Biopsychology- Localisation Of Function Flashcards
Localisation of function -
The theory that different areas of the brain are responsible for different behaviours, processes or activities.
Motor area -
A region of the frontal lobe involved in regulating movement.
Somatosensory area -
An area of the parietal lobe that processes sensory information such as touch.
Visual area -
A part of the occipital lobe that receives and processes visual information.
Auditory area -
Located in the temporal lobe and concerned with the analysis of speech-based information.
Broca’s area-
An area of the frontal lobe of the
brain in the left hemisphere (in most people) responsible for speech production.
Wernicke’s area -
An area of the temporal lobe (encircling the auditory cortex) in the left hemisphere (in most people) responsible for language comprehension.
What is the localisation of function in the brain?
Localisation of function refers to the idea that different parts of the brain perform specific tasks and are responsible for different physical and psychological functions.
What is the holistic theory of the brain?
The holistic theory suggests that all parts of the brain are involved in processing thought and action, rather than specific areas being responsible for specific functions.
How did Broca and Wernicke challenge the holistic theory?
Broca and Wernicke argued for localisation of function, showing that specific areas of the brain (e.g., Broca’s area and Wernicke’s area) are associated with particular functions such as speech production and language comprehension.
What is lateralisation?
Lateralisation refers to the dominance of one hemisphere of the brain in controlling certain physical or psychological functions.
How do the hemispheres of the brain control the body?
The left hemisphere controls activity on the right-hand side of the body, while the right hemisphere controls activity on the left-hand side of the body.
What is the cerebral cortex, and why is it important?
The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of both brain hemispheres, about 3 mm thick, and it is highly developed in humans. It is involved in higher cognitive functions like thought, perception, and decision-making.
Name the four lobes of the cerebral cortex.
The four lobes are the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe.
What is the function of the motor area in the brain?
The motor area, located at the back of the frontal lobe, controls voluntary movement on the opposite side of the body. Damage to this area can result in loss of fine motor control.
What is the function of the somatosensory area?
The somatosensory area, located at the front of the parietal lobe, processes sensory information from the skin (e.g., touch, heat, pressure).
Where is the visual area located, and what is its function?
The visual area is located in the occipital lobe at the back of the brain. It processes visual information from the eyes. Damage to one hemisphere can cause blindness in the opposite visual field.
What is the function of the auditory area?
The auditory area, located in the temporal lobes, analyses speech-based information. Damage to this area can lead to partial hearing loss.
What is Broca’s area responsible for?
Broca’s area, located in the left frontal lobe, is responsible for speech production. Damage to this area causes Broca’s aphasia, characterized by slow, laborious speech lacking fluency.
What is Wernicke’s area responsible for?
Wernicke’s area, located in the left temporal lobe, is responsible for language comprehension. Damage can result in Wernicke’s aphasia, where speech is fluent but meaningless, often including made-up words (neologisms).
What evidence supports localisation of function?
• Brain scans: Petersen et al. (1988) showed Wernicke’s area is active during listening tasks and Broca’s area during reading tasks.
• Long-term memory research: Tulving et al. (1994) found semantic and episodic memories are stored in different parts of the prefrontal cortex.
• Neurosurgery: Dougherty et al. (2002) reported that cingulotomy helped treat OCD in some patients, suggesting certain behaviours are localised.
How does the case of Phineas Gage support localisation?
After a tamping iron damaged his left frontal lobe, Gage’s personality changed drastically, becoming more quick-tempered and rude. This suggests the frontal lobe is responsible for regulating mood.
How does Lashley’s research challenge localisation?
Lashley (1950) found that removing parts of the cortex in rats did not affect their ability to learn a maze, suggesting that learning is distributed across the brain rather than localised.
What is brain plasticity, and how does it challenge localisation?
Brain plasticity refers to the brain’s ability to reorganise itself and compensate for damaged areas. For example, stroke victims can recover lost functions through cortical remapping, supporting a more holistic view of the brain.
What is the law of equipotentiality?
This is the idea that surviving brain circuits can ‘chip in’ to achieve the same neurological action when an area of the brain is damaged.
Why should we be cautious about generalising Lashley’s research?
Lashley’s studies were conducted on rats, so the findings may not fully apply to human brain function and learning.
