Biopsych- Localisation of function Flashcards
What is localisation of function?
pecific functions/processes are localised to/can be found in specific locations in the brain
The brain is divided into two 1._____, left and right and is covered by a thin layer known as the 2.____ _____
1.hemispheres
2.cerebral cortex
What is the frontal lobe associated?
-Motor cortex- responsible for voluntary movements by sending signals to the muscles in the body
-Broca’s area- responsible for speech production
What is the parietal lobe associated with?
-Somato- sensory area- receives incoming sensory (touch) information from senses and produces sensations
- governs body orientation
- aids learning in the practice of complex, precise movements
What is the occipital lobe assoiated with?
-Visual area- receiving and processing of visual information
-Understands distance and depth ]
-recognition of objects and faces
What is the temporal lobe associated with?
-Auditory area- analyses and processes acoustic information
-Wernicke’s areas- language comprehension
-Hippocampus- responsible for memory and spatial navigation
Give some information regarding Brocas area
-Named after Paul Broca
-Paitent tan- could only say tan as the post mortem revealed that they had a lesion/damage on the left frontal lobe
-Brocas aphasia
Give some information regarding Wernicke’s area
-Named after Carl Wernicke
-Paitents who could talk but not understand language
-lesion/damage to left temporal lobe
-Wernickes aphasia
What is the function of the cerebellum?
controls balance and coordination
What is the function of the brain stem?
Involuntary functions
Give an evaluation point (Individual differences)
-The idea of localistaioj fails to take into account individual differences
-Herasty found that women have a proportionally larger Brocas and wernickes area than men which could explain the greater ease of language use amogst women
-Suggests a level of beta bias
-Differences between men and women are ignored and variations in the pattern of activation and size of areas observed during various langauge activities are not considred
-Unable to generealise reasearch examining localisation of function to males and females qually as the different brain structures/size suggest that different considerations are needed
Give an evaluation point (Higher order functions)
-Cannot limit higher order functions to just one region of the brain
-Lashley argues that basic motor and sensory functions sre localised but higher mental functions are not as intact
-areas of the cortex could take over responsibility for specific cognitive functions following brain injury
-The theory is gbiologically reductionsit as they try to reduce very complex human behaviours and cognitive processes to one specific brain brain region
-casts doubt on theories of localisation suggesting functions are not localised to just one region as other regions can take over specific functions following brain injuy
-
Give an evaluatiohn point (Case studies)
-many case studies on paitents with damage to Brocas area and wenickes area have demonstarted their functions
-Brocas aphasia is an impaired ability to produce lngauge in most cases thisis caused by brain damage to Brocas area
_wernickes aphasia is an impairemnet of langauge perception demonstratint the role played byt his brain region in the comprehension of lanaguge
-However there is issues surrounding the gnerealisibility of case studies, they do not account for individual differnces suchas IQ which could impact a persons speech comprehension/production
-Therefore, although case studies can be useful they cannot be generealised to the wider population
Give an evaluation point (How brain regions communicate)
-Important to look at specific brain regions but it is arguabley more important to investiage how brain regions communicate
-Wernicke claimed that although different areas of the brain are indeppendent, they must interact with each other in order to function
-An example is a case study where a man lost his ability to read following damage to to the visual cortex and wernickes area
-Does not account for gender diffferences - females have larger boracas areas so this may apply to other areas of the brain
-Suggets intercations between different areas to produce complex behaviours such as language therefore damage to connection between any two points can result in impairements that resemble damae to localised brain regions associated with damage to specific function reduces credibility of localisation of function
