Biopsychology - Localisation Of Function(1)

Question 1

What is the localisation of function?

Answer 1

Knowing that specific areas of the brain have specific functions which communicate together to allow functions to occur. Knowing that the brain is divided into two hemispheres which specialise in different functions e.g. the left hemisphere controls the right of the body

Question 2

What are the four lobes of the brain?

Answer 2

The frontal lobe
The parietal lobe
The temporal lobe
The occipital lobe

Question 3

What is the function of the frontal lobe?

Answer 3

Contains the motor cortex which is responsible for all voluntary motor movements
Is able to detect movements and has aspects of containing persona. Controls conscious actions

Question 4

What is the motor cortex?

Answer 4

Located in the brain and specialises in controlling all voluntary movements via both hemispheres but controls muscles on the left side of the body. Damage to this area may cause loss of control over acute movements.

Question 5

What is the main functions of the parietal lobe?

Answer 5

The parietal lobe is responsible for stimuli perception which codes via the somatosensory cortex as this is where it is located near the motor cortex.

Question 6

What is the somatosensory cortex?

Answer 6

The somatosensory cortex is responsible for the detection of sensory events via different regions of the body. It can be found in the parietal lobe and codes by - Touch, Taste, Smell, Sight, Hearing along with sensations - pressure and pain.

Question 7

What is the main function of the occipital lobe?

Answer 7

The occipital lobe is responsible for sight. It is detected via the visual cortex within the occipital lobe

Question 8

What is the visual cortex?

Answer 8

The visual cortex is how the occipital lobe codes photographic images and photo info is transmitted through the eyes. It begins through the retina where light enters triggering the photoreceptors, in turn, this causes a signal to be transmitted to the occipital lobe via the optic nerve.

Question 9

How do the eyes detect photographic information which is transmitted to the brain?

Answer 9

Each eye sends info via visual fields of view - the right visual field to the left visual field and from here the left visual field transmits the signal to the right visual cortex. This is reciprocate on the other side and certain info is associated with circadian rhythms.

Question 10

What is the temporal lobe?

Answer 10

The main function of the temporal lobe is speech recognition and hearing. As it contains the auditory cortex, info is brought to the temporal lobe via the ears.

Question 11

What is the auditory lobe?

Answer 11

The auditory lobe can be found in the temporal lobe on both sides of the brain. Transmission of info begins in the ear where sound is transferred into a nerve impulse travelling via the auditory nerve to the auditory cortex

Question 12

What are the effects of damage to the motor cortex?

Answer 12

-Decreased motor movement

Question 13

What are the effects of damage to the somatosensory cortex?

Answer 13

Loss of sensory controls e.g.
- Unable to detect smells
-unable to detect pain

Question 14

What are the effects of damage to the visual cortex?

Answer 14

-impaired/lost of sight
-blurred vision

Question 15

What are the effects of damage to the auditory cortex?

Answer 15

-Hearing loss
-Deafness

Question 16

What research is able to support the localisation of the brain?

Answer 16

Phineas Gage

Question 17

Briefly explain the case study of Phineas Gage

Answer 17

Suffered a injury which caused a metal rod to damage his frontal lobe.
He lost certain parts of his personality but could still move as the motor cortex was not damaged and could still hear along with feeling sensations which means that the brains function is localised as if one area is damaged the other aspects are still able to work

Question 18

What is another study (not phineas gage) which supports localisation of function?

Answer 18

Karl Lashley and his rats

Question 19

Briefly explain Karl Lashley’s study

Answer 19

Created a maze for the rats to get food at the end of; then removed parts of rats cortex and made them re-attempt the maze.
As they were still able to complete the maze, he concluded that memory resided in various parts of the brain rather than one specific area as it was still able to function with certain parts of the brain removed.