Biopsychology - Brain Flashcards
1
Q
What are the three main sections of the brain?
A
- forebrain
- midbrain
- hindbrain
2
Q
What are the four main regions of the brain?
A
- cerebrum (cerebral hemispheres) = forebrain
- diencephalon = forebrain
- cerebellum = hindbrain
- brainstem = mid/hindbrain
3
Q
What is the cerebrum?
A
- largest section of the brain
- split into two hemispheres (left/right)
- they communicate via the corpus collusum
- four lobes:
- frontal =
- occipital
- temporal
- parietal
4
Q
What is the diencephalon?
A
5
Q
What is the cerebellum?
A
6
Q
What is the brain stem?
A
7
Q
What is localisation of function?
A
- the idea that specific functions (language, memory) have specific locations in the brain
8
Q
What are the motor and somatosensory areas of the brain?
A
- somatosensory cortex:
- receives sensory input from receptors in the skin
- located in parietal lobe
- face and hands take up over half the somatosensory area
- motor cortex:
- generates voluntary movements
- located in the back of frontal lobe
- both hemispheres control the muscles on the opposite side of the body
9
Q
What are the visual and auditory centres of the brain?
A
- visual centre:
- located in occipital lobe
- requires additional processing in neighbouring areas (perception)
- where sensation is converted into perception
- auditory centre:
- most of it is located in the temporal lobes of both the left and right hemispheres
- begins in the inner ear where sound waves are converted to nerve impulses
- this then travels via the auditory nerve to the auditory cortex
10
Q
What are the language centres of the brain?
A
- Broca’s area: (motor region)
- patient named Tan was able to understand a spoken language but could not speak it or put his thoughts into words
- found that the language centre is in the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere
- Wernicke’s area: (sensory region)
- found in the left temporal lobe
- involved in understanding language
11
Q
What are the strengths of localisation of function?
A
- brain scan evidence of localisation
- neurosurgical evidence
- case study evidence:
- Phineas Gage forced temporal lobe out of his brain
- aphasia study support
12
Q
What are the weaknesses of localisation of function?
A
- challenges to localisation = reductionist:
- plasticity argues against this theory
- individual differences:
- difference in patterns of activation across individuals
13
Q
What is brain lateralisation?
A
- idea that the two halves of the human brain are not exactly alike
- each hemisphere has functional specialisations
- left = language
- right = visual-motor tasks
- corpus callosum allows for the communication between the two hemispheres
14
Q
What is the right hemisphere dominant in?
A
- emotion
- spatial relationships
15
Q
What is the left hemisphere dominant in?
A
- language
16
Q
What are the strengths of lateralisation?
A
- helps to understand how specific functions are located on specific sides of the brain (multitasking)
- enhances brain efficiency
- can study left handedness and why they may be prone to allergies/illness
- link between immune system and lateralisation
17
Q
What are the weaknesses of lateralisation?
A
- changes with age, so this theory is not set in stone
- language became more lateralised to the left hemisphere up to the age of 25
- does not explain brain plasticity
- studies show that having one damaged hemisphere is not abnormal
- other hemisphere can take over the functions of the damaged hemisphere