Bio : Localization

Question 1

Name of the researcher

Answer 1

Maguire et al

Question 2

What is Localization

Answer 2

The theory that certain areas of the brain are responsible for certain psychological functions

Question 3

Aim

Answer 3

investigating the theory of brain localization in context of the spatial memory of London taxi drivers

Question 4

Describe

Answer 4

16 healthy male taxi drivers and 50 non-taxi drivers participated. The taxi drivers had been driving for an average of 14.3 years. This focus on drivers arose from the assumption that taxi drivers who typically need to pass a rigorous test that requires detailed spatial knowledge of London, would have a more active spatial memory. Participants were told to go through an MRI to see the brain structure.

Question 5

Conclude/Results

Answer 5

The study found a larger volume of the POSTERIOR HIPPOCAMPUS, leading to believing that this is CRUCIAL FOR SPATIAL MEMORY. THEREFORE, the size of the posterior hippocampus correlated with the number of years they were working, as the longer they worked the bigger it was.

It supports the theory of localization since it shows that changes in behavior, in terms of SPATIAL MEMORY, are accounted for by localized structural changes in the brain.