Which hemisphere has a visual cortex?

A

The visual cortex spans both hemispheres.

21
Q

Which hemisphere of the visual cortex receives input from which side of the visual field?

A

The right hemisphere receives its input from the left-hand side of the visual field and the left hemisphere receives its input from the right-hand side of the visual field.

22
Q

Why does the visual cortex contain several different areas?

A

Because each area processes different types of visual information, such as colour, shape or movement.

23
Q

What is the auditory centre in the brain concerned with?

A

Hearing

24
Q

Where does most of the auditory centre lay in the brain?

A

Within the temporal lobes on both sides of the brain where we find the auditory cortex.

25
Q

Where do we find the auditory cortex in the brain?

A

Within the temporal lobes.

26
Q

Which hemisphere has an auditory cortex?

A

Both hemispheres.

27
Q

Where do the auditory pathways begin?

A

In the cochlea in the inner ear, where sound waves are converted to nerve impulses, which travel via the auditory nerve to the auditory cortex in the brain.

28
Q

On the journey from the cochlea to the brain, where is the information first stopped?

A

At the brain stem.

29
Q

What happens to auditory information when it has reached the brain stem?

A

Basic decoding takes place, for example the duration and intensity of a sound.

30
Q

After the brain stem, where does the decoded auditory information go?

A

To the thalamus.

31
Q

What does the thalamus do to visual and auditory information?

A

It acts as a relay station passing visual information on to the visual cortex and processing the auditory stimulus before passing it onto the auditory cortex.

32
Q

Where is the last stop for auditory information?

A

The auditory cortex.

33
Q

What happens to auditory information when it reaches the auditory cortex?

A

Although the sound has been largely decoded by this stage, in the auditory cortex it is recognised and may result in an appropriate response.

34
Q

How did Broca identify the language centre of Broca’s area?

A

He treated a patient he referred to as ‘Tan’ because that was the only syllable the patient could express. He had an unusual disorder as he could understand spoken language but was unable to speak or express his thoughts in writing.

He studied 8 other patients all with similar language deficits, along with lesions in their left frontal hemisphere. He found those with damage to the right frontal hemisphere did not have the same language problems. This led him to identifying the existence of a ‘language centre’ in the posterior portion of the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere. This is believed to be critical for speech production.

35
Q

Who was Paul Broca?

A

A French neurosurgeon who treated a patient he referred to as ‘Tan’ because that was the only syllable the patient could express. He studied 8 other patients with similar deficits to help him identify Broca’s area for language.

36
Q

Where is Broca’s area located in the brain?

A

In the posterior portion of the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere.

37
Q

Which hemisphere has a Broca’s area?

A

The left hemisphere only.

38
Q

What is the function of Broca’s area?

A

Speech production.

39
Q

What have other neuroscientists discovered about Broca’s area?

A

That when people perform cognitive tasks that have nothing to do with language there is evidence of activity in Broca’s area.

This led to Fedorenko et al. (2012) discovering two regions of Broca’s area, one selectively involved in language, the other involved in responding to many demanding cognitive tasks (such as performing maths problems).

40
Q

Through which method of studying the brain did Broca mainly identify Broca’s area as a language centre for speech production?

A

Post-mortem examinations.

41
Q

What area of the brain is associated with speech production?

A

Broca’s area.

42
Q

What area of the brain is associated with understanding language?

A

Wernicke’s area.

43
Q

What is the function of Wernicke’s area?

A

Involved in understanding language.

44
Q

Where is Wernicke’s area located in the brain?

A

Posterior portion of the left temporal lobe in the left hemisphere.

45
Q

Which hemisphere has a Wernicke’s area?

A

The left hemisphere only.

46
Q

What did Wernicke propose?

A

That language involves separate motor and sensory regions located in different cortical regions.

The motor region, located in Broca’s area, is close to the area that controls the mouth, tongue and vocal cords.

The sensory region, located in Wernicke’s area, is close to regions of the brain responsible for auditory and visual input. Input from these regions is thought to be transferred to Wernicke’s area where it is recognised as language and associated with meaning.

There is a neural loop known as the arcuate fasciculus running between Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. At one end lies Broca’s area, responsible for the production of language, and at the other lies Wernicke’s area, responsible for the processing of spoken language.

47
Q

Explain the relationship between the language centres including information about the neural loop.

A

That language involves separate motor and sensory regions located in different cortical regions.

The motor region, located in Broca’s area, is close to the area that controls the mouth, tongue and vocal cords.

The sensory region, located in Wernicke’s area, is close to regions of the brain responsible for auditory and visual input. Input from these regions is thought to be transferred to Wernicke’s area where it is recognised as language and associated with meaning.

There is a neural loop known as the arcuate fasciculus running between Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area. At one end lies Broca’s area, responsible for the production of language, and at the other lies Wernicke’s area, responsible for the processing of spoken language.